Please Help with Cavalier A/C Troubles

[Undertow]

Hello all,

So glad I found these boards - hopeful to save time and $$$!

Anyway, my wife has a 1996 Cavalier that has had issues with it's air conditioning for a couple of years now. It blows hot air, we charge it with freon, it works for a few weeks, and then blows hot air again.

We've brought it into a couple places where they've injected dye into the system, charged it up, and looked for leaks...but they never find any leaks. This process has been done at least 3 times at 2 different service stations. The shaft seal has also been replaced.

I don't think it's the compressor because, imo, it wouldn't work at all even after it's been charged. I'm thinking it's a SLOW leak that is undetectable using dye. This would explain why it works for several weeks after a freon charge and then gives out.

Thoughts?

Thanks!!!

[Undertow]

Bump. Anyone?

[EC0T3C]

I work for an airconditioning company, dye isnt reliable for detecting leaks. Use soapy water and spray on the outside of all the lines. It may be you coils are plug on the inside or you hvac controls arent reading right. Also if the car runs hot around 210+ the ac only will blow warm air. Also your coils may have a slow leak and the only way to find out is to replace it. And that is a true biatch.

And actually you would be suprised. The air blowing and compressor will still run, but the compressor will not compress. Does the compressor get ice on it, if so you compressor is mostlikely out or your reversing valve.

[grimesjm1]

i've never heard of using soap and water, but i don't think it will find a slow leak.....and as for if the engine runs hot it will make the a/c blow warm, that isn't true either....

one thing you might want to consider is having a sealer added into your a/c system the next time it is serviced...i have heard good and bad about the sealers, and you definetly don't want to buy a cheap one, thew ones i use run about $45.00 a can. i have probably done 30-40 vehicles with that sealer and the only problem i had was with a Chrysler 300M that i wasn't able to leave run after i "juiced" it up, the sealer turned into a ball in the accumulator, the cars need to run with the a/c on for a few mintues after the sealer is installed...

[EC0T3C]

Originally Posted by grimesjm1

i've never heard of using soap and water, but i don't think it will find a slow leak.....and as for if the engine runs hot it will make the a/c blow warm, that isn't true either....

one thing you might want to consider is having a sealer added into your a/c system the next time it is serviced...i have heard good and bad about the sealers, and you definetly don't want to buy a cheap one, thew ones i use run about $45.00 a can. i have probably done 30-40 vehicles with that sealer and the only problem i had was with a Chrysler 300M that i wasn't able to leave run after i "juiced" it up, the sealer turned into a ball in the accumulator, the cars need to run with the a/c on for a few mintues after the sealer is installed...

If your thinking bar soap it wont work, im talking about dish soap and water and yes it will find a slow leak, without buying a leak detector. If the motor is hot the compressor will shut off. Ive been working with car and home a/c's for over 4 years now.

[grimesjm1]

Originally Posted by EC0T3C

If your thinking bar soap it wont work, im talking about dish soap and water and yes it will find a slow leak, without buying a leak detector. If the motor is hot the compressor will shut off. Ive been working with car and home a/c's for over 4 years now.

LOL no i know what you meant....but i'm pretty sure if it takes a few weeks to drain 2 lb's of freon it won't be coming out fast enough to make bubbles. maybe these specific cars shut the compressor off if then engine gets too hot, but it wouldn't be necessary unless they are just trying to take some of the load off the engine, but they would do that by disconnecting the clutch, which he said is functioning, so that's not the problem.

[toolcarzy]

GREAT! Glad I found this site.
My dad has a 1998 Cavalier and his A/C blows hot air. Has had it charged 4 times and runs nice and cold for 1 day. Then hot air again. The A/C place he has been going to has put dye in system 3 times and hasn't seen anything. They told me dad that it was probably the Evaporator, which they said was up under the dash. 1000 dollars later (304 for evaporator and 720 for labor@9 hrs x 80$)
It STILL does the same thing.

I'll try the soapy water trick this weekend when I get over there. Can the freon be leaking into the oil or water coolant somewhere. Can something be pressure tested? And what about this can of sealant? Can you reccomend a GOOD manufacturer?

[Langning]

My boss' Lincoln towncar was blowing hot air and none of mechanics he seeked help could diagnose the problem and pointed him to leakage or electric problem. At the end and little choice, he went to the Lincoln dealership and was worrying that he may be hitted with another $600 fix.

What the dealership did was to "re-shim AC compressor clutch", problem fixed and he was only out $300. Why not just buy a new reman compressor w/ clutch? I think they are very cheap. Realistically speaking how many components are there in the AC system? My educated guess is that you compressor clutch is not engaging at the pulley/belt and that is why you have hot air.

[toolcarzy]

thank you Langing.

[makowals]

I've got a 97 Cavalier... A/C worked great for 8 years...then nothing...and it went out over the course of about 2 weeks... Got it recharged--then it failed in 2 more weeks... Charged it again, blew warm air in 2 weeks... Charged again-- The re-charges were covered by warranty at the car place--but I doubt I can go in every 2 weeks indefinitely...

They say today--it could possibly be a slow leak in the evaporator--and $800 to fix. (the car's not even worth $800)... Anyone have any luck with that sealant stuff they sell to put into your AC system? I asked them (Procare) about it--and they said they don't recommend it. (go figure)

Thanks...