UPDATE: '96 Tahoe A/C

Decided to start another thread regarding the air conditioning failure on my '96 Tahoe with front air only.

1. Purchase 5-12 oz. cans R134a refrigerant, and 1-3 oz. can of PAG 150 oil charge with ICE performance Echancer. What ever that is...Ice Performance Enhancer must be a selling point.

2. Hung the manifold gages to the hood latch, and connected the center (yellow) hose to the PAG150 container. Started the engine, turned the A/C on high with all doors closed. NOTE: Ran the engine some 30 minutes and nothing happening...don't seem to be any PAG 150 being sucked into the compressor.

3. Closed value on PAG 150 can, and connected a 12 oz. can R134a. Started the Tahoe once again. Open the "low side" (Blue) value just a 1/2 turn and open the value on R134a can. Nothing seem to be moving. The compressor clutch started "short cycling", and some 10 minutes the clutch seems to stay on longer...about 7 seconds or longer. But, that where I notice the "high side" hose/pipe was so hot I couldn't touch it. It was real hot all the way back to the condenser to the left side of the grill area.
Besides the "low side" hose/pipe wasn't getting colder. NOTE: The manifold gauge (blue side) was at 105 psi. Same (105 psi) on the manifold gauge high side.

4. I shut down the engine, disconnected all the hoses, and disconnected all the wire connectors at the compressor.

5. With this happening, I determine the compressor is "gone" no suction...nothing. Time for a new compressor, accumulator/drier, orifice tube, and all O-rings, complete flushing of the system. and a vacuum job.

Would anyone here have a better analysis, and suggestions.

prob have to jump the low presure switch to charge

prob have to jump the low pressure switch to charge

You may not have read my thread throughly, as the compressor clutch goes through the short cycling routine when I tried to recharge the system..
I've done this...disconnected the low pressure switch at the accumulator port, and inserted two tips of a paper clip there, the compressor clutch runs continuously without any cycling on-off. All that tells me, the compressor/clutch can run.

What gets me, is the very hot "high side" of the pipe that runs to the condenser, which I've never notice it being this hot before. Also the fact the low side with the gauge hook-up, the pressure is 105 psi.

You may not have read my thread throughly, as the compressor clutch goes through the short cycling routine when I tried to recharge the system..
I've done this...disconnected the low pressure switch at the accumulator port, and inserted two tips of a paper clip there, the compressor clutch runs continuously without any cycling on-off. All that tells me, the compressor/clutch can run.

What gets me, is the very hot "high side" of the pipe that runs to the condenser, which I've never notice it being this hot before. Also the fact the low side with the gauge hook-up, the pressure is 105 psi.


the low side /high side pressure of 105psi and the clutch is engaged and the compressor is rotating not the the clutch is slipping I would say the valves have failed..

If this is all true then the refrigerent system will need proper cleaning ..this must be done prior to installing the new/used working compressor..

when checking out the ac for testing performance , I run the ac on max with the doors open for max heat load then monitor pressures at 1500rpm ssss.....if I get 300-325psi hi side @90 deg f then I know this a/c is gonna keep me cool...

the heat has arrived and another year these a/c units still work great 1996 Impala ss , and 2000 silverado been about 4-5 years since I added a half can to each system...

where you live you use the ac for much more of the year...ac gets lots of work your area...

Problem Solved!! I hope.

Did some reading on various A/C forums about "how" to go about getting a auto compressor to except freon... Instructions were good as I tried them, and they worked.

The A/C system only needed a 3 oz can PAG 150 and two 12 oz. cans R134a
to get the clutch/compressor to give me some good interior cooling. I'm going to order me a Electronic Leak Detector so I can pinpoint where the freon is going. My guess would be at the front of the compressor.

Thanks to all for their input here. Will keep in touch.

Problem Solved!! I hope.

Did some reading on various A/C forums about "how" to go about getting a auto compressor to except freon... Instructions were good as I tried them, and they worked.

The A/C system only needed a 3 oz can PAG 150 and two 12 oz. cans R134a
to get the clutch/compressor to give me some good interior cooling. I'm going to order me a Electronic Leak Detector so I can pinpoint where the freon is going. My guess would be at the front of the compressor.

Thanks to all for their input here. Will keep in touch.

the dye would have been cheaper and the uv lite works well............much cheaper too.......cheers

Problem Solved!! I hope.

Did some reading on various A/C forums about "how" to go about getting a auto compressor to except freon... Instructions were good as I tried them, and they worked.

The A/C system only needed a 3 oz can PAG 150 and two 12 oz. cans R134a
to get the clutch/compressor to give me some good interior cooling. I'm going to order me a Electronic Leak Detector so I can pinpoint where the freon is going. My guess would be at the front of the compressor.

Thanks to all for their input here. Will keep in touch.

the use of the dye works better ..as the fellow member mentioned using a black light..

the oil must be removed and cleaned thoughly from the ac components..avoid harsh chemicals ..I use mineral spirits low odor paint thinner/cleaner ...this is safe on most everything except any brake parts ...

I have used the leak detector ..the problem is finding the exact location especially when the air is blowing..the dye is very accurate.. since you added the pag oil ..give it a few days and then recheck for oil leakages at the compressor clutch/seal area..it should be much better..over time you are going to be low on oil !

normally when the compressor is low on oil it will make more noises....If you put too much oil in like 4 oz too much the effeciency of the unit will drop but not damage anything...

never install too much refrigerent in any unit..if the compressor gets any liquid into the compression chamber the valves wil break..I always put less than the stated capacity, this is safe ..I have never had a compressor fail yet..