Let me start off by saying that SUMMER is coming... and I need to have a cold inside in my GSL-SE when SOCAL gets to about 103 degrees F... I push the AC button and I hear the clutch ingages and the AIR SUPPLY control start to work... but the damn thing is blowing regular temp air... I wait and wait and its no good its the same temp... I don't know if my FREON leaked out or something... and if it did... where's the common leak at... I just don't understand the AC... So if you got any fixes tell me... OOH yeah don't say remove the AC, cuz this is my daily driver... and I need cold air for my convience during SUMMER time...

 

What is broken if I press AC and nothing changes....and the light doesn't come on? The heat works, just not the A/C. Can just that part of the logicon break?

 

It probably is, some type of connection or something that's enabling you to hear that clutch ingaging and the AIR supply control to work...

 

If the compressor kicks in, then you have pressure in the system...

 

First I'd check the fuses, then I'd check connections to the Logicon and compressor. I'd also check to see if there's pressure in the system.

You can try to hotwire the compressor, but I don't reccomend leaving it this way for extended time as if there is no pressure, you wear the compressor out...

Set the **** to cold, and the fan to high, Then on the compressor, there is one wire. Hook that to +12 Volts... Compressor should spin up.



MRGSL-SE: You may not have ENOUGH pressure in the system to get it cold, but enough to bypass the failsafe switch. I'd get it checked out.

Leaks can occur anywhere, particularly in the rubber hose, and at connections... It's hard to tell. On refills, technicians usually fill it with an oil that has a UV responsive dye in it and look with a black light.

 

On a side note, does anyone know how much it would cost to put a completely NEW A/C system in their car?

My **** is worn and I would like to do a full new install so it is COLD.

Right on.

 

I'd like to do what you're saying, but how much is that service cost...???

 

you problably have no freon, but if you do recharge it im beting its still r12a and thats a little pricey. i would recommend if they have retrofit kits to just go r134a especially if its going to be a daily driver, its a good investment

 

yeah, but what about MY question?

 

nah, the new freon sucks. It doesnt get nearly as cold.

 

r134a don't get as cold as good old freon/r12a, but the tree huggers got their way and r12a is being phazed out. since price is determined by supply and demand, the limited supply of freon dictates a hight price.

plus if it's leaking you'll need to have a technician put the UV dye in there, charge it up, and check for leaks. And if it leaks then you got moisture in there already and you'll need a new AC dryer too...

I've had leaks at hoses, the dryer, even the little rubber seals in the compressor valves that you use to charge/discharge the system.

troubleshooting AC leaks in an old car gets expen$ive and tiresome fast, especially if the tech wants to make some ducks off you.......

good luck!

 

this is why i want to pull all of the old stuff and put in all brand new stuff. I'm talking Escalade type ****. Austin summers get dang hot and I need that A/C. Figure it would be cheaper (in the long run) than trying to fix the old system, which I think I've ruined by using the cheapo 134a conversion kits.

right on.

 

OK, here are some answers.

1) Yes, the R-12 probably leaked out. These auto systems just aren't that great for being leak proof. A good one will go two or more years without a recharge. If you recharge every year that's not too bad. More often than that and I'd recommend fixing the leak. If you're really environmental about it, then take in the car and have them leak check it--then fix the leak. I just put in a little in my car cause I had the same problem you had--but I have about 20 lbs of it and hope it lasts another 5-10 years (and hell no I'm not selling any).

2) All ya do is get a refrigerant pressure gage set and hook up the blue one to the suction port and the red one to the discharge port. If you hear the clutch engage and a slight rumbling then you're compressing refrigerant. You can also look in the filter drier sight glass and probably see bubbles going by. That means your low on charge--but don't go on that alone. If really low then you may not see anything but clear gas going by--hard to see. It is supposed to be pure clear liquid at that point and once you charge it up you should see the bubbles disappear. I usually charge till the suction saturation temperature/pressure is about 44 f (40 psig) and discharge about 200-225 psig. You don't want the suction temp to be below 36 f or your evaporator will form ice. And charge gas only into the suction port.

3) R-134a has about 30% less heat capacity per unit volume compared to R-12 so you loose btu/min capacity meaning it will run longer to get the same job done. R-134a can get as cold as R-12. These other guys obviously didn't change out the expansion valve for a 134a one. I recommend changing the hoses to a 134a compatible material as it will seep through the standard hoses and eat the compressor shaft seal. If you have a relatively new compressor it may have been built with compatible seals. The filter drier also needs to be changed out and all the oil flushed out of the system. R-134a uses a non-mineral based oil.

4) Some of the R-12 charging cans have a leak stopper fluid built in and that's probably ok to use and may stop your leak.

5) I think there is a new type of refrigerant made to retrofit into R-12 systems and is compatible with the oil, filter drier and expansion valve. I can't remember offhand what it is.

That's it in a nutshell. Obviously there are other things that could go wrong. If all of this is confusing then buy an auto a/c service manual or take it in to a good shop--I have 12 yrs experience with units from 2500 tons to these little mobile systems. Overcharging can ruin your compressor and/or blow out your safety valve--not very good.

And there is no way in hell I'm taking my A/C out--not in South Texas. North of Kansas OK, I guess I could live without it. So I understand your desire to keep it.

Good Luck, Scott

 

Scott thanks for the useful info...just one question since you know about the industry...how much for a completely new system...new compressor, dryer, lines, everything. Just curious.

I live in Austin and it's considerably dryer than Houston (I don't know how you can stand that swamp, man) but I still need the A/C.

Right on.

 

this r12a and r13 talk that I don't understand.... where can I get some... HOME DEPOT???

 

Is Freeze-12 or FR-12 the 'drop in' replacement for r-12 you were speaking of?:





http://www.lenzdist.com/Prods.html

http://www.lenzdist.com/FrigcFAQ.html#1-1

 

can a FC compressor work on a FB... GSL-SE to be exact

 

Yes an FC compressor will work in a SE but you will have to use the FC mounting bracket. I just looked at this a couple of days ago.

 

What about my Escalade compressor...will that work in my FB???

Right on.

 

good one... I'll look into that.... I gotta stop the guessing game and just take it to a A/C specialist...