97 silhouette A/C question????

i have a 97 silhouette, when i went to use the a/c for the first time this year all that came out was hot air, i push the button and the light on the button comes on but i dont hear the compressor kick on, is there any sort of relay or fuse that might be bad that i need to check????????? thnx

The compressor WONT come on if your low in R-134A. This is the coolant which runs the system...sounds like your low.

does that mean i have a leak, i have had people tell me that the only way you can be low on freon is if there is a leak present......thnx

it could mean you have a leak. It could be a slow leak that happens over the course of a year or two. You may try adding a can and seeing if it works. If you do decide to add a can make sure you have a gauge. When you connect the gauge look at what the guage says before you add any refridgerant.

If you have a leak its no bi deal. Just dont waste ur money on the fill up and leak repair kits. I would personally just go to the junk yard or a parts store and buy new lines for the cold and hot pipes. (they are less then 3 feet long.

Replace the 2 pipes and then get a refilling kit + ester oil shot(about 4 cans in total = 80$ with gauge) from a local partsource store.

I just got the kit, but when i fixed my van from a deer collision (new condenser) i saw those lines, the leak is somewhere in those 2 lines, just replace them and ur ready to go. The fill up kit works great. The guy that sold me the cans also shows you how to carry out the recharge.

Good luck

does that mean i have a leak, i have had people tell me that the only way you can be low on freon is if there is a leak present......thnx

a small leak in a high pressure system will still go on very quickly.

I forgot to mention that there are 2 possibilities.

Leak in the lines to and from the condenser OR .... a large chip in the condenser. It looks like a rad, look at the front, if its all dinged up from 97 it could be the condenser. I didnt have that problem since it was replaced but as stupid as the deer was i had just replaced the condenser at the dealer 1 yr prior to the accident due to a similar leak on my 01. You can get aftermarket condensers for about 120$ shipped. You can get an inspection done at a local shop to dye it and then u can go from there. Try ebay for a new condenser and that should fix your leak. Mine came up with the issue in the summer after the winter, since i didnt notice until then.

Good luck with ur repair.

i have a 97 silhouette, when i went to use the a/c for the first time this year all that came out was hot air, i push the button and the light on the button comes on but i dont hear the compressor kick on, is there any sort of relay or fuse that might be bad that i need to check????????? thnx there is also a seal behind the a/c compressor pully that will leak dealer kit $45.00 plus clutch remover $26.00 but it beats buying new compressor you have to remove fans to get a/c compressor out:popcorn:

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