123cya

I have been reading ALL of the other AC forums and here is where I stand.

My problem is my AC is not blowing that cold. I went to an AC repair shop and they said that it is not blowing that hard which is why it cannot cool that well. I did not have any apparent leaks of "freon". They mentioned I needed a new condenser, some tubes and a compressor. They mentioned that my compressor has been working under pressure and is about to go. It does sound a little funny but it seems crazy that they want me to replace the entire system pretty much. Were talking like 700 in labor and 1k in parts.

They added like a pound of "freon" and it blew cold but not very fast as usual. From the other posts I have checked things mentioned...

Here is what I have done so far:

I checked the condenser, its a little dirty but no caked on mud or squirrels.
I removed the AC/Heater blower and there was 2 small leaves in the "hamster wheel" and with it out of the car I tested my ac and it does all the different speeds and on high its almost deafening fast/loud.
I did not check the vacuum tubes because my driver side / passenger side / and defroster are all the same speed and low output. I am not sure how fast it is supposed to be blowing because I bought the car used and it was always like that. 01 Coupe.
Is it possible I just need to change out the compressor? Could leaves be sucked up somewhere else in the system? I am lost!
I am not sure if this has to do with it but my AC LCD display only sometimes works. I saw on ebay people who repair that very cheap but is it something fairly easy to do? I own a computer shop and am great with soldering and electronics.

Thanks for everyone's time who reads this!

**update** The ac stopped blowing cold again. I do not think it lost all its "freon" but probably the extra pound they added.

kg54trains

Before i go for the whole expense i would pay for a second option with a true a/c mechanic. Also did the a/c shop just add coolent or did they purge the system by filtering the current systems coolent and then add the new 1lbs of feon with compression oil. there are a/c "tune up" kits that can be purchased and added without much effort that add the oils to the system. Try a few different things before the 1000 output. the age and maintenance of your system may require the repair but there is no harm in a follow up.

BLOWNBLUEZ06

If the blower motor is turning properly, I would recommend you remove the lower panels of the dash and put the system on high and feel for airflow from underneath. Maybe you have a crack or part loose that's bleeding off your air to the inside of the dash.

bestvettever

Hi, it sounds like you may have a few problems. But you didn't say whether you have the Auto Dual Zone system, or the manual 3 dial system. So I'll try to help with info that is pertinent to both.
First, the AC charge has to be right, not almost right. You say they added a pound of freon,(by the way it is not Freon, that is a Brand name that pertains to r12, 22, and others, but not refrigerant 134a), Your car needs R134a. A system properly charged should have 28 oz of refrigerant, so you see adding a pound,(16oz), is quite a bit, so you have to assume there is a substantial leak somewhere.
Second, if you are not getting air being delivered from the vents chosen and at a very good pace, that is a vacuum issue. The vette air delivery system,(blower speeds), is very powerful when operating properly.
The shops suggestions that you replace the comp and the cond sounds like using a bazooka to kill a fly, but they may be thinking that you have a leak in the condenser, or compressor, and can't or don't want to take the time to narrow it down, or they are just greedy and not to be trusted. So my suggestions are as follows.
1, Read "plasticfans" thread on proper charging of the ac and follow it, once you have a full proper charge you can troubleshoot the other problem of air delivery.(You can start with the air delivery problems first but you will need to address the Charge issue at some point). You should make sure you have the full 28 oz. R134a, also add about 3 oz pag oil, and the leak detector dye. Then you will be able to discern if there is a bad leak.
2, You need to check the vacuum lines, the main line starts on the back of the intake manifold at a 90 degree nipple, (hard to see and get to), and travels through the wire harness over to the check valve and tank on the pass side under the battery box, down by the wheel well, (look for battery acid damage that may have eaten up the lines), from there it goes into the car to the vacuum block in the dash behind the glove box, and then to the HVAC control head. You need to make sure that the lines are intact and hold vacuum.
3, If all that checks out then you may have a Control Head issue, or a mode actuator issue. The Control heads are famous for their lights burning out, there are threads on how to fix that issue, and if you are handy with a soldering iron you can handle it. There are guys on here that rebuild them and do a very good job. If you do need to replace it opt for a post 2001 head as they have better components and programming to deal with some early issues.
If you need more help, post.
Good Luck

c5streak

I agree with bestvettever. Here are a few links to help.
First, plasticfans thread on charging, VERY helpful.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ghlight=ac+101

Second, an in depth look at the vacuum system. Look to post #8 for pics of all the lines and the underdash unit.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1966898

Hope this helps. Keep us informed.

wicked 98z

dont mean to hijack but if my ac is stuck on defrost do u think its a vac leak?

c5streak

More than likely.

Midwest Vette