Air conditioning recharge kits?

[kpolly]

I recently purchased a 1995 Olds 88. It wasn't warm enough at the time of purchase to find out whether the a/c worked. Now that it is getting pretty hot on those leather seats, I've tried to turn the a/c on but no cold air.

I have heard of air conditioning recharge kits you can buy that come with a can of stop leak for the a/c system, along with two cans of refridgerant, hoses, and gauges for recharging your a/c unit. It would cost about $70. I'm not sure if it's just low on refridgerant or if the compressor's dead. Just thinking it is an inexpensive option if it's just low on refridgerant. Has anyone ever tried using one of these kits? Did they actually work? Do they cause more problems? Don't want to waste the money if it's junk. Any thoughts or opinions?

[eazystreat]

Those kits work great. The stop leak is also a system conditioner and lubricant too. First though, you need to check the compressor. Find the low pressure switch either on the accumulator or in a line somewhere. It will have a plug on it with two wires. Unplug this and jump the two wires together with a small piece of wire stripped on both ends. This bypasses the switch and will allow the compressor to run without freon. Turn on the AC inside and then start the engine. If you see the clutch working you can go ahead and charge it. Don't run the compressor long without freon.