94 Saturn AC problem

I'm having some trouble with the AC in my 94 Saturn. installed a new compressor, charged the system, and when I turn it on it stops cooling after a few miles and the pressure in the system goes to 100 pounds and the compressor shuts off and on and the cooling stops. When I release pressure in the system it starts cooling again until the pressure builds up again and the compressor shuts off and on rapidly, with no cool air in the car.....

Anyone know why?

Thanks,

Chip

Reply to
Chip
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Why...

You mean when you illegaly vented refrigerant...

I can think of a lot of reasons. Not about to use up my time going through every one of them. I will say not having a 609 certification would be the start of your problems.

The a/c system is not for diy'ers or amateurs. I cannot stress that enough. Please seek out a professional shop and tell them everything you have done in detail so they can correctly repair your a/c system.

Reply to
BläBlä

What do you care why? Dont worry yourself about it.

Did I say that I illegally vented refrigerant? Dont assume that you know everything.

You don't seem to have any problem using your time to insult. Maybe you should have passed on responding to this one.

Here in the last paragraph you appear to be trying to offer some help. You could have easily limited your response to just this paragraph. Then you would have been the hero Maybe this will help you on future posts.

Reply to
Chip

that guy is a bit crude and with attitude too. I would suggest that you do a pressure check with a set of gauge that reads high and low side at same time so you can se what is going on over all with system. Get the pressure reading and post them here. Charging a A/C system without a proper set of complete gauge is a iffy way to do it at best. (a low side only gauge is not reliable)

----------------- TheSnoMan.com

Reply to
SnoMan

when you removed the refigerant did you change the dryer? Also after you replaced the compressor did you pull a vacumn on the systen down to at least 29 for about and hour or did you just put refrigerant in?? If you just put refrigerant in you'll need to do the above otherwise the air AND moisture in the system will freeze up your expansion valve and give you the problem you are experiencing. A good set of gauges, vaccumn pump is necessary to get it back to working. BTW was yur old compressor bad or did you have symtoms like you have now??

Reply to
p_vouers

Ok have fun telling a real service tech that when you finally take it in=20 to be serviced. If you cant give a thorough history then they will be=20 even less likely to fool with it.

Considering you couldn't even give both a high and low side reading I=20 know exactly what you are doing. You have no RRR equipment.

This isn't childs play like a timing chain bub.

I'm not > when you removed the refigerant did you change the dryer? Also after

29 on a needle gage won't prove anything. Bad pumps will even show a=20 vacuum of 29 or 30 on a gage set. Water boils at 1500 microns which is=20 roughly 29.9 inches of vacuum. 29.0 inches of vacuum is 25,400 microns=20 which wont do a thing. A good service shop will have a "micron gage" and=20 will pull a vacuum around 700 to 500 microns. =20

You scratched the surface with questons p_vouers. Hence why I wasn't=20 going to get into it...=20

Reply to
BläBlä

I do appreciate your help SnoMan. The original question was from my dad, who is a very skilled mechanic, more than any diy'er. I did not assume that I knew everything he did but I can tell you that he has probably forgotten more about auto repair than BaaBaa Blacksheep ever knew. He asked me to do him a favor and get an opinion from the newsgroups, which is what I did. I am a veteran of the newsgroups and I know the type of responses that I can expect. I typically let the brash posts, chocked full of disdain go unacknowledged, but not always.

Dad may take it to a shop but my money says he will get it repaired himself (without an illegal venting of refrigerant).

Thanks again,

Chip

Reply to
Chip

Harbor Freight should have gauges for it for about 50 to 60 bucks. You can tell a LOT about the condition of a car A/C system and its charge in but a few minutes with a set of gauges.

----------------- TheSnoMan.com

Reply to
SnoMan

It's repaired. I got the final update. The compressor was replaced because it was disfunctional and leaking. This is why it kills me when someone asks "why did you do that?" Always assuming that they're the only ones that know how things work. Not to get on a rant here but it reminds me of a typical visit to the local Home Depot.

Guy in red vest: "Can I help you find something?" Me: "Yes. Can you tell me where to find the mouse bait?" Guy: "Why do you want mouse bait, what are you going to do with it?" Me: "I'm going to capture as many mice as possible, put little red vests with nametags on them and let them loose in Home Depot."

Anyway, a certified service center put tracer dye in the system to locate the leak. When it was recharged after the compressor was replaced, they evacuated the system which, (I'm told) you only have to do to remove moisture in the system - then they recharged it, adding coolant with oil. The extra oil and the dye was too much for the system and the filter/dryer became saturated with oil and clogged. (so much for certified technitions being flawless). This caused the overpressure and the compressor would not keep running. The dryer/filter was replaced, system was recharged and everything works correctly now.

Reply to
Chip

Actually the question is very valid. Compressors die several different ways. If the clutch failed or the front seal sprung a leak my answer to you would be completely different than it would be if the compressor had an internal failure.

So the person who replaced the compressor did a half assed job and didn't flush the system. You are correct, that service center isn't flawless, they have no way of knowing the person who replaced your compressor didn't do the job correctly. Now you just need to hope that all the excess oil didn't slug the compressor.

Steve B.

Reply to
Steve B.

If the guy is wearing a red vest you're probably at Lowe's. At Home Depot they wear orange.

RK Henry

Reply to
RK Henry

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