Oscar Ronquillo That's a pretty arrogant statement to make. Yeah, there are a couple things that I don't agree with in this video. Sorry Oscar, 15 years experience? That's still a newbie to me, started in this business in 1975, worked for the Federal govt as a mechanic until Sept 2012........37 years. Yeah, when R-12 was just a few cents per can, and we used a propane flame as a leak detector, evacuate the system back then meant just disconnecting a line and then go take a break for about 10-15 minutes. So I wouldn't go waving that "Master Tech" flag too much. I've seen lots of guys study the books to get the master certification, but can't find their ass when it comes to actually working on a vehicle.
Thanks Oscar, We completely agree, It is a stark contrast from actual in person customers whose cars are worked on on a daily basis with thousands of perfectly happy customers, then we put the video on youtube and some people seem to try and figure out how or where someone was ripped off. The videos get edited and stuck back together again and he did mention one word incorrectly but to jump to what some of these comments say is completely misundertansing of how an ac works.
I do disagree!!! Low pressure switch problem, cost $20, clean condenser, sure, and flush it, new orifice tube too=), very typical Chevy AC problem!!!And, I am Physical Therapist, last 33 years, do cars on side, you don't have to be Space Engineer to understand this ;o)
Eero Laukkanen again, the switch that failed is the switch mounted on the compressor, most models no not have this switch, just some of the GM trucks, it is not the low pressure or high pressure switches used to monitor the high or low side pressures, this switch requires removal of the compressor to change
Im replacing the exact same things on my sierra 1999. The system worked grest up till a year when i hit a low flying Mallard, yeah a duck. Figured since i needed a new condensor and i was doing it myself i relace everything and not worry for snother ten years. Bought the truck new and will never fet rid of it
I replaced my entire ac system in my 2002 Silverado. It wound up being both connectors to the hi and low pressure switch. I wish their was a follow up on the final repair.thank you're very knowledgeable.
Great video! But I have one more thing to add here. I have a 2003 Silverado and was experiencing the same issue. My truck had 175K miles on it. I checked everything and it was ok. Here is the real fix. Remove the bolt on the compressor clutch and pull off the hub. Inside the hub remove the washers that provide gap to the clutch surface. Reinstall the hub, and bolt. The A/C will blow cold without stopping after 10 minutes. The issue is the clutch gap is too large and can no longer grip. This fix will give you another 100K of service before clutch replacement. Do this first before replacing all those parts like the video suggests. Shoot for the easy fix first.
Hey man, thanks for the tip! Wondering if you think this could be done with the AC compressor still attached to the engine? Or did you need to pull the compressor off?
Just took your advice and removed the gap washer and works like a charm. Cold air for my entertainment 40 min drive.. Hopefully this hack with give me more life out if this system. Thank you for the tip. Saved me a lot of $$$$ amd headache.
Did mine last night. There is no need to remove the grill to remove the condenser. Plastic cover off the top, take out the 2 awkward bolts 10mm that face forward in the upper middle support bracket. Connect a ratchet strap to the hood latch bracket and you can pull it the 1.5” to 2” you need to slip it right out the top
Good video showing how to deal with the condenser in this specific design Chevy. I see there’s other guys doing newer ones but I need this year model to get an AC system going. Well done and thank you for explaining stuff.
To all the people flaming the bajeezuz out of this guy... Perhaps you can help me get to the bottom of my AC problem in my BMW E38. Since every single company I have taken it to, has done the same sort of thing as the guy here, and obviously he couldn’t correctly diagnose the issue until he threw parts at it, and a re-gas that didn’t even solve the customer complaint, which I have had very similar experience with the shops local to me. I live in another country, so unfortunately I won’t be able to bring it into your shop. Here are the symptoms: AC compressor is cycling every 30 seconds or so. Similar to when there was a low charge in this video. Pressures are normal, even when cycling (ie not dropping too low or high on either side). AC has a full charge, confirmed by the one shop that knew how much it needed. Condenser is clean. No detectable leaks. System has never been run without a charge, so dryer should still be ok(?). AC blows cooler air than outside, but only slightly (+-5 degrees Celsius). AC seems to perform a little better at a very specific ambient temperature (~27.5deg C). All 4 sensors in EVAP core are reading nominal values while compressor is engaged. There is a (pressure?) sensor on the dryer which I suspect to be the issue, but I need confirmation, or an alternative avenue of diagnosis. Sadly I personally don’t have any manifold gauges, nor any means of recovering and recharging the system, so I really don’t want to take it to another crowd of people who are experts at being cookie cutter, side of the road AC techs, unless I absolutely have to. BTW, I know the pressures etc because I don’t let any shop do anything on my car unless I’m personally next to it, due to one too many people who know less than me, and have the skills of a 200lb gorilla. I pay extraordinary attention to whatever they do, or are testing.
