What tools are needed?

[aminga]

My dad's 98 chevy had a weird low pressure valve that didn't have a schrader valve you had to replace the whole thing  And call me weird but I don't think pulling a vac is an accurate leak test.  WHen I converted the T over to R134a it would hold vacum but loose pressure. 

[TexasT]

From what I've read the vac isn't a test for integrity but to "boil" off the moisture in the system. I watched a guy on you tube with a rubber tipped blow gun squirt the system full of air pressure .

When the daughter brings the car back we shall heat it up and see what comes of it.

[TexasT]

Well car came and sat all day but I had other stuff. I did order a couple of those fittings, an accumulator, tube thing, and some rubber things to seal the can tap for $35 shipped off rock auto. Not sure why I couldn't get it to blow cold but maybe the tube thing and a new accumulater will help it.

I know Charlie is up there yelling stuff and cussing me. Wish he was here to help.

[TexasT]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R4Y7NkfWCg

Well I see the problem. I'm going to go at it with a pliers. This was suggested but I was taught not to use pliers on stuff. I guess this is the exception.

[img/]

I bought some of these but I'm not sure they will fit as the thread looks pretty big. Probably going to make a trip to the local part house and see if I can match it up. Looks like I need one for the suburban too as It doesnt hold pressure either.


Went out last night with the blacklight flashlight. Nothing conclusive. I shined(is that a word, maybe shown), it around on the lines and such but the daughter was much more enthralled with how it lit up her sock and such. At least she came out to help.


I think I'm making progress but it isn't blowing cold so we keep moving forward.

[TexasT]

Made progress on the purple car. Put the new low side poet on there and got it to take some 134a. I have a valve that screws on to the top of the can and bought an inline ball valve that enabled me to shut the can off. This was hey helpful as I could put smaller amounts into the system and had more control of the can. I had the thing blowing cold but by the next afternoon it had lost its charge again so we have a leak and a pretty big one.

I was pretty stoked  got it to blow cold. A Buddy loaned me his Freon sniffer tool so I'm going to squirt some more in and see what I can sniff. I'm leaning toward the compressor leaking as I had put the dye into the system and all I could see with the black light was spots on the compressor housing. I think the seal I leaking and spitting the stuff on the compressor. $150 for the compressor from rockauto. I already bought the accumulator and an office tube but didn't want to "waste" them. So with another shot of the parts cannon , a new compressor will be ordered when budget permits.

On the T I had installed the "new to me" compressor(thanks again Jason) as above. And put the last can of red tek 12a in . I put the gauge back on it and it was still at 60 psi on both high and low. Pretty happy with that. I went back to eBay to see about some more 12a but none was listed so I'm not sure where I'm going from here. I guess I'm going to pull it all apart, clean it out and put the new accumulator and office tube and put the 152a in.

[good2win22]

I have a couple more compressors if that one turns out to be an issue. Let me know

[Forzfed]

From what I've read the vac isn't a test for integrity but to "boil" off the moisture in the system. I watched a guy on you tube with a rubber tipped blow gun squirt the system full of air pressure .

I was going to say that.  There are systems that run in a vacuum but our car isn't one.

[Pyro6]

Rich it looks like you have a huge leak. Is 60 and 60 with the compressor running? You're right, when you put the system into a vacuum it is boiling moisture out of the system, usually in several hours. The last thing you should be installing is the accumulator and orifice tube after you have it all figured out.

[TexasT]

That 60psi on the T was just static. 60psi on both sides after I put the one can in a few weeks ago. Then came back and just put the gauge on to see where I am. Appears to be holding the charge and the compressor was short cycling with the amount I had. Just didn't have any more to put in. Apparently in Canada this red tek stuff is pretty common as it was Jim(gussezgs) who turned me on to it.

[aminga]

From what I've read the vac isn't a test for integrity but to "boil" off the moisture in the system. I watched a guy on you tube with a rubber tipped blow gun squirt the system full of air pressure .

I was going to say that.  There are systems that run in a vacuum but our car isn't one.

That's correct Boil off the moisture.  Vac is useless for leak testing A/C Systems.  In fact I just had to have one of the head units replaced on my Upstairs Home AC and they leak tested it with nitrogen not vac

[TexasT]

I've been watching Craigslist for a nitrogen cylinder and regulator so I can do that too. Just haven't found the "right" deal yet. Gotta be careful of what you buy so your lws will fill it or trade it for a full.

[daveismissing]

My old truck had a hard to find leak and they pressurized with nitrogen to find the compressor would leak at higher pressures

[TexasT]

I was thinking of looking into a seal kit for the compressor on there. It definitely was compressing as the thing made cold. I guess we need to pull the clutch and reinstall. I bought some little tools for that and they seemed to work. Might hit eBay and rockauto and see what I can come up with.

[TexasT]

I'm back over on the T. New to me compressor, and some more cans of the redtek 12a. Got I to go in and had 145-150psi on high side and it would work its way down to 25-30psi on the low. Was blowing pretty cold bit I didn't measure with thermometer. Does make condensation on windshield so next is the blend door and getting it to blow out of the vents.

[Steve Wood]

In time for summer! Which comes right after monsoon season