I need A/C help!

[inline 6]

I know just enough about a/c in vehicles to be dangerous. I will cut to the chase and give you the symptoms, please try to diagnose.

Vehicle was brought to me, its my wife's step granddads van (1997 chevrolet venture)

A/c is blowing slightly cool to not at all. First thing I did today is put the gauges on it. It has a static pressure of around 95psi. I started the van and turned the a/c on blast. At idle and the compressor is running with a low side reading of 39-40psi and a high side of 170psi. This is at an ambient temp of 89ish.

The low side line leaving the compressor and going to the dryer is barely cool to the touch. The high side line heats up instantly.

BTW the van does have an aux condenser for the rear if that maters.

[Your Name Here]

Sounds like a weak pump. Are the needles on your gauges bouncing?

[inline 6]

no not at all, they are steady as she goes. I just revised the symptoms if that helps

[Your Name Here]

Restriction. Pull orvis tube flush/vac/charge

[inline 6]

Restriction. Pull orvis tube flush/vac/charge

Thats what I was thinking, thanks for the confirmation. I will do that today and report back.

[Your Name Here]

Thats what I was thinking, thanks for the confirmation. I will do that today and report back.

Try and find some PAG oil by the name of ice32. Good stuff but expensive

[JimD]

x2 on the orfice, post up if u cant find it, i can look er up on alldata

[inline 6]

I found the orifice tube, yanked it out and there was some trash but the screen was no where near clogged up on either end. I replaced it anyways, pulled and flushed the condenser with a cleaner agent designed for condensers and blew it out real good with shop air. This is where I stopped. I have everything I need but I decided to go ahead and pull and replace the dryer as cheap as they are. I will go get it tomorrow and when I have it out I am going to blow shop air through the lines that go into the firewall and see if they are clear. I am pretty sure this van has an aux evaporator somewhere in the rear for the passenger air and I THINK it has an expansion valve on it but I don't know for sure.

Can someone check that info for me and give me a location where I can get to it if I need to?

When I replace the evaporator I also want to drain the compressor oil from its drain plug. Can I just add new oil into the new dryer and put it all back together?

[Laura07]

I found the orifice tube, yanked it out and there was some trash but the screen was no where near clogged up on either end. I replaced it anyways, pulled and flushed the condenser with a cleaner agent designed for condensers and blew it out real good with shop air. This is where I stopped. I have everything I need but I decided to go ahead and pull and replace the dryer as cheap as they are. I will go get it tomorrow and when I have it out I am going to blow shop air through the lines that go into the firewall and see if they are clear. I am pretty sure this van has an aux evaporator somewhere in the rear for the passenger air and I THINK it has an expansion valve on it but I don't know for sure.

Can someone check that info for me and give me a location where I can get to it if I need to?

When I replace the evaporator I also want to drain the compressor oil from its drain plug. Can I just add new oil into the new dryer and put it all back together?

I'll tell my hubby (Your Name Here) to get on here when he gets back home. Went to pick up some parts.

[Your Name Here]

You need to add most of the oil to the pump and turn it by hand first. I have a bootleg alldata I'll pm you.

[inline 6]

I also decided to pull the expansion valve on the passenger evaporator and check it. Now that I have it off should I go ahead and replace it? Also is there any way to test it? It does not seem to dirty and I did not find any large debris in it but I do not know if it is good or not.

[Your Name Here]

replace it

[inline 6]

I figured that would be the consensus and I already had orilley order it for me and I will pick it up tomorrow. I am reading online that my high side pressure will be low if this expansion valve is stuck open any. I was getting around 170psi with the system running wide open. Would it be lower than that if it was stuck open or does this sound like the culprit?

[Your Name Here]

I figured that would be the consensus and I already had orilley order it for me and I will pick it up tomorrow. I am reading online that my high side pressure will be low if this expansion valve is stuck open any. I was getting around 170psi with the system running wide open. Would it be lower than that if it was stuck open or does this sound like the culprit?

sounds right 160-200

[Smeghead]

I would expect to see more than 200, even 250ish high side with a full charge, not moving, last night temp and humidity.