A/C replacement parts?!

[sneakingfart]

Honestly, it's stupid simple to recharge your own AC. Since you are able to pull a vacuum, I assume you have a set of manifold gauges. All you need are the little cans of R134a. And if you don't have the gauges, they are cheap at harbor freight or Amazon. I have the HF ones and they work perfectly fine. Vacuum the system for an hour, let it sit for another hour, and if it holds, add the required amount of refrigerant for your system. Cans hold 12 Oz, just do the math from there. And did you fill the comoressor with oil? That the other thing. Since your system is currently empty, you can literally take off the lines from the top of the compressor and pour oil into the compressor.

If you go the DIY route, which I highly recommend, make sure you get the cans of refrigerant without the stop leak in it. Don't ever use that stuff, it'll gum up your brand new system. Just get the bare cans, don't get the ones with the gauge on it. You need to fill while monitoring both high and low side pressures, which is why you need the manifold gsuge set. But realistically, you fill by weight, not pressure. Because it's cold now, you can't reliably test the AC, unless you're in FL or something. Ambient temps should be around 65 or above. I got the refrigerant cans that had UV dye in it also. So if it ever leaks, you can trace it.

 

[95OBSMan]

I've got a really well used vacuum pump, hand me down, had to be at least 20yrs old when I got it and that was 25+yrs ago!! I've been eye balling that 2 stage pump from HF as well as the manifold gauge set, think I'll pull the trigger on them, by the time I'm done at the "shop" I'll break even, so what the heck, this will give me something to learn and with all the videos out there should be able to have a great working A/C system!!!

I did add the PAG to the compressor as required and it was pre-filled with 3oz that I'm pretty sure contained a dye in it, yeah my buddy at the "shop" hates it when he has to deal with the "stop leak" crap n there a/c systems, they also have to deal with it in the tires as well!

They (HF) don't have the r134 in the cans but I'm sure I can find it else where, 2 things I have never messed with, a complete tranny rebuild and the a/c system as far as the charging of it... I should be able to get the a/c job done and save a little $ on it.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

I am changing the evaporator core and resealing the underhood HVAC core on the project I am working on right now. Luckily it is super simple to remove fullsize GM van evaporator cores from under the hood and they are inexpensive. The box was half filled with leaves and debris. I am going to use the Sanden I had on my 97 on this one since it is front dash air only.

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[95OBSMan]

That looks to be not a bad chore to remove that evaporator, and I agree 100% with you on replacing with a new one!

This is how far I'm along on this coolant leak repair, funny how I thought it would be a weekend and she'll be back to DD status, 3 wks later... but like you knowing its good to go, and summer on its way, doing it as you are "peace of mine" and cold A/C!!

What is the correct start up procedure? 95 GMC 5.7 TBI
1- After leads are connected to BATT.
2- Turn Ignition to 1st position hear fuel pump, LOOK for fuel leaks etc... No leaks, turn key back to OFF position or just start it up?

Reason for asking is do to the IAC needing (replaced with new) to relearn? And is there any other sensors that require that as well? I got skills and this question may seem dumb, but Ive learned the hard way, just ask... As you can see TBI rebuilt, all new A/C parts(except evaporator),complete tune up, including rebuilt distributor and water pump, no leaks from cooling system been sitting for 5 days, just installed TBI as of this post. she started and ran pretty good b4 repairs started.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

That looks to be not a bad chore to remove that evaporator, and I agree 100% with you on replacing with a new one!

This is how far I'm along on this coolant leak repair, funny how I thought it would be a weekend and she'll be back to DD status, 3 wks later... but like you knowing its good to go, and summer on its way, doing it as you are "peace of mine" and cold A/C!!

What is the correct start up procedure? 95 GMC 5.7 TBI
1- After leads are connected to BATT.
2- Turn Ignition to 1st position hear fuel pump, LOOK for fuel leaks etc... No leaks, turn key back to OFF position or just start it up?

Reason for asking is do to the IAC needing (replaced with new) to relearn? And is there any other sensors that require that as well? I got skills and this question may seem dumb, but Ive learned the hard way, just ask... As you can see TBI rebuilt, all new A/C parts(except evaporator),complete tune up, including rebuilt distributor and water pump, no leaks from cooling system been sitting for 5 days, just installed TBI as of this post. she started and ran pretty good b4 repairs started.

The IAC will reset itself the first time you drive over ~40 mph. The ECM will fully close the IAC while you are cruising on throttle to relearn its position. The truck will do this everytime you start off from a stop. It may momentarily hunt for idle when you replace the IAC but it will correct itself the first time it is driven over 40 mph at a constant speed.