Great video! Just walked me through all of these parts as well as a new compressor on our 2001 Chevy 2500 HD utility truck with 6.0 litre. My hands just got back from the field and could not stop grinning knowing the A/C was working in their truck again. They said they would buy beer if your ever in our neck of the woods! :)
I just put a new compressor on and the Ac blows cold driving but during idle it will shut off and then cut back on. I can’t wait in line to order food because it gets hot. Installed ac but not the orfice tube or the large tube next to it but I do have them.
LOL! I'm not a mechanic but I fixed my 04 avalanche with 15 minutes of googling and a $30 trip to Amazon for a low pressure switch. Installation was 2 minutes. This video is still a good walkthrough on a bunch of work I might someday need though.
well you got nice and lucky, the switch this vehicle needed is the high pressure blow out switch that is mounted on the back of the compressor, it requires removal of the compressor to change it, the problem was not the simple high or low system running pressure switches. We ended up replacing the compressor with a brand new one and new switch and the truck is still ice cold in our Florida heat that is pretty much all year long.
Great video, helped me out to understand the basics of A.C. systems and even the electronic diagnostics that followed at the end of the video, my 2009 Silverado just quit on me and I saw the ac fluid just shoot out of the top left side of the cooler on the front of the truck.! Got an estimate of 700 bucks to fix it and it does seem pretty fair, thought about doing the rough work myself and let them vacume and recharge it for 160.
You just changed a perfectly good orifice tube , receiver drier & Condenser for NO reason other than a misdiagnosis ! & a low pressure switch is around $15 for that truck & easily accessible on the Drier vs $200+ for a "NEW" compressor . & BTW. You need a step stool to stand on .
wrong, the initial pressures showed the a problem with the condenser not releasing the heat, this had to be fixed first and once the condenser was removed, the culprit was the debris stuck between the radiator a condenser. Also the switch that was bad is the high pressure cut out switch mounted to the back of the compressor. This is not the simple low and high running pressure switches that you are thinking of. This switch required compressor reoval to replace it. The customer decided to install a new compressor that came with a new switch, the truck is 100% fixed and ice cold still.
Again not understanding how pressures work I guess makes you jump to the rip off conclusions. The low side would not get below 40, adding refrigerant is not the answer, As far as compressor replacement, the compressor has to be removed to replace the switch as it is located on the back of the compressor. This compresor is 17 years old and removing it from he vehicle to only replace the switch in the back of it is pretty risky. If that compressor failed shortly after you would have to remove and replace it all over again, which would cost more $$$ as all the same labor and evacuate and recharge would have to be performed all over again.
2003 Suburban 5.3 4x4 Pepboys nightmare A/C... In 6 days time there , 3 parts later, 3 times released to me, and Still no air. In dispute now with them. After going to local shop as they stopped with pressure drop. And they put a super stop leak in. That since it blows cool in front and very cold in rear. I decided to shoot it with 2 r134 cans today. Test road it and still holding solid 50 psi on low. Yet, still front cold cool and rear very cold. Low is ice cold and high hot as it should be. I'm leaning towards this orifice tube replacement 🤔. *** Pep Boys changed. Clutch fan, low and high switch, and a hose to compressor. Any thoughts with least pain here. Appreciate listening to my stupidity going to PepBoys against my better judgement. Great professional video overall 👌. As I'm just at 205k on miles here...
That is why you recharge a low system and not throw parts at it till you know why it is cutting out... But he sells high dollar parts and not the pressure switch.
Great video, only thing I saw wrong was you mentioned those refrigerant cans were 1lb cans, they are actually 12 oz cans so if you filled based on thinking they were 1lb there is the possibility of not having enough refrigerant in the system. On a 190 thousand mile vehicle certainly does not hurt to change condenser, restrictor orifice and accumulator. If I was the customer I would be happy that was done .Glad you finally resolved the problem for the customer. I like the fact you gave him options, He should now have a few years more of cool running. :-)
also we typically use our shop ac machine which works in lbs, in this shop we have more diy stuff and use the cans so we are programmed for years to say lbs and tests how we slipped up saying.
Dang dude, you are good! wish other shops were as good, my 21 yr old silverado has spent 2 days in the shop and still blows hot ac, they have never bothered to pull a vacuum on the system, but after watching you I'm pretty sure I've got the same problem as you have described, my compressor shuts off after just under 10 minutes, thank you, nice to run across a competent person such as yourself.
It is VERY INSTRUCTIONAL!! Nice job! But....it seems, and I am saying 'SEEMS', you shot-gunned the 'fix'. Indeed, the issue was NOT NECESSARILY the components you replaced (which you did very well). As some cited already, you confessed "The relay switch' (for lack of better words) is a COMMON problem. Therein it is rather logical to assess THAT matter at the outset. Now..it could be there were COMPOUND problems with the A/C...so it is possible some (or many) of the components pulled BEFORE the 'relay switch' look-see would have had to be replaced. It occurs to me: DO THE SIMPLEST FIRST!!! If the rear tire needs air, don't replace the brakes and the rear axle...and shocks/springs...and then see "Oh yeah! The tires often just need to be inflated a bit. You ole come again!" ?DID I SAY THAT??? .............Folks: I am a DIY'er...but thanks to this 'learning tool video' I am all the more aware. And all the more a DIY'er...just smarter!!!
