A/C diagnosis

[Tim]

I haven't really had much experience with Festiva A/C, aside from various experiments I did with my first Festiva.

My current car has dealer installed A/C but it doesn't work, probably because there's no pressure in the system. The previous owner can't recall it ever working and took the drivebelt off when she replaced the timing belt.

I did a search, and there doesn't seem to be much info here on failure prone parts that I should be looking for.

Right now I plan to take the entire system apart, do a visual inspection, replace the o-rings, flush it out with acetone, and replace the refrigerant oil. I'll also be replacing any obviously damaged parts.

I'm hoping my leak is just a bad o-ring somewhere, but if it isn't what is the next place to start looking? Do condensers/hoses/lines have issues with leaks? Or do I just swap stuff out until I get lucky?


Regards,

Tim

[Mike McKown]

It may just have a very slow leak in the system if you're lucky. Rather than take everything apart why not just shoot a charge with dye in it and see if it works okay. If the charge leaks back out a black light will ID where it's leaking and you can fix just that point.

[Tim]

It may just have a very slow leak in the system if you're lucky. Rather than take everything apart why not just shoot a charge with dye in it and see if it works okay. If the charge leaks back out a black light will ID where it's leaking and you can fix just that point.

Thanks for the info.

I've dealt with slow leaks before; specifically my brother's Escort. I just kept topping it off with r134a until I ran the system out of oil and the compressor grenaded. There was dye in the system, but I had no idea where the leak was due to it being from a hose under the car.

After $350 for a new compressor and a Saturday's worth of work disassembling everything, I had learned a valuable lesson. It's cheaper to fix the problem right than to keep topping things off and risking damaging expensive parts.

However I may just add a can of Freeze 12 and see what happens, but I still plan to go through the A/C system.


Thanks!

Tim

[jglutz]

Be advised if you take the syem apart you will have to draw a near perfect vacuum on the system prior to adding refrigerate.

[Tim]

Be advised if you take the syem apart you will have to draw a near perfect vacuum on the system prior to adding refrigerate.

I have a friend/ex boss in the car repair business who lets me use his stuff, so I should have access to a vacuum pump and gauges.

I plan to pull and hold the vacuum for at least an hour before I try charging the system... hopefully that will be enough time for any leaks to show up.


Regards,

Tim