Another 90s series Saturn A/C system refurb.

I'm currently working on getting a 94 SC2 back to a working condition A/C system. I've borrowed a vacuum pump and and guage set. I put new schreader valves in the compressor because the system wouldnt hold a vacuum. (I hope that was the problem - the A/C worked last year, but the last time I added refrigerant the low side valve was leaking) I have also replaced the condensor - the old one was covered in guck because I forgot to replace the engine oil cap once. Since I had a replacement already off Ebay (it was just so cheap....) I thought I'd just swap out (I'll be listing the cleaned up one on Ebay soon). When I disconnected the old condensor, the system still had a little pressure from a year ago - even with the leaky schraeder valve. I guess that's good. I bought a new dryer unit. But. It seems the dryer/accumulator or whatever you wanna call it isnt really SEALED! I expected that it would have hermatically sealed end caps or something. It does have end caps to protect the threads but does not seem to be sealed! Would anyone clue me in to how this thing keeps from being contaminated??????

Reply to
wavy
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Hi wavy

Maybe they were hoping you wouldn't notice the un-sealed dryer. Sounds like a waste of time putting it in! The guy who serviced my AC in the house put in a new dryer. But he put it in backwards according to the arrow on it! The AC still works however.

Fred

94 SC2
Reply to
Fred V.

Well, I have to wonder if maybe it has some kind of seal internal which breaks when system vacuum or pressure is applied. It has to be - right? Otherwise whats the freakin' point? Oh, and I'm pretty sure Dryer isnt like a DIODE... its just a cannister that works in way out or out way in. Thanks!

-dc

Fred V. wrote:

Reply to
wavy

Whoa whoa whoa, how was the remaining refrigerant recovered??? It likely still contained some r-12... Are you planing on sticking with R-12 or are you thinking of dumping r-134a in an r-12 system? You need to stop right now if you are planing that.

A leaky schrader valve means nothing if it is capped. The schrader valve is not the primary seal. It only retains refrigerent long enough to attatch service hoses. Nothing more. You have a leak somewhere else if it was kept capped. The new drier should of been sealed off to keep the desiccant good...

Always have the system recovered before you begin repairs! If you are planing on changing to 134a you best start reading before you do something illegal or for that matter something rather futile.

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Reply to
BläBlä

Two Errors Here:

One - The dryer IS sealed. I noticed that one end of it appeared to have a hole in the end. Apparently not. I put my mouth on the end and gave it a good pull (I really try NOT to suck! haha) the hole was just an 'artifact'.

TWO- 1994 Saturns are R-134a systems NOT R-12! (at least the one I have! Its printed right on the radiator support.) And please forgive me, ozone gods - I knew not what I was up to! I had no idea there was any charge in the system until I disconnected the condensor core. It went "phiSH".

Whether r-134 is actually less harmfull than r-12, I dont really know. But I am absolutely certain that I am not as much as a polluter as I once was when chloroflourocarbons were the propellent in my can of Right Guard (or my mom's Aqua Net!)

ANOTHER QUESTION - Can a sytem be flushed intact? I'm wanting to flush the system as well as possible before installing the new dryer. The old schreader valves appeared to have a coating of algae, fine mud or cholesterol... Flushing the system sounds like a GREAT idea, but how do you do it without leaving mineral spirits (or poltergiests) in the cooling system?

Thanks!

-DC

PS- the caps I put > Whoa whoa whoa, how was the remaining refrigerant recovered??? It likely

Reply to
wavy

Good they were more ahead of the game than I thought.

The compressor cant be flushed. See ackits.com forum for flushing better details.

Ever take the a/c service cap off and hear a psssss sound? What was that I wonder? Oh look theres an o-ring in the top of it as well. Whys that? A great a/c service shop will replace both the schrader valves and old caps and add nylog to the cap for increased sealing protection. A bad shop will leave the caps off if they loose or break them...

Reply to
BläBlä

The only contamination they will get is moisture and that can easily be removed if you pull doen and hld a vacum for a while (30 to 45 minutes during leak check) so there is no big cause for concern here.

----------------- The SnoMan

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Reply to
SnoMan

On Mon, 05 Jun 2006 03:46:16 GMT, BläBlä

Actually it can be and so can the whole system if you want to. I did it a few times many years ago and as I recall it was called R504.

----------------- The SnoMan

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Reply to
SnoMan

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