A/C Problem, Need Advice...

[thepremier]

I am experiencing some problems with my Air Conditioning. The problem is that I can't seem to get any cold air out of the vents while I'm driving. The weird thing about it is that the air conditioner blows out really cold air while the car is in Park.

I'm not sure what the problem could be, does anybody have any idea of what the problem could possibly be?

I have also enclosed a few pics of what I think may be the problem, let me know what you guys think.

All help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[TurboBuRick]

Is that a open vacuum line. Thast not good. Reconect it with some new line.
Mabye vents are switching over when driving due to vacuum leak.

 

[TurboBuRick]

Your car will run better too!

 

[thepremier]

Okay, I'm assuming that I can get this part at Checker or Autozone, but what exactly what part do I ask them for, just a vacuum line?

Thanks

 

[rodman99999]

First: you need to know where the other end of the line went. You can fit a bolt into the hose, and tighten a plastic wire tie around it to stop the vacuum leak, while you're figuring out where the other end went. If you don't find anything that needs a vacuum line connected to the source in the pic- just get a bag of rubber vacuum caps, remove that piece of hose and cap the plastic tee with one(again- use a wire tie to keep it on there under boost).

 

[Mad_Trbo]

Open Vacum

Is that a open vacuum line. Thast not good. Reconect it with some new line.
Mabye vents are switching over when driving due to vacuum leak.

Looks like two open vac lines in the first pic. Do you still have a vacum source to your heater valve and your MAP sensor?

I would begin to guess that is where your connection is missing.

 

[Quick6'n'-K.C.]

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=14066

The top missing hose goes to the map sensor at the pass side fenderwheelwell.

You should have 2 black plastic hardlines coming out from the heaterbox, down below.
One goes to the heater control valve, which is the lower circled picture
One goes to the 3 way checkvalve for ac control/ controls vents,

So, hose from egr goes to torpedo style looking checkvalve, left to pass side goes under the heater box into the car, right goes to the cruise control.

Does your car have cruise?
BW

 

[87geeinn]

I bet your boost gauge ain't reading right is it? On my setup, the open end that you have goes to the MAP sensor on the passenger side fenderwell.

 

[thepremier]

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=14066

The top missing hose goes to the map sensor at the pass side fenderwheelwell.

You should have 2 black plastic hardlines coming out from the heaterbox, down below.
One goes to the heater control valve, which is the lower circled picture
One goes to the 3 way checkvalve for ac control/ controls vents,

So, hose from egr goes to torpedo style looking checkvalve, left to pass side goes under the heater box into the car, right goes to the cruise control.

Does your car have cruise?
BW

Car does have cruise control, but it's not working at this point. From what you have explained, I sure it's safe to assume that this is also the reason why it's not working at the time being.

 

[Quick6'n'-K.C.]

Cool, check to see if you have that torpedo 3 way valve right in the middle of the firewall.. It is available at NAPA

BW

 

[thepremier]

I bet your boost gauge ain't reading right is it? On my setup, the open end that you have goes to the MAP sensor on the passenger side fenderwell.

You are definitely right, my boost gauge isn't even moving anymore.

 

[thepremier]

Cool, check to see if you have that torpedo 3 way valve right in the middle of the firewall.. It is available at NAPA

BW

Sorry bro, I'm a car newbie

What do you mean by "right in the middle of the firewall" and also what does this "torpedo 3-way valve" look like?

I appreciate the help, it's just I'm such a novice (but learning) and you may have to explain some things to me like I'm a 5 year old.

Thanks

 

[thepremier]

Update

Okay, I went ahead and took care of the vacuum hose issue. But now I believe that the problem lies somewhere else. I don't know the name of the part, but I attached a pic of what I'm referring too.

When I have the car running with the A/C on, the air coming from the air vents begins to start getting cool, but then cool air stops coming out and warm air starts coming.

I think it's because the part under the alternator (I don't know the name) keeps coming on for a short period of time, and then cutting off. If I'm not mistaken this is directly related to the A/C



Thanks

 

[Quick6'n'-K.C.]

