jlhugh
Premium
join:2001-09-07
Wichita Falls, TX
clubs:
 ·AT&T Southwest
| [Help] A/C system problem
I just had our 94 Chevy G20 van in the shop to fix a a/c leak. they fixed the leak but the system still would not cool. come to find out the orifice tube was clogged up and had metal shavings in it. i am guessing this is from the compressor. anyway after everything was fix it is not cooling near as good as it was before. i am wondering if they vacuumed the system out before putting in the R134a. my question is what does a a/c act like if it has not been vacuumed out?
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~Team Discovery ~ Project Hope ~ |
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BurntCricket
Gotta Do What Ya Gotta Do
Premium
join:2000-09-02
Here
clubs:
 ·RoadRunner Cable
| Well if a reputable A/C Tech did the work they KNOW a vacuum and leak test must be done on it after any work was done.
The Vacuum does a few things; it removes any old charge and any moisture in the system and it will test for leaks.
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If you have to ask, you wouldn't understand. |
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mattmag
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-04-09
NW Illinois
clubs:
·Mediacom
| reply to jlhugh
There are so many variables in automotive A/C work that it is impossible to tell you for sure what is right or wrong.
The major red flag here of course is metal in the orifice tube. What, specifically, does "everything was fix" mean? What exactly did the repair consist of? If you had metal in the tube, I would expect at the very least a new compressor, receiver/drier, orifice tube, installation of an in-line filter, and flushing the entire system properly.
After all that, then you can evacuate and recharge the system. Was the van originally designed for R134A or was it converted from R12? Converted systems generally perform a bit poorer after the retrofit, simply because the design of the two systems is different. A van tends to do a little better, since it has a large condenser.
Please give us some more details and we'll go from there. |
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jlhugh
Premium
join:2001-09-07
Wichita Falls, TX
clubs:
·AT&T Southwest
| it is an original R134a. what they did was fix the leak and replace the orifice tube and that was it. that cost me 400 bucks because these vans are hard to work on. but since i got it back i think it needs a new compressor and pretty much anything else that makes it work. but i am not really wanting to put more money into this thing more than it is worth. |
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TheHarvester
join:2006-08-25
Dana Point, CA
| said by jlhugh  :it is an original R134a. what they did was fix the leak and replace the orifice tube and that was it. that cost me 400 bucks because these vans are hard to work on. but since i got it back i think it needs a new compressor and pretty much anything else that makes it work. but i am not really wanting to put more money into this thing more than it is worth. If there was a lot of stuff in the orifice tube, it more than likely came from the compressor. Replacing the orifice tube may help for a short time but: It may or will clog up again as more crap that was stuck in the condenser comes loose, or more crap from the compressor comes apart. The condenser could also be partially plugged up which will reduce the flow and cooling ability of the condenser. You may need to replace the compressor, Back flush the high side lines and condenser or replace the condenser if it will not clean and clean the orifice tube out. |
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mattmag
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-04-09
NW Illinois
clubs:
·Mediacom
| reply to jlhugh
said by jlhugh : what they did was fix the leak and replace the orifice tube and that was it. Well that about sums it up. You received incorrect service for the trouble you have, which explains why the cooling performance is still poor.
I can understand though, your reluctance to shell out big bucks on an aging vehicle. It all comes down to how bad you need the A/C, and how long to plan to keep the van in operation. |
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