Yesterday I removed the crap 134a that never really got cold and replaced it with the Envirosafe refrigerant.

It was great and blowing really cold but not long after the compressor started to squeal and started to only turn every so often. It is not stuck as I can turn it by hand with the car off.

Basically, does this sound like I need a new compressor. It does not make sense that it worked great for a few minuets then just started acting up if the issue were related to something else.

 

I think it may have been just slightly over charged. I have made some adjustments and it seems to be working fine now.

 

I think you're right - I had a similar experience back in the '80's with an VW Fox AC. I added a bit too much R12 and it burned up the AC belt trying to turn the compressor. Bleeding a small amount out fixed it.

 

How do you bleed it out?

 

Ideally with a set of refrigerant gauges while it's running so you can monitor the high and low pressures and get them close to the correct pressures for that refrigerant/system.

The crude back-yard method is just to very briefly depress the valve core in one of the connections to which you fasten the gauges or a replenishment can. Then try to run the AC, and repeat until it will spin w/o locking up. However, if you're not careful you can let too much out, and then it won't cool.

 

Thanks. I had the conversion done, and it's been working intermittently, mostly not cooling, just hot air blowing out. I will probably end up taking it in and having somebody look at it, but I'll give it a looksee. One of the members gave me the name of a mechanic in Huntington Beach.


Thanks for the info.

 

Did you add back any compressor oil, and use an A/C manifold gauge set to verify the pressures?

 

I did not. I just added the envirosafe gas after having the 134a removed and added the envirosafe. Unless you lost oil or replaced a component like a compressor you may not need to add any.