Chevy Beretta

[darkdetail]

I just got a 1995 chevy beretta earlier in the year. Everything was working fine. Summer comes around and my A/C decided to quit on the job. My guess is that the extreme heat was too much for it.

it still works but only if its on max even then it still strugles to get cool air inside.

what can i do without having to take the car to the mechanic.

P.S. my home ac crapped out last year the guy came in and added some gas to it. if i do that would that help the ac. if so, would i use normal unleaded gas or what.

[Dip32]

Air conditioners use a pump to compress "freon" (liquid form) and it either gets cold when it compressed, or when its uncompressing Im not quite sure. Then the freon is pumped thru pipes which a fan blows across..hence cold air. However you need to replace the freon, which is not an average joe job, but get a quote anyway from a service shop. Someone here may be ably to provide directions on how to change it. Keep in mind freon is toxic......

[pcv]

There are a lot of things that can go wrong with an a.c. system, from compressor going bad, leaks and bad/defective components. Also there is special gas that goes into that system known as freon and there are different types, although in your case you take R134 gas. It is not the same as the one you put in your gas tank. It's totally different.
You are better off taking it to a garage and they will check it out for you and give you an estimate. It will cost you around $40.00 or there abouts for them to tell you what went wrong with the ac system.
Good Luck.

[dustIYF1113]

wow If u run out of breathable gas(oxygen,carbon,nitrogen) do u go to the nearest sunoco and fill up on the high test????!!!!!!

Freon is what u need!!! but what u need to do is a leak test b4 u go filling ur a/c system. it'll last u mayb a day or 2 if u fill up when the cause was a leak so save ur money (its winter now) and see ur mechanic in the spring! have him test ur a/c system, and if u plan on keeping the car for a long time u might consider changing over to a newer type of freon it will cost a bit up front (its a whole conversion new valves and adapters will b needed) but the older freon is worse for the ozone and costs a shit load i think a pound(which if ur empty u might need <3lbs.) can cost in the range of $60 -120 (dont quote me) and the newer freon is bout 1/3 of the cost. Im not sure which one u might already use the newer freon!!!! if u need a condenser which is possible shop arround it might save u quite a bit if u get it urself. look im sure as hell not the most mechanically knowledeable here but i have a sense of what the posible problems are and im tryin to save u a buck!!!! if when u get a ok from the mechanic that all u need is a filling u can do it ur self!! just find out what type and how much to use and get the filling kit from an auto parts store but make sure u buy a KIT (see what comes with the kit and buy what ever additional freon u might need ask also either the mechanic or someone @ the autoparts store about a leak detector additive and when and how to add it) what ever u do ask ask ask the person ur asking might get frustrated but iits for ur own benefit!!!!!