Should I try another shop?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,531
Likes: 35
From: Lecanto Florida
Should I try another shop?
Got an air-conditining problem. Cold when you first turn it on, then it starts to go warm. Hope it's just that I'm low on R-134 (converted about 2 years ago). Called the newest shop around, called "Ice Cold Air". Girl get on the phone and I make an appointment for 10am tomorrow morning for a free check. She takes down information about the car and I say ....87 Chevrolet Corvette. She says "4 cylinder?" and I chuckle to myself and say NO, 8 cylinders. She says, that it only lists a 4 cylinder for an 87 Corvette. Me: Chevy didn't make a 4 cylinder Corvette...maybe your looking under Chevette. NO, she says, "4 cylinders 1.6 liters up to 1987, 1988 has an 8 cylinder, I'll put you down as an 1988". OK, fine, see you at 10 tomorrow. 
Hopefully, the techs know what their doing, the receptionist doesn't.
Hopefully, the techs know what their doing, the receptionist doesn't.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 7,839
Likes: 22
From: San Diego, Ca
Most techs at least know how to hook up gages and use an electronic leak tester and at some places you don't need an appt as you can just stop in and get it checked out - shouldn't take longer than 15 minutes and good shops will verify that you only have gas in it - no air or water or other contaminents. You can do a quick test before you take it in by feeling the Evaporator inlet (just as it enters the bottom of the case) and the outlet. Both should be colder than ambient with the outlet may be a tad cooler. Do this with the a/c on high and engine at 1500 rpms. Also, if you can duplicate the warm condition in your garage, verify that the compressor is still turning and check for ice on the evaporator outlet. If it has ice, it probably needs a new low pressure switch. If you don't want the shop to immediately undertake repairs, have them note the operating pressures, the outside air temp and relative humidity as well as the center vent temp, and then post that info for further help.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
Is Ice Cold Air a franchise? Fellow in other thread for Orlando's gonna go to an Ice Cold Air. Maybe it's close to you? Maybe there's one close to me! 
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,531
Likes: 35
From: Lecanto Florida
Originally Posted by LT4CompYell
Is Ice Cold Air a franchise? Fellow in other thread for Orlando's gonna go to an Ice Cold Air. Maybe it's close to you? Maybe there's one close to me!
Anyway, had the Vette out, warmed it up a little and turned on the air. The compressor came on for a second and then with a "HISS" shut itself off, never to come on again. Hopefully, as I said, it's only low on R-134.
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
air conditioner
like one of the replies said i would suspect the low pressure switch. it is the switch located on the accumulator( the black canister in the system). you can check this by seeing if your compressor is cycling if it is not there is a two wire cavity going to the low pressure switch. you can jump this and the compressor will come on . if the ac blows cold air replace the switch. your charge of 134a is probably sufficient as it blows cold air for the first cycle. 134a doesn't seem to cool as good as r12 but is safer and cheaper. hope this helps.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,531
Likes: 35
From: Lecanto Florida
Larry,
There's no switches on the Accumulator but there are two switches on the hose/tube from the Condenser to the Evaporator. There's the "Compressor High Pressure Cut-off Switch" and the "AC Compressor Engine Coolant Temperature Switch". My parts book doesn't say which switch is which and they are right next to each other.
I would think replacing either switch would cause a loss of R134 so I might just let the Ice Cold Air tech find out if it is the switch or low coolant.
There's no switches on the Accumulator but there are two switches on the hose/tube from the Condenser to the Evaporator. There's the "Compressor High Pressure Cut-off Switch" and the "AC Compressor Engine Coolant Temperature Switch". My parts book doesn't say which switch is which and they are right next to each other.
I would think replacing either switch would cause a loss of R134 so I might just let the Ice Cold Air tech find out if it is the switch or low coolant.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
I'm looking to restore my 85 back to stock for investment purposes. Where is this 4 cylinder located?
Will anyone take this TPI boat anchor off my hands for partial exchange on one?
Will anyone take this TPI boat anchor off my hands for partial exchange on one?
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Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
[QUOTE=CentralCoaster]I'm looking to restore my 85 back to stock for investment purposes. Where is this 4 cylinder located?
Will anyone take this TPI boat anchor off my hands for partial exchange on one?[/QUOT
Edit;nevermind
Will anyone take this TPI boat anchor off my hands for partial exchange on one?
[/QUOTEdit;nevermind
Last edited by cv67; Aug 16, 2005 at 03:13 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 6,479
Likes: 0
From: Ponte Vedra
Originally Posted by LT4CompYell
Is Ice Cold Air a franchise? Fellow in other thread for Orlando's gonna go to an Ice Cold Air. Maybe it's close to you? Maybe there's one close to me!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,531
Likes: 35
From: Lecanto Florida
Originally Posted by Aquaman92
We have several Ice cold airs in Orlando I have used them a couple times on other cars no complaints.
CentralCoaster: Received my bolt kit. Looking forward to putting them on as soon as I get this air-conditioning thing fixed. Great job in labeling all the packages for dummys like me.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,156
Likes: 1
From: Pittsburgh Pirates PA
she is just looking at a computer. and remember, you ALWAYS believe what the computer says, no matter what.
why learn and research anything when the computer can tell you the answer....
stay cool!!
why learn and research anything when the computer can tell you the answer....
stay cool!!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,531
Likes: 35
From: Lecanto Florida
End of story...happy ending
Larry Beard was right (thanks). It was the low pressure switch. Went to Ice Cold Air and watched the tech. He hooked up the pressure kit and all was fine. He then came into the waiting room, asked the receptionist for a paper clip. AHHH, I thought, maybe he's jumping the terminals on the switch with the paper clip...sure enough, I went out to talk with him and he had the Low Pressure Switch (located on the line right before it goes into the evaperator) hooked together with the paper clip and it was blowing cold. He said he didn't have a switch but he could order one locally and install it for about $60. I told him the local Chevy dealer is our clubs sponser and we get parts at cost plus 10%. He said fine, disconnected everything and I gave him $10 for his trouble and drove away. Went to Chevy (who didn't have the part...same part from 1985-1992) and they called a local parts shop to find out if they had an aftermarket switch. They did, and I picked it up for $10.34. Took it home, installed it and I'm a happy (cold) camper.
Larry Beard was right (thanks). It was the low pressure switch. Went to Ice Cold Air and watched the tech. He hooked up the pressure kit and all was fine. He then came into the waiting room, asked the receptionist for a paper clip. AHHH, I thought, maybe he's jumping the terminals on the switch with the paper clip...sure enough, I went out to talk with him and he had the Low Pressure Switch (located on the line right before it goes into the evaperator) hooked together with the paper clip and it was blowing cold. He said he didn't have a switch but he could order one locally and install it for about $60. I told him the local Chevy dealer is our clubs sponser and we get parts at cost plus 10%. He said fine, disconnected everything and I gave him $10 for his trouble and drove away. Went to Chevy (who didn't have the part...same part from 1985-1992) and they called a local parts shop to find out if they had an aftermarket switch. They did, and I picked it up for $10.34. Took it home, installed it and I'm a happy (cold) camper.