Original owner of an 02 GMC Sierra with 290,000 miles on it. I turned the air conditioner on when I drove it off the lot 20 years ago and have never turned it off since then. All original parts and never serviced or recharged...still blowing cold! Wondering how long a system should last?
Yeah there’s a lot of idiots on RU-vid that don’t know what they’re talking about. I mainly came here to tackle replacing the condenser on this type of truck. This video is the best one that shows that. There’s guys replacing condensers on 2014 trucks and it doesn’t seem the same as this. Either way learning stuff and also changing the whole system.
Good video! The comments surprise me tho. When did we become a people who cannot have a civil dialogue w/o becoming verbally abusive? Very immature comments.
We never have become those people you just described. It's those that are misinformed with knowledge of "Respect", that conduct themselves at that lower level.
System could have been topped off and test system..now customer has paid for an evac.. And refill... and system will need another evac and charge.. Test system first then replace needed parts.. The condenser could have been cleaned out ..
@@danielmoriarty751 question, what causes the rubber damper from the clutch plate to fail or splatter all over the surrounding area, denso style compressor, first one failed this way and the replacement failed the same way.
I disagree with cleaning out the inside of an automotive condenser. Have you actually seen how small the I.D. of those condenser tubes are? Cut one open some time and check it out. If they are plugged up that flush is not going to pass through. To me a condensers would be a good clean inexpensive way to repair as opposed to the labor and expense of trying to flush.
This is a very helpful video, not only because I own a similar truck but also because of the entertainment value, to see so many 'experts' weigh in. Clear illustration of the Dunning Kruger effect. Even so, I learned a lot more by going through your thoughtful replies. When the customer is paying for labor and refrigerant, it is even more important to be certain the problem is dealt with the first time, even if it means a little longer parts list. This also applies when the work is done at home, because you don't want to reopen the system or end up adding refrigerant months later because a leak somewhere was not found. This was also helpful because of the curve ball thrown at you. With high pressure on the low side initially, I was thinking of overcharge and poor condenser heat exchange. Then when those high pressures on the low side were seen again early in refilling, I wondered if the compressor wasn't able to achieve a normal pressure gradient across the orifice tube. The low side switch cuts out when pressure reaches 49 psi, so I wondered if this is why it was cutting out, though your remarks about the high pressure cutout switch are noted. Of course poor air flow across the condenser could cause the compressor to fail....
I learned that many compressors are pre oiled and will come with info saying if it needs any. Pulling a vacuum with gauges & pump after installing is the important thing Add 2 ounces if you replace condensor or evaporator. The whole system has to be topped off w oil if you flush the lines w break fluid etc
I noticed you didn't check the cabin filter before you check your charge cabin filters usually plugged causing evaporator not to get enough air crossed it then you check your charge after you got a nice clean filter clean condenser and all that happy stuff
Would a clog in the system make it not possible to pull a strong vacuum? Initially i got 29hg . I had to redo the vacuum and now it only gets to 9hg. ( i had to start over because as i was changing the system , my low gauge went extremely high out if the blue..no, it wasnt over charged..still needed another can yet....so i started from scratch..let the gas out and pulled a new vacuum and now it wont go past 9 hg after muktiple attempts)
For that year Chevy, would it be safe to say 2 oz of PAG 46 oil in the New Accumulator, 2 oz more in a new condenser and 2 oz more in an empty compressor? I'm guessing 2 oz are in the Evaporator and hoses to equate out to 8 oz in total for the entire unit. I know to much oil or to little oil will cause all kinds of issues and compromise the longevity of the compressor shelf life. No post found on the process to adequate oil and what happens if to much or not enough is added.
Around 32:00 in, you begin explaining how the LOW pressure switch is the problem. From earlier comments, and because you talk about possibly replacing the compressor near the end of the video , I think you meant to say HIGH pressure switch in the video, not LOW. The low pressure switch would be easily removed from the accumulator and replaced if that was the culprit. Are the high and low pressure switches wired in series to ground? A low cost option for the customer is simply bypassing the high pressure switch. Though called a "safety" switch, It actually exists simply to protect against refrigerant discharge to the atmosphere from a component failure. Since this compressor is near end of life, there's not much to lose; it could get along fine without that switch as long as you took care not to overcharge the system.
Yes that is all correct, the problem was intermittent and this vehicle really had 2 problems, the stuff stuck between the radiator and condenser not letting the heat release from the condenser, and then the high pressure blow out switch which is mounted on the back of compressor, we did end up replacing the compressor and it came with a new pressure switch and we used an OEM compressor since the first once lasted over 17 years. He did say low pressure and never really sad cut out switch or also called blow out switch.
Well yeah on an old car I would change the condenser that does wear out since it is aluminum and like 200 plus psi for the better part of ten years? Forgot how old it is there. Tho doing that for years and years and years pretty sure it can do that too much anymore where it’ll not have good high side pressure anymore. The condenser is very important too in an ac system too the liquid refrigerants starts there I’d also check the fan too but usually that’s been replaced because it wears out more often because spinning. lol.
