Need some assistance here, folks...

Never mind. A tech gave me instructions, said if there wasn't enough refrigerant the compressor wouldn't turn on. Filled the system...still didn't turn on. Crap...

"Hachiroku" wrote: > The Chrysler A/C is dead. Last fall it was making noises like > marbles > rattling around in a coffee can. > > I'm HOPING it is just low on gas. I want to get a can of R-134 > (about a > LB) and put it in the system. I did this with my 'hachiroku', > added 4 lbs > (what the 'spec' said) and it ran for two weeks before blowing > the > compressor. Oops, it's only a 2.4 LB system!!! (can't remember > where I got > the spec, but I guess it was wrong, eh?) > > I want to add the gas slowly until (hopefully) the compressor > kicks on. I > will probably have to add some oil to the system, too. > > I am ASSUMING you add the gas to the High side, with the > system on (????) > I don't have a manifold with guages or anything. Even with my > employee > discount, it is STILL too much ($125) to spend for a system > that may not > be working at all. One of the techs suggested the R-134 in a > can. > > Any kind of 'procedure' for this Gumby method would be > appreciated. Thanks!

If the compressor was growling and making noises it is likely shot because that is the classic sounds thay make where at end of life cycle and sometimes they lock up too. A over charge can cause noise to but not like what you describe. I am sorry but I do not want to give you false hope here that there is a quick cheap fix because there is not based on what you posted.

No, no, no! You add to the LOW side. The big hose coming back from the evaporator core. If you try adding to the high side (and the hose kit is too cheap to have a check valve in it) the can will end up in low earth orbit next to Sputnik. That is, unless you are standing in the way at the moment it decides to launch...

And get the can with the gauge on the hose - when you hook it up you do want to see some residual pressure in the system, even if it's not enough for it to run. If it comes up Zero pressure (or even a vacuum) you may have bigger problems, like a leak that's big enough to need fixing. You can try filling it and see what happens...

The gauge will tell you roughly when it's full enough. And realize that if the system has leaked out the compressor oil charge somehow, it will blow up not long after putting it back in service. Just like running your engine with no oil - doesn't matter how full the radiator is.

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Add it to the low side. Not the high!

Thankfully, the kit came with instructions, the guy at AutoZone was actually knowledgable, and the compressor was marked with caps marked "H" & "L". No Sputniks today, thank you!!

Well, there was some residual pressue so the system was not totally empty. But, the compressor never did kick on. New compressor time? Hmmm...$235 for a (flaky) rebuilt one...

Not a problem...I was hoping but realized that it was probably too late. Sometimes I luck out, but not often enough...

Thanks anyway!

Hachi-San,

Check to see if you have power to the compressor - if not, check fuses, circuit breakers, relays, fusible links, controls, pressure switches, etc. If you have power to the compressor, then the compressor clutch is probably shot.

Look for another "tech" because he gave you bad advise. If it was grinding and growling it is shot and more or new refrigerant is just wasted money at this stage because it will not quiet or "fix" a worn out compressor. If you had not mentioned the noise before failure I would have said check charge but it is pointless with a noisy compressor.

Before you panic, trace through the electrical circuits and see where you do or do not get power. It goes through (not necessarily in this order...) the clutch to ground, but you follow the line from the clutch back and you have a fuse for the clutch, and a low-pressure switch on the low-side line (empty system cut-off) before you get back to the controls on the dash.

And at the dashboard you have the temperature control slider circuit and the "AC Amplifier" sensing the core temperature to keep the evaporator core from icing over.

Buy one of the line techs a six-pack and have him trace that through

- and watch him do it. Troubleshooting is all in being methodical.

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circuit

through

Why are you doing all of this for NOISY compressor that sounded really bad before it quit working???? It is not like it was working fine on day nice a quiet and suddenly quit!! You have him looking for the wrong fix. He needs to replace compressor and drier, vac system and recharge and THEN it should work but it is very pointless to try to run a compressor that was very noisy before it quit working. (Read orginal post)

Hahahaha! Hachi-San! I like it! Kenichi-wa!

But I did have one smooth out once just by adding Freon. Once. A long time ago...in a galaxy far far away...

That should be "Konichi-wa", boy-san.

Merritt

Yes, long long ago. Freon will not fix it now sad to say based on your observations.

Watch it, or I'll set my keyboard to Traditional Japanese (some may remember about a year ago, I did this by accident and about 1/3 of the group couldn't read my posts...)

Actually, it should be ???!