A/C woes

[Lightfoot2002]

Hello All. My a/c is blowing out air that is not very cold at all. The compressor is working fine. My auto parts store is selling A/C Pro charging canisters for about 45 bucks each. Has anyone out there used this product? Is there anything dangerous or potential damage to be made aware of if I use this DIY product? Is the gauge accurate enough so it won't put to much gas into my a/c system and destroy it? Thanks.

[fdryer]

Update your profile otherwise repeat in every post year and model.

Was this system ever "topped off" and was sealer used? Sealer is simply a band aid and can do more harm than good. Read the labeling on any refill can. Does it have a refund policy if it doesn't work? If you want to see the results of sealer doing irreparable damage, search in ackits.com for sealer damage - all the pictures to demonstrate what goes on behind repairs in a can.

To make proper repairs, buy an inexpensive uv blacklight and use it. A uv light is forever and can find leaks in any vehicle having dye. All Saturns with r134a systems have dye that leaks out with refrigerant and oil. Refrigerant evaporates but dye and oil leave markers. Dye glows under uv light and shining a uv light over, under and around the entire a/c system under the hood should reveal where the leak occurred. Take off one or both service valve caps off to see what dye looks like under uv light. Find and fix the leak to restore full a/c function instead of "topping off" and/or use sealer. Sealer is basically the most expensive repair you'll regret if you use it and find out later the system is completely trashed. One member did and reported the mess with a complete rebuild. He hasn't replied in some years with how the rebuild went.... Your choice.

[mattwithcats]

If the system is producing cold air, but it's not keeping up,
here is a shade tree mechanic's way of fixing...

Add a can of PAG oil, it is actually 1 ounce oil, one ounce R134a, and one ounce "performance enhancers".
Do this only once in the life of the car, the system will drown!

http://www.walmart.com/ip/PAG-100-wi...harge/16888788

You will need a set of can taps to add, they are $20 or a six pack of favorite beverage for a friend...

Also, check the Schrader valves, the ports you add freon, for leakage with soapy water. Known failure point...

Done this to several teenaged (or older) cars, with good results every time...

[alordofchaos]

Originally Posted by mattwithcats

Also, check the Schrader valves, the ports you add freon, for leakage with soapy water. Known failure point...

I just went through this, as documented in the "what did you do to your Saturn today" thread

I had just rinsed off the evaporator the year or two earlier, so I know it was not blocked airflow there.

I had some cooling at hwy speeds, but not much. The Schrader valve let some, but not all, of the Freon escape. With the dust cover over the valve, it held the Freon well enough that the AC was fine after a charge for my tool to arrive.