I have the same problem with the AC blowing cold air every time I start the truck but after 10 minutes or so it blows warm air. For someone who may not be able to afford to change everything out is there any advice on what to look for or replace? I've replaced the clutch cycle switch but that was not it, looking for other options I might be able to tackle myself. Thanks.
Looking at the gauges while it is running and watching as the performance decreases will help put you on the right track on what to fix or where to start, also go back and make sure the basics like the cooling fan is working and the radiator and engine coolant is all working properly, The radiator and condenser both need to have the heat removed from them efficiently for the ac to stay cold. We have several of these trucks that the condenser rotted out and just replacing that significantly helped the ac performance, Working on a budget we would strongly suggest let a professional shop figure out the problem so you don't waste any time or money replacing parts not needed. They will usually charge an inspection fee and some of the chain store places like the tires stores sometimes do free ac checks, now that is usually a. very basic test like just putting gauges on but it is essential information to find the right road to go down.
When I use one of those black rubber/aluminum seals on the top connection of my condenser, it fails spectacularly. You can literally see the gap at the top like it doesn't actually fit.
Only thing here, you have to do, clean condenser, flush it, new orifice tube, add freon, and REPLACE LOW PRESSURE SWITCH, cost $20, very typical Chevy AC problem!!! And AC will work!!! Compressors last long time, and it is very rarely high pressure switch!!! And, you are welcome=)
Eero Laukkanen no no no, you are thinking of the standard low or high pressure switches that simply screw on, some GM trucks like this one have a switch on the back of actual compressor, this require los removal of the compressor to replace it
@Eero. I like how you assume that it's not the compressor because they "last a long time." Wish I could say that for every part I've ever replaced that was supposed to last a long time.
Add on Some 80 cents worth of 10 cent tips: Replace every old style Chinese black o-ring exposed with the new green viton o-ring as seen on some of parts in kit. Also replace the $3 leak-prone 20 year old high pressure ball valve port with a modern Schrader valve. Then screw out & replace the $1 twenty year old low pressure valve core as well. Plus the 20 year old $15 low pressure switch is a must when doing a receiver drier/accumulator with the viton only green o-rings. Always call to get another $20 from customer to brush and paint any rusting engine and transmission oil coolers about to cause engine/tranny failure. A happy customer will get us 100 referrals, an unhappy customer will cost us 5000 customers with poor review. The best thing for the customer was not to go to the GM StealerShip as the $2200 bill would have caused a schyster salesman on shop duty to offer him $1800 trade in on another used truck.
To me it looks like you were replacing parts that didn’t need replaced, did you check the temperatures between the pump and through the condenser? If the temperatures were dropping sufficiently why does the condenser need to be replaced ?. Didn’t look like anything wrong with the orifice, Did you check the clutch fan also the blend door actuator can be malfunctioning and not closing the door all the way to the heating side.
I recently had to change a complete system. Customer said it was the 3rd compressor. I asked if the system had been flushed. He said no. System worked for about 10 minutes on the road then he brought it back. I suspicion it is oils locked. Can I just change the drier and flush the lines or do I need to drain the compressor also? Thanks for the help.
I liked the video but wish you would have gone through the electrical troubleshooting rather than just say it. The mechanical part is easy, the electrical troubleshooting is where I have issues for myself because you can't see it. You were straight to the point and I liked watching you figure it out.
Around 31 1/2 minutes you're talking about the pressure switches shutting the system off, on my '02 Saab there's also a sensor to keep the evaporator core from freezing, I had done some work under my dash and accidentally pinched and broken the wire leading to it. The sensor not being plugged in was telling the car's computer the evaporator core was -50 degrees LOL, I soldered the wire back together and the ac works well now. It's possible other newer vehicles have a sensor like this as well, a bad signal from it could be an issue as well as the pressure sensors. I doubt this info will help anyone as I can't send myself a message in the past lol.
no and in most places that is illegal, you are just opening the system and letting out refrigerant, the refrigerant should be recycled and used back in your vehicle or someone else's and not vented to the atmosphere. Also how will you ever pull the system into a vacuum which is required to recharge the system?
Just came across this video while thinking of tackling a similar issue. After reading some comments, I will offer some myself, Obviously you know what you are doing and it does not come across that you are just a parts changer. It seems like if that problem is common to GM's why didn't you just replace the compressor on the truck the first time instead of all the other parts. Seems that if you went that route and it worked, you could inform the customer that all those parts should be replaced as well and may fail sooner than later. But the car has 180k and is 17 yo, the customer is looking as cheap as possible to buy a little more time. Each month without a note is money earned. I have seen your reasoning on why you went that route but it seems backwards. Replace compressor first with common problem then up sell on other parts, customer couldn't complain about that. Either way, excellent tutorial on changing all those parts.