Definitely a good idea to activate the fuel pump and check for leaks on a freshly installed fuel system prior to starting the engine.

On initial startup you may need to give the accelerator pedal light pressure to get it to fire and help it run long enough to initally position the IAC position well enough to idle.

I have faith that it will run just fine after initial startup if everything was done correctly and all the vacuum lines and electrical connections are connected in the correct locations.

That 87 had a slow leak somewhere, I am assuming the R4 but I never could locate it. Hopefully changing nearly every part of the system eliminates the leak. The only part that is staying is the steel hard line between the condenser and evaporator.

 

[RanchWelder]

My first job was A/C systems trouble shooting for roof top units and commercial/residential installations and microwave oven repair in restaurants. Knocked some tin.

There's an orifice in the end of the condenser coil, in your picture.
If contamination gets into it, it clogs up the tiny filter.

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If this is clogged or damaged, you can recharge a hundred times and blow out a seal in every connection, one at a time, month after month for years. The cheapo cans of R134 are full of contaminants, which clog this little gem up solid, with aluminum canister particles and plastic bits, from the packaging process. This can blow the seal in your compressor, if the bypass get contaminated, as well.

Some guy in a third world assembly line running a hundred miles an hour, is washing the charge cans.
He's earning $00.25/hr, cleaning your a/c charge canister with sewer water full of oil and grease, from his factory's contaminated water supply.

The can does come with a really cool looking plastic cap with a $0.15 pressure gauge and a nifty hose, right?

Unless you buy domestically produced quality tanks of R134 from an authorized A/C repair shop, you are your own worst enemy, when it comes to hack A/C repairs. Your vacuum pump is supposed to have a filter drier, to block contaminants and water from contaminating the system. If you have never purged and cleaned a system, after somebody used one of those cans, you did not fix anything. Cheap vacuum pumps, leak oil into the system.
A quality A/C pump is over $600.

Open an empty over the counter charge can up, take a clean white tissue and wipe the inside of the oil from the canister and tell me what you find? You just put that plastic flash residue and aluminum shavings into your system.

If I sold you motor oil with sand in it, you'd be very angry with me, but buying filthy low quality charge canisters is OK... ?

Once you re-seal everything and replace every o-ring, consider having the system purged by a technician and filled from a professional non-contaminated equipment. He'll run dye into the system and check for leaks and save you a fortune in $50 cans of dirt.

 

[monsterwake]

This is where I am. I had a leaking charge schrager. Replaced that and the orifice. Charged the system and compressor was kicking in as I was charging. Finally it stayed on and was cooling wonderfully then.... Bam. It locked up. I had to turn off AC. That was about six months ago. Through the winter I have been checking the pressure and the system holds pressure but I need a new compressor or maybe just a new clutch. Does anybody have a parts list of what I "should" replace when I replace the compressor? The job isn't hard but, like preciously stated, I don't want to do it several times. I feel like I should be good since the system is holding pressure.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

This is where I am. I had a leaking charge schrager. Replaced that and the orifice. Charged the system and compressor was kicking in as I was charging. Finally it stayed on and was cooling wonderfully then.... Bam. It locked up. I had to turn off AC. That was about six months ago. Through the winter I have been checking the pressure and the system holds pressure but I need a new compressor or maybe just a new clutch. Does anybody have a parts list of what I "should" replace when I replace the compressor? The job isn't hard but, like preciously stated, I don't want to do it several times. I feel like I should be good since the system is holding pressure.

Compressor, condenser, orifice tube, accumulator and all seals for every connection you disturb. The hoses, lines and evaporator core also need to be flushed multiple times. Then add the total oil capacity of the system. Some say you can flush a condenser and while that might half way work on a tube and fin style even those have dual paths and can store junk in them, especially the 90s serpentine style units with thinner flat tubes. A microtube parallel flow is cheap and I prefer ones specifically made for the Suburban or Tahoe with rear air. The truck ones are 6" narrower and will have a 3" gap between the condenser and core support, where the larger Suburban unit covers the whole gap.

For condenser mounted orifice tubes, I use the Yellow 0.062" orifice for a 1993 Deville. The larger 0.071" sucks for idle cooling in hotter climates.

A solid refresh on the system can get them to blow 30F out of the vents on a 115F day going down the highway even with R134a.

 

[monsterwake]

Roger that. Thank you.

 

[monsterwake]

If my system is holding freon, do I need to replace everything or can I just replace the compressor and the o-rings?