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05-21-2011, 01:09 AM | #1 | |
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1998 Monte Carlo a/c compressor
Hey everyone,
New to this particular forum, but post often in the Windstar forum. I'm trying to help my father/stepmom get some a/c in her car. She's got a 1998 Monte Carlo with the 3.8l. I have a vacuum pump and compressor gauges so they brought it to me. It was low on freon so I went ahead and charged it. Not empty, but low. Due to not being empty, I decided not to pull a vacuum. (Probably should have in retrospect.) Anyway, I charged it up and the blowers were blowing cold. Not as cold as I'd have liked, but certainly cold. I believe with an ambient temp of around 90, they were blowing around 72. I thought I had it licked and decided to drive it to work once before I gave it back. About halfway to work, it just got warm and never did get cold again. When I got to work, I checked the compressor and it's still engaging when you turn the a/c on. I did some research on these V5 compressors and found a very interesting article regarding the refrigerant control valve on the compressor and how they are very susceptible to failure. The article mentioned that when they go bad, it has symptoms that indicate the compressor is bad, but it's just the RCV. They can be purchased for around $40, but I'm gonna lose the freon to put it in there. A new compressor on Amazon (and one locally) can be purchased for around $155ish. I'm trying to see if anyone's ever had any luck changing out the RCV and if that fixed the problem. The interesting thing I see now is that even with the compressor engaging/disengaging, I see absolutely no change in my pressures. They are the same whether or not the engine is revving or at idle. Basically I'm seeing the static pressure, because both high and low ports are the same reading. I'm not a pro on the variable displacement compressors, and hopefully someone can give me some insight into them.. Sincerely, Mark |
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05-21-2011, 07:49 AM | #2 | |
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Re: 1998 Monte Carlo a/c compressor
Are you sure there is correct amount of refrigerant in system? 2 lbs is spec.
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Automotive A/C Engineer with: '99 IH 4700 Toy Hauler (2) '95 GEO Prizms both maroon '99 GMC Yukon '95 Chev 3500, 454 Dually Crew Cab- 145k miles- Wife's Camel trailer puller. '94 Astro- 370k miles '94 Firebird Formula- 5.7L 180k miles- gone- '92 Chevy Lumina Van 3.8L 264k '86 GMC S-15 - 2.8L 154k '87 Buick Park Ave . 187k '86 Buick Park Ave 3.8L 199k miles- gone '77 Chevy Vega- 2.5L 175k miles gone but not forgotten '68 Camaro 396 4 spd RS/SS -72k miles- |
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05-21-2011, 10:46 AM | #3 | ||
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Re: 1998 Monte Carlo a/c compressor
Quote:
The interesting thing is that the compressor is engaging, but the pressures don't change. Mark |
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05-22-2011, 11:34 PM | #4 | |
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Re: 1998 Monte Carlo a/c compressor
That's odd, since my tables show a Monte with a Buick 231 is not supposed to get a variable compressor. I wonder if it was a replacement.
What were the high/low side pressures at the 90 ambient? If not much above 110 PSI and with no differential there may be a complete short-circuit of refrigerant from the pressure control or a bad valves, snapped shaft, etc. Did you add any PAG with the refrigerant?
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05-23-2011, 07:14 AM | #5 | |
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Re: 1998 Monte Carlo a/c compressor
You sure you are looking at 1998 MY?-- all W-cars builit in Oshawa got either 3.1L or 3.8L engines- both used V-5 compressors in '98.
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Automotive A/C Engineer with: '99 IH 4700 Toy Hauler (2) '95 GEO Prizms both maroon '99 GMC Yukon '95 Chev 3500, 454 Dually Crew Cab- 145k miles- Wife's Camel trailer puller. '94 Astro- 370k miles '94 Firebird Formula- 5.7L 180k miles- gone- '92 Chevy Lumina Van 3.8L 264k '86 GMC S-15 - 2.8L 154k '87 Buick Park Ave . 187k '86 Buick Park Ave 3.8L 199k miles- gone '77 Chevy Vega- 2.5L 175k miles gone but not forgotten '68 Camaro 396 4 spd RS/SS -72k miles- |
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05-24-2011, 02:07 PM | #6 | ||
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Re: 1998 Monte Carlo a/c compressor
Quote:
I did not add any PAG to the refrigerant, but it still had positive pressure and so I chose to forgo that. |
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