Thank you for watching and for commnting, We first had to find out why the low side pressure where so high, they were high because trhe condesner could not release the heat, we could not find a leak so we removed teh condesner with the assumption itmay have a restriction. Once it was removed the obvious problem was found which was a big chunck fo dirt and hay stuck in between teh radiator and condenser, We scraped all that crud out of the radiator and sprayed through teh fins to get os all cleaned out and verify good airflow. We then asked the customer if they wanted a brand new condenser (around $90 was our cost) or re-install the original. They chose to replace it and they actually wanted this problem fixed for good as this was at another shop already and tehy could not figure out that problem. The compressor actually still worked but the high pressure cut out switch on the back had an intermittent electrical failure. This switch is not the simple low or high pressure running switches and requires compressor removal to change it. So same scenario and the customer chose to install a brand new compressor, this truck is still running around with very nice cold air. Anyway thank you for the nice comments as this particular video has stirred up many people.
@@APDTY another reason is I wouldn't warranty a new compressor without changing the parts you did too. You could burn up a new compressor if the system has other issues. I just damaged my condenser in a fender bender, I got a new one and also have the receiver dryer, orifice tube, and all the o-rings. Was easier for me to change the condenser since my whole grill and stuff was damaged so I have it all off anyway. Great vid tho thx
@@APDTY I have an 02 Chevy Tahoe. My high pressure cutoff switch purple plastic blew out the rear taking all the internal parts making it all depressurize in a matter of 10 seconds. Its fast and very painful I got it in my eyes a few times tryin to find the leak. It took my all year to finally figure it out.. saw the wire and purple piece hanging. I said gotcha. .. melted and blew out. .. I ran without ac since last year. . I ran into som cash an dropped 500 dollars for all the new parts I need to fix my trucks ac the right way.. I got the 4 seasons ac kit.. however I can't find the purple female connector anywhere in phx. What is my system going to do when I install all of these parts and not have that installed. Will it work until I can have it mailed to me to fix it. Pls let me know I'm very hot
But as to the intermittancy, meaning works but craps out when it's hot, another channel showed that the compressor clutch gets worn out w an "air gap" to the pully that's out of range. He's in the Canadian outback so he rebuilds it w a dif shim. We would just replace w new Chinese compressor.
Great video!!! When I exchanged condenser filter, condenser oil was leaking I stopped working on it. My car is Honda odyssey 2009, coming 160 thousand miles, but I had never done any job related to AC system. How can I change condenser filter with recharging system? Thank you in advance!!!
Wash the condenser with water from your hose, similarly to washing your coils out on you home ac, charging can be done with a "auto parts store" refrigerant and gauge kit, always follow instructions on the can
so we would start with asking why the filter is being replaced. It is not really a replacement item unless an issue exists. If an issue exists then the system should be tested and inspected with gauges while running. These vehicles use a parallel flow condenser and many times the condenser needs to be replaced, if it is replaced, it also usually includes that filter. The oil in the condenser would normally be evacuated at the very beginning before opening the system. So assuming a diagnosis was done and you need to replace the filter, here is the normal steps: 1. Evacaute the system. - this removes the refrigerant and most of the oil 2. Replace the necessary parts 9knwon after diagnosing) 3. Replace the expansion valve and accumulator (These parts are always replaced when an ac system is opened. Also all new compressor warranties require replacing these parts) 4. Inspect the parts removed and look for any issues 5. Based on the inspection and diagnosis, a system flush maybe required 6. After replacing all parts, vacuum the system down to remove any non-condensibles and verify no leaks 7. Recharge the system and install the proper amount of oil, depending on how you do the work, most shops have equipment to add oil with the refrigerant Much of this again is based on the original diagnosis and then paying close attention to the components and oil removed.
If you were going to go through all that effort you could have at least change the oil in the Compressor pump. You replaced a condenser that didn’t need to be replaced and then don’t bother to change the pump oil great job
Auto parts direct the problem is the truck is old yes but to through parts at it and still not fixed. that's the problem a good tech .can tell you it had free on just by the gauges.The condenser could have been cleaned on the truck.and if that made no change to gauges. Then the office gets replaced and inspected . as the vacuum removes old free on its weight is noted and can tell how low the system is of isn't . And the electronic system then get checked .at this point my customer would be told the switch is bad. And it is recommended the compressor and dryer need replaced .he'll just run a water hose on condenser can tell if it's dirty . Parts changers are not mechanics.this video is parts changing sry . If you need a plac . For this lesson I'll send you one 49.95
Not sure if you actually watched the video but we diagnosed the low refrigerant by looking at the gauges which we explain clearly. We knew that the heat was not leaving the condenser by looking at the gauges. Also if you have ever worked on one of these, you would know there is no way to clean that fur/dirt buildup with the condenser in the vehicle, the condenser must be removed to properly clean all that dirt and mud out of the radiator fins, see 10:50 mark to see the buildup and explanation, You also did not get to see the extra time spent cleaning out the radiator but it was a good chunk of time and if we were pushing parts then we would have pushed replacing the radiator. Only after we fixed the heat exchange problem by replacing the condenser did we get to the chance of a full charge and watch the pressures cycle, then we found the pressure switch on the back of the compressor. The pressure switch issue did not expose itself until a full charge was possible. It is not appropriate to fully charge a system that is not having the heat removed from it as the low side pressures are too high.
