Tried Charging Freon Story HELP

1997 Grand Prix 105k Coupe (Manual AC, I think)


My Cold air stopped coming out of my car last year in July, I recharged it and it worked fine the rest of summer.

It just starting getting around 80 degrees this week and I went to turn my AC on hot air started coming out ealier this week and today I tried to get Freon rechared today.

1pm - Bought 2 small cans of freon and took car to shop they said they would recharge it for $20. They put the 2 cans in and hot air was still coming out after they put them in(Compressor turned on in 2 minutes). I then bought a can of stop leak. The manager of this shop put the stop leak it and told me to give it some time to work and i drove around for 20 minutes and still hot air.

Car sat from 2pm to 5:50

Took small trip for 10 minutes and still hot air.

Car sat from 6pm to 11pm

11pm- Drove home 35 miles and COLD came out whole trip home. (65 degrees outside)


Could the mechanic have been right when he said the freon needed time to work?

Will I have cold air tommorrow in your opinion? What's going on?

freon does not need anymore time then it take the compressor to cycle through. you really need a qualified tech to find your leak and do a proper repair. at the very least the system needs to be evacuated before you add any more freon. do you know your pressure readings. is the air cool or hot like a heater. do you know if your blend door is working? stop leak is very bad in an ac system, it can cause a restriction that can cause the freon to become a gas prematurely thus poor performance.

freon does not need anymore time then it take the compressor to cycle through. you really need a qualified tech to find your leak and do a proper repair. at the very least the system needs to be evacuated before you add any more freon. do you know your pressure readings. is the air cool or hot like a heater. do you know if your blend door is working? stop leak is very bad in an ac system, it can cause a restriction that can cause the freon to become a gas prematurely thus poor performance.


Just drove to get food on a 15 mile round trip and still cold air. Could it be because the outside temp. dropped ?

I hope you didn't put freon in it the system runs on R-134a. I'm a certified AC tech and I agree with wrenchboss26 the system needs to be evacuated, stop leak is not a good idea. You need a qualified person to inspect the system. The first thing you should do is turn the AC on and watch the AC compressor (it runs off the serpentine belt) watch the clutch on it if it cycles that is working and the repair will be relatively cheap, if it is not cold then you could have freezing in the system or your High or Low pressure switches might not be working properly. Regardless though now you need to evacuate the system to get the contaminants out (stop leak) then it needs to be put in a vacuam, compressor lube added, and the R-134a needs to be put in.

I hope you didn't put freon in it the system runs on R-134a. I'm a certified AC tech and I agree with wrenchboss26 the system needs to be evacuated, stop leak is not a good idea. You need a qualified person to inspect the system. The first thing you should do is turn the AC on and watch the AC compressor (it runs off the serpentine belt) watch the clutch on it if it cycles that is working and the repair will be relatively cheap, if it is not cold then you could have freezing in the system or your High or Low pressure switches might not be working properly. Regardless though now you need to evacuate the system to get the contaminants out (stop leak) then it needs to be put in a vacuam, compressor lube added, and the R-134a needs to be put in.


whatever i can do so it works and 2 hours ago it was.

I hope you didn't put freon in it the system runs on R-134a. I'm a certified AC tech and I agree with wrenchboss26 the system needs to be evacuated, stop leak is not a good idea. You need a qualified person to inspect the system. The first thing you should do is turn the AC on and watch the AC compressor (it runs off the serpentine belt) watch the clutch on it if it cycles that is working and the repair will be relatively cheap, if it is not cold then you could have freezing in the system or your High or Low pressure switches might not be working properly. Regardless though now you need to evacuate the system to get the contaminants out (stop leak) then it needs to be put in a vacuam, compressor lube added, and the R-134a needs to be put in.

I thought the GM V5 compressors didnt cycle.

To the OP, do you have a 3.1, 3.8, or 3.8sc?

I'm wondering if he has a problem with his controll unit.

Is it manual or the digital one with the digital readout?

I thought the GM V5 compressors didnt cycle.

To the OP, do you have a 3.1, 3.8, or 3.8sc?

I'm wondering if he has a problem with his controll unit.

Is it manual or the digital one with the digital readout?


3.8 manual. I'm going for a ride right now and will see if I'm getting cold air?

Went for a ride and HOT air now, the cold last night must have been from outside temp. I must have a leak how much to get it fixed?

Depending on where the leak is.

Take a look around, if you see dark blackish grase on any of your AC lines, you have probably found the leak.

Compressor seals are common.

Depending on where the leak is.

Take a look around, if you see dark blackish grase on any of your AC lines, you have probably found the leak.

Compressor seals are common.


Say I find a leak on the ac line how do I seal it?

Good luck on that! Look for a greenish leak, DOES YOUR CLUTCH CYCLE??????

You get the system evacuated, replace the line and its o-rings and/or seals, probably be a good time to throw a new orifice tube at it, have a vacuum pulled on it, and recharged with proper amount of freon.

You get the system evacuated, replace the line and its o-rings and/or seals, probably be a good time to throw a new orifice tube at it, have a vacuum pulled on it, and recharged with proper amount of freon.

Say there was a leak in the places mentioned above, what would be the cost to have it fixed with labor?

I dont know. It shouldnt be too bad.

If the evap coil in the dash is bad you are looking at about a grand to get it repaired, very labor intensive.

If the evap coil in the dash is bad you are looking at about a grand to get it repaired, very labor intensive.


What can I expect to pay if it's a leak in an ac line and then recharge it?