The compressor is cycling because most likely the car is low on freon.
Do you know, can you look and see if you find a r-134 sticker laying near the heater box showing if the car has had a retrofit kit installed....
Stock our cars had r-12
If you locate the accumulator, its large and round like a large aerosol can, next to the heater box.
If it has a plastic cap over a fitting that is BLUE, most likely your car has r-134 in it already and needs to be charged
BW

PS, once the ac is on, the hose you just just connected to the heater bypass valve should close and make it where no coolant goes thru the heater hoses into the heater core.
Locate the 2 rubber hoses leading to the heater core, they should be cool to the touch and not hot, if they are hot the valve isnt working correctly.
BW

 

[thepremier]

The compressor is cycling because most likely the car is low on freon.
Do you know, can you look and see if you find a r-134 sticker laying near the heater box showing if the car has had a retrofit kit installed....
Stock our cars had r-12
If you locate the accumulator, its large and round like a large aerosol can, next to the heater box.
If it has a plastic cap over a fitting that is BLUE, most likely your car has r-134 in it already and needs to be charged
BW

PS, once the ac is on, the hose you just just connected to the heater bypass valve should close and make it where no coolant goes thru the heater hoses into the heater core.
Locate the 2 rubber hoses leading to the heater core, they should be cool to the touch and not hot, if they are hot the valve isnt working correctly.
BW

Alright bro, I went and checked out the accumulator and it didn't have anything resembling a plastic blue fitting. So I am assuming that my ride is still R-12 and I will have to go to the parts store and get a retrofit kit, correct?

Thanks for all of your help thus far bro.

 

[Quick6'n'-K.C.]

I would replace all the orings in the system IF the system is completely drained of freon, IF you deside to run 134a.

Find the fitting on the accumulator, and it should have a valve in it that looks just like a schrader valve on your tire stem...

Press in on that valve for a 1/2 second to see if any pressure is still in the system. If there is pressure, hopefully your system is just low and leaked out over the past 20 years.
If there is no pressure, then you probably could go with 134a, but do a search on this site and see if someone still sells r12freeze....

My cars system was cycling because it sat for a few years, i added 2 cans of r12 to it and it hasnt leaked out in the past 2 years...The ac blows very cold now.
You could go to the dealer/shop/jiffy lube/firestone and have them vacuum your system out and hold the cars ac system under a vacuum to see if you have a leak in the system..
I personally would check to see if there is any pressure first, if none, replace all the orings, go get it vacuum tested (fix what needs fixed) then remove the ac compressor drain the ester oil out (if your going with 134a) replace those orings, replace the orifice inline next to the accumulator, vacuum the system and add new ester oil and applicable freon to the system.

Heck, you just might get lucky by adding a few cans of r12, but i doubt you have access to it.
Post back
BW

 

[thepremier]

I would replace all the orings in the system IF the system is completely drained of freon, IF you deside to run 134a.

Find the fitting on the accumulator, and it should have a valve in it that looks just like a schrader valve on your tire stem...

Press in on that valve for a 1/2 second to see if any pressure is still in the system. If there is pressure, hopefully your system is just low and leaked out over the past 20 years.
If there is no pressure, then you probably could go with 134a, but do a search on this site and see if someone still sells r12freeze....

My cars system was cycling because it sat for a few years, i added 2 cans of r12 to it and it hasnt leaked out in the past 2 years...The ac blows very cold now.
You could go to the dealer/shop/jiffy lube/firestone and have them vacuum your system out and hold the cars ac system under a vacuum to see if you have a leak in the system..
I personally would check to see if there is any pressure first, if none, replace all the orings, go get it vacuum tested (fix what needs fixed) then remove the ac compressor drain the ester oil out (if your going with 134a) replace those orings, replace the orifice inline next to the accumulator, vacuum the system and add new ester oil and applicable freon to the system.

Heck, you just might get lucky by adding a few cans of r12, but i doubt you have access to it.
Post back
BW

Hey bro, thanks for you willingness to try and help me out with my problem. I may make an attempt at trying to fix the problem myself, but from those instructions that you just gave me, I am leaning toward letting my mechanic take care of the problem

Thanks again

 

[fitz3820]

Be careful - just using one of those $30 r134a conversion kits can result in "Black Death" of the system resulting in a big mess and a lot of new parts -

It happened to me before I knew better - you need to evacuate the entire system of lubricant/freon, flush the entire system to clean, pull a vacuum on it for an hour or so and recharge with lube and r134a. Parts needed included an new compressor, accumulator, oriface valve etc.

Good luck!

Also - the controls for the vents on the dash are vacuum powered - leaks and bad vacuum control manifold switches can also cause problems. The control door for hot/cold is cable operated - both the cable and plastic control arm failed on my car.

Yes it was a pain to fix all of this - but is is a 19 year old car!

-Mark