If my car required 24oz of refrigerant and 3oz pag oil. Would that be 27oz total or do i only put 21oz of refrigerant and 3oz oil. Also, I have changed the condesor. By changing the condendor, did i lose all of the oil in the compressor? Do i need to add pag oil after changing the condensor?
Had my high pressure switch on my 2000 Chevy tahoe break off m replaced it and now it is blowing hot air. I recharged the system, compressor is still engaging I'm being told it could have clogged lines or possibly bad wiring could you give me your opinion
its very hard to give an opinion without seeing more details. Also this truck has 2 high pressure switches, the one on the back of the compressor is a high pressure blowout prevention switch and it is next to a burst disc, if the burst disc blows, then that means the system pressure is too high. That would need to be diagnosed and is likely a clog somewhere. SO we would love to point you in the right direction but need more data to know what is wrong.
If we change the dryer, orfice, and condenser, wouldn't it be wise, to replace the compressor as well? And have an all new system so you dont have premature failure on an older part?
Sure that is always the best option, especially on an older high mileage vehicle, however, we are not the owner of the vehicle though so we do what we have to do to find and fix the problem, everyone hopes they need a $20 pressure switch when in fact that is only the problem a small percentage of the time.
so yeah in theory you would be removing an obstruction to airflow through the radiator so sounds like it would work. The real world results would hopefully match that theory but you really never know until you do it and see the results.
Thanks for this video! I've got a 01 Yukon xl that is only blowing warm/hot air. Compressor is kicking on and haven't had a proper pressure test yet, but, I do have a question regarding your processes in this video. You described the problem described by the customer, but, didn't run the vehicle and confirm it was actually happening until after changing parts. My ignorant brain thinks that, if you had, you would've seen the compressor stop working, and could've begun electrical testing prior to evacuating the system and following the steps you did. I'm sure I'm completely missing something but. I'm not sure what. If you have a moment, I'd love some insight before I get into trying to fix mine. :) Thanks again and have a great one!!!
An AC unit that has not been switched on, should read about 100-110 psi , for a full charge, when switched on, the psi should drop to around 35-42-45 psi. That would be normal pressure, if it ain't cooling in the 50s low 60s , but 70s, I would think about changing out the AC compressor, etc. Maybe just a simple vac down, and then shoot up the system up with a little pag oil, and freon.
I have replaced all these parts and the compressor. I have flushed the evaporator and lines. My system calls for 8 oz pag oil. Nowhere does anyone breakdown how that oil should be added. Does all 8 oz go in the compressor? Does it get broken down between all the components? I would like to not damage the new compressor by overloading oil into it. Do I put all the oil in the compressor or spread it around the components?
Your compressor should have had instructions. But pour some into the compressor & cycle it by hand both directions trying not to pump out the oil. & the rest into the receiver drier . Most compressors "usually" have oil in them but don't count on it . Because all vehicles are different it's best you try finding a book on your particular vehicle which will also tell; you the amount of oil required .
So oil installation can vary by equipment or technician preference as techniques are different. The amount and type of oil does not vary and that should be verified for each specific year make and model and actual brand compressor installed. If your model is 8 ounces, then the rule of thumb nowadays is too add it all to the compressor off of the vehicle and let the compressor disperse it. You add a little at a time and slowly turn the compressor by hand to circulate the compressor, make sure you are grabbing the center of the compressor and not the pulley, it should be a little difficult to turn. The older method is to add some to each component, so you can't really do that part wrong, you can add 6 ounces to the compressor and 2 to the accumulator. Our shop charges with either single cans or an ac machine, when we use an AC machine, the oil is premixed into the refrigerant and then dispersed throughout the system, this is what the compressor ends up doing. Also some brand new compressors come pre-filled with oil. We alwasy dump this oil out into a small glass beaker to measure the amount, this is because if teh compressor is shipped or even driven and the box rolls over, it is possible some of the oil comes out, you can tell that comsetiems as teh box will have oil on it.
my motheres 06; pt cruiser was blowing hot air, i recharged the low and high to 50 and 200 psi respectively , but I think there must be a leak somewhere, that I cant see even with the UV dye and black light, its tripping me out.. Great vid, Im half ways and i reallly enjoy the detailed process. Your a gentlemen and a scholar sir!
This is a good method of running up a bill. Replace the condenser when it isn't the problem. Then find the problem. Low pressure switch is a no brainer fix that should have been replaced with the condenser. 190K the compressor is toast anyway.
Fran Carcia and again like some of the other negative comments, u really do not understand how an ac system works if you think we replaced the condenser for no reason
so this method is getting less and less available as most new vehicles or replacement condensers are now parallel flow vs serpentine flow, this new flow style cannot be flushed as you cannot reach all the way through like in the old days. So to answer, it really depends on the vehicle and the replacement part. A system flush is essentially what you are referring to and that can still be done on the accumulator and this particular truck's original condenser could be flushed that way.
Hello I have a question for anyone. I have a 98 f 150 the a/c won't get cold when I put freon. three cans and still hot. also I had the condenser check and it's good. I also changed the orfice tube. still hot. also I noticed when I put the first can the gauge said 100 psi what could be wrong with my a/c. I'm just a shade tree mechanic I don't know that much about a/c.
big D so we would need to see the system running pressures on both sides to help, first off how do you know you need refrigerant? Next you are hopefully charging the system in the low side which should have a pressure less then half of that, if it is the high side pressure then it should be higher then that, so much more info is needed, the basics are is the compressor even coming on, if so what are the pressure, is the cooling fans coming on, do any engine cooling or radiator issues exist
@@timowen2307 well actually when you evacuate refrigerant, you store it and re-use it in the same vehicle or another, if you dont want to recycle your refrigerant and if you like paying extra for refrigerant and don't care about the air that we humans all need to breath, then go ahead and release it, it is illegal and comes with a heavy fine and if you are a shop, well you won't be in business very long.
@Womb Raider yeah that is all bad and is certainly shade tree mechanic stuff, why not capture and re-use it? You do know you are a human being and require oxygen to breath in order to live right??
as far as part numbers go, it is best to look up your exact model, the early 2000 model GM trucks have numerous different compressor options and even though most of the Schrader valves are the same, we don't want to put a wrong part number up. the Schrader valves do usually last a long time and I think they are still original and working fine on this truck.
I have a 2007 new body style Chevy Silverado but this was a great help video as they are very similar. Unfortunately I still have a leak somewhere. Chevy told me I had a cracked condenser so I purchased a new AC Delco Condenser, Accumulator and Orifice tube as well as o'rings and PAG oil. I installed all the parts being careful to oil all o'rings and washers before installing. I then pulled a vacuum to -30 but when I closed at the gauges I could actually watch the needle slowly go back to zero. I pulled a vacuum again and this time closed the connections at the high and low side connection on the truck to take the gauges, hoses and pump out of the equation. This time the gauges and hoses held a vacuum for quite a while so I confirmed they aren't the problem. When I opened the connections at the high/low side the needle when straight to zero. Very frustrating as I don't know what I could have done wrong unless Chevy diagnosed it wrong and considering how quickly it loses a vacuum seems like a big leak. Maybe I shouldn't have replaced the orifice tube and Accumulator as now those are part of the equation. Now I need to pay to have it diagnosed again.
ok sorry to hear that, yeah if the vacuum goes away quickly, then it is a big leak, You could go back over each connection and make sure they are good, another option is with the engine off and while connected to a vacuum pump and trying to put under a vacuum you could try to find the leak as it will be sucking in wherever the leak is, in our shop we have a smoke machine we use to try and find leaks like that. The only 2 parts left are the evaporator core and compressor. So it probably seems very frustrating right now but if you back away and then go back to it fresh, you will probably find the leak, hopefully it is just a bad connection somewhere and worst case scenario is if you need the compressor or evaporator, you would have needed to change the orifice tube and received dryer anyway.
Meant to reply to this earlier but I WAS frustrated and wanted to take it to a shop but I took your advice, backed away and slept on it. Next day I bought a can of freon with dye and found the leak. I really thought I checked all seals and orings but somehow I missed the pressure switch oring on the new accumulator as it didn't some with one. There was one on one of the other connections so maybe that's why I missed it. Anyway, I fixed that then pressurized the system again to see if it would hold. I left it a couple days and the pressure actually went down like one line on the gauge but I recharged it anyway as I couldnt see any other leaks and after a month it's still blowing cold. I think the freon had a sealer in it so I'm hoping that sealed whatever was causing the pressure to go down. Will see how it goes the rest of the Summer but your video was a great help to me. If it holds am very happy to save the $1900 pepboys quoted me to change EVERYTHING and the $700 Chevy quoted to just change the condenser. Thanks!!!
no it was 2 problems, 1st problem was the fur stuck between the condense and radiator, 2nd problem was the high pressure cut out switch on the back of the compressor.
Learned more from the comments. Like "why the hell did you replace the condenser, the accumulator, & the orifice tube, then find out it's a switch grounding issue?" And then say, "this grounding problem is pretty common with Chevys..."
Very simple, the initial pressure test showed the low side would not drop below 40psi, the system cycling did not show up until after we replaced the parts and had a full charge of refrigerant and had the system cycling the heat out as it should. The ac condenser was very clogged and that is what pushed the low side pressure up, fixing that was first. Also keep in mind this vehicle is 17 years old and has 190,000 miles on it. Anytime you open the system, you have to replace the accumulator and orifice tube. So based on the initial pressure test, something was wrong with the system as it was, meaning it would not perform properly indicating something was wrong with one or more of those parts.
Thank you for your polite reply to my not-so-polite comment. I'm trying to get AC back in my 2003 Yukon XL with 180,000 miles & am tired of the shop making temporary fixes that don't last two months. Your video taught me how to remove the orifice tube, the condenser, clean / brush the radiator, & replace the accumulator / dryer.
Did you have to empty your AC from freon first before disassembling the lines to the condenser? I have a hole in mine that's allowing my freon to escape would I still have to release any pressure before I disassemble any of the lines?
i have a question i hope someone can help i have a old 1986 chevy suburban and i have been trying to get the damn ac to work i have paid a shop over a 1g to get it to work i think as they gust can't get it right it is 134 i compressor never stops running when the ac is on and it never gets cold maybe like 75 maybe 70 anyone have any real input on what i should be looking for thank you
hard to diagnose over the phone or with text, we would need to see system running pressures and a good visual inspection to have any clue about what is happening, that model year vehicle is a simple system really, some of the basics to verify is make sure the compressor is coming on, make sure the cooling fan is coming on, this is the radiator cooling fan, you probably have a fan clutch on that year so verify the clutch engages when it is suppose to which is when the thermostat opens. Make sure the compressor clutch engages, Really if you paid a shop that much money, they should finish fixing it, all the parts for that truck are not too expensive and something simple is probably being missed.
Take right side headlight out, unbolt it from cooler and rad and slide it out, no need to unbolt hood latch bracket and in fact after 2002 or 03 they started welding hood latch bracket to that cross member so not an option for those guys.
i have exact drier acumulator. we had it all working good. but it leaks at top of drier at firewall. We tried 3 Orings with Pag oil . we tryed 2 attempts and it all leaked out overnight. i rebuilt all new under hood. im ready to try silicone. really sucks the way the car industry sabotaged the faulty after market with cheap junk parts. Now i read how rebuilt compressors are junk.
you will most likely need to replace the line or the evaporator core as it soundalike the damage is worse then just a seal. If the ends of either line get damaged, line replacement is needed.
unfortunately I can't really remember, Also when we do a video it takes way longer then just normal replacement as we have to talk and explain and sometimes repeat if we miss it on video or audio.
the accumulator is replaced because it has a desiccant material inside that absorbs non-useable items found in the ac system, it fills up and cannot perform very well and is typically replaced anytime the ac system is opened up, also leaving the ac system open to the atmosphere too long can damage the desiccant so you typically install it last and minimize the time the system is open, otherwise you absorb the moisture right out of the air into the brand new desiccant,
I forgot ,,back in 87 I worked for a dealership in south tx, and I was fresh out of school ,I tried wearing gloves AND YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE MECHANICS laughing there asses off
Jose. Some people are not professional & don't know how or care to stay clean . Actually they're just plain stupid. Would you want some greasy mofo getting grease all over you vehicle ?
The HIGH pressure " cut off" switch is the one on the back of the compressor and the LOW pressure switch is the one on the accumulator so why would you sell them a $200 compressor if a $25 part will fix the problem ? Did he get confused? A bad low pressure switch ( most common to fail ) and a bad cut off switch on the compressor will both cause short cycling !
so this vehicle was never short cycling, not sure where you got that from. If you watch the first 2 minutes of the video where we show and explain the gauges, the compressor never cycles, it stays on and the low side could never drop below 50, his was due to the ac condenser not being able to release the heat, we did another 10ish minutes of testing and watching the gauges as we do normally to assess how the overall system is performing. It never dropped below 50. Releasing the heat is how the pressure drops back down to a normal range. We did not want to add refrigerate until we figure out why the heat was not releasing as that would only stress the system even more. So knowing the fan was working and the condenser should have been performing better, we knew to start looking there. So we pulled the ac condenser out and saw the huge chunk of debris between the condenser and radiator. Only after fixing that could we add the proper full charge of refrigerant. It was not until the system was fully charged and working efficiently with a new condenser, accumulator, and orifice tube that we triggered the intermittent issue with the high pressure blow our prevention switch. This is not the system high and low pressure switches, this is the blow out prevention switch that is bolted to the back of the compressor and requires compressor removal to replace. Also many people assume we are a shop trying to sell parts to people, when in reality this is our own personal shop and this is one of our employees vehicles. Since the vehicle was 17 years old, over 170K miles, and since the compressor was being removed anyway, the customer decided to install a new compressor and be done with it. We could have replaced the switch and put that original compressor back on but do you really think it would have lasted much longer? If the compressor failed a year later, the customer would pay all over again for the evacuation and recharge and a new accumulator, orifice tube, and system flush so they would have ended up paying more in the long run. We did say accidentally "low pressure switch" and it was just a slip of the tongue. We are not professional actors but we are ASE certified professional automotive technicians that have been doing AC and much more in Florida for over 24 years with thousand of very happy customers. I mention Florida because it is 12 months a year using and working on AC systems. Also this vehicle has never been back to any shop for any ac service since and it is still nice and ice cold.
Question: on the passenger side of the vehicle what’s under the dashboard? I thought it was a radiator for the a/c but I have no idea. It started leaking water on passenger side and then the a/c gave out
that is the evaporator, the part of the ac system that radiates the cold you might say. Water should always leak out onto the ground from it (condensation) but if it leaks inside the car then the drain is plugged up
