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If that's my car, I'd replace all the hoses, flush out the cores and get a new compressor kit. Put the dryer in last, send it to a shop for charging
I would will likley end up doing that...... but extracting the refrigerant out is the challenge. Once that is done the rest is fairly straight forward. Charging is the easy part. How are the cores flushed? Do they sell kits specific to our compressors? I could disassemble the compressor to make sure the internals are OK. I may make some calls to see if I can find a shop that could at least remove the 134a for me.
I would will likley end up doing that...... but extracting the refrigerant out is the challenge. Once that is done the rest is fairly straight forward. Charging is the easy part. How are the cores flushed? Do they sell kits specific to our compressors? I could disassemble the compressor to make sure the internals are OK. I may make some calls to see if I can find a shop that could at least remove the 134a for me.
Have faith, Autozone provide (Mr Miyagi paraphrase), They have the chemicals to flush it by the gallon or quart or whatever. I don't know specifically but ask them.
As to extracting the refridgerant, well, pay a shop to extract or vent it. Your choice. Not saying which is right or wrong.
Have faith, Autozone provide (Mr Miyagi paraphrase), They have the chemicals to flush it by the gallon or quart or whatever. I don't know specifically but ask them.
As to extracting the refridgerant, well, pay a shop to extract or vent it. Your choice. Not saying which is right or wrong.
Thanks for the help. I will keep this thread up to date as to my progress.
One thing I wasn't considering is the temp outside. Unless I can figure out a way to stick a space heater inside the car, I wont really be able to test it until the spring. I did check the standing pressure of the system at about 50F and it measured at about 90psi. Was curious to see how much pressure remained after the relief valve discharge. I can also easily turn the compressor by hand by tuning the clutch (not the pully). About the warmest it is going to get around here for awhile is 60F.
When I replaced the clutch, I just reused the shims from the old clutch. Does anyone know what the gap should be between the outer shoe and bearing surface of the pully? mine is 0.015”. I believe the spec is 0.02”. I was reading that if there is not enough gap the clutch may still grab and drag the pulley when it is supposed to have cycled off. That can cause a high pressure condition. A failed high pressure sensor can also be a cause besides what has already been discussed here.
Update: It seems to be working OK. May have overcharged it and the extreme temps last summer may have cause the pressure relief to do its thing. Checked it with gauges and it appears to be with an acceptable pressure range and seems to work just fine. Could be colder but it never did work well when compared to modern systems. On a side note. I followed some advice regarding EnviroSafe on my old 1990 pickup truck which uses R12. It was hasn't worked for about 10 years but still had a slight charge. I charged it with Envirosafe and it actually works now. I also used it to top off my 1992 ZR1 system and it also works just fine now as well. I did identify a small leak at the low pressure sensor that I will replace at some point.
Been following this thread. Car is '94 C4 Convertible with 75K miles.This past Friday my original AC compressor started "growling"...system blowing hot air. I shut the system down, opened the hood with engine running and noticed rubber shavings on top of the clutch assembly...probably from the belt. I then tuned the system back on...intermittent turning of clutch and compressor...belt slipping a bit. I shut everything down and turned off AC. Restarted and it freewheels ok.
My AC compressor/Clutch appears to be the original so I figured after 26 years...hey it's due. I shopped a bit and found two AC Delco OEM New Compressor and Clutch assemblies along with a new dryer for $540 ea to my door. I ordered one. I will pick up an orifice tube and a new belt locally. Luckily here in Ocala I have found an independent shop that specializes in Muscle Cars, and older cars foreign and domestic. These guys are good and have done work for me before. When the parts arrive I will take it to them and let them evacuate, flush, replace and recharge.
I could have gone with a re-man compressor for about half...but I hate paying for the same real estate twice !!
Your lucky to find someone that will work on it. I had a dealer turn me away. Working on these cars is a pain and nobody wants to do it so they charge an fortune to work on them. I got lucky and it seems to work OK after just replacing the clutch. I overcharged it with one of those Bubba DIY kits from autozone. That is why the relief valve purged off some pressure. I have since checked with a proper set of gauges and the system seems OK. Blows cool but not like a modern system. It never did work well even before. My guess is the rubber you saw is from the clutch. I had it all over the place. Belt was fine. With the car off, put a wrench on the center nut and see if the compressor turns. Free wheeling with the car running means nothing if the clutch is disengaged. Turning the center shaft with the car off turns the compressor. There should be some resistance but it should easily turn using a 1/4" ratchet.
Make sure to hang onto your old compressor if you change it out. Parts for these cars are getting harder to find every day.
Your lucky to find someone that will work on it. I had a dealer turn me away. Working on these cars is a pain and nobody wants to do it so they charge an fortune to work on them. I got lucky and it seems to work OK after just replacing the clutch. I overcharged it with one of those Bubba DIY kits from autozone. That is why the relief valve purged off some pressure. I have since checked with a proper set of gauges and the system seems OK. Blows cool but not like a modern system. It never did work well even before. My guess is the rubber you saw is from the clutch. I had it all over the place. Belt was fine. With the car off, put a wrench on the center nut and see if the compressor turns. Free wheeling with the car running means nothing if the clutch is disengaged. Turning the center shaft with the car off turns the compressor. There should be some resistance but it should easily turn using a 1/4" ratchet.
Make sure to hang onto your old compressor if you change it out. Parts for these cars are getting harder to find every day.
Good advice. I just turned mine with a 10MM socket...it turns freely so I may just have a bad clutch. BTW...rubber around the clutch.
I was just reading in the '94 Shop Manual and it is stated that I need to drain the cooling system and evacuate the freon to R & R the clutch assembly. I don't know why. That being the case I may as well replace the compressor since the labor looks to be similar. Any thoughts?
Last edited by sprink94; Sep 28, 2020 at 12:49 PM.
Good advice. I just turned mine with a 10MM socket...it turns freely so I may just have a bad clutch. BTW...rubber around the clutch.
I was just reading in the '94 Shop Manual and it is stated that I need to drain the cooling system and evacuate the freon to R & R the clutch assembly. I don't know why. That being the case I may as well replace the compressor since the labor looks to be similar. Any thoughts?
After looking at it...I answered my own question. Because of the way the lines are routed in front of the clutch/compressor...I can't remove the clutch without removing the refrigerant lines from the compressor. At least I feel better about the compressor not coming apart sending shards of metal all thru the system.
[QUOTE=sprink94;1602258152]After looking at it...I answered my own question. Because of the way the lines are routed in front of the clutch/compressor...I can't remove the clutch without removing the refrigerant lines from the compressor. At least I feel better about the compressor not coming apart sending shards of metal all thru the system.[/QUO
I did mine with the lines attached. 87 may be different. Mine is a 96. It was close and requires some deep snap ring pliers to git it off. Tedious but possible.
After looking at it...I answered my own question. Because of the way the lines are routed in front of the clutch/compressor...I can't remove the clutch without removing the refrigerant lines from the compressor. At least I feel better about the compressor not coming apart sending shards of metal all thru the system.[/QUO
I did mine with the lines attached. 87 may be different. Mine is a 96. It was close and requires some deep snap ring pliers to git it off. Tedious but possible.
I did the clutch a couple of times in my 93 without discharging the system, it's no guarantee you can I know of a few here like me could but due to very slight differences in manufacturing some have the last hair of clearance some don't. You don't know until the 10mms comes out and the clutch is wiggled out, but no matter what when trying make sure you have a rag opened up under the compressor to catch the shims that can possibly fall out with clutch.
Last edited by s carter; Sep 28, 2020 at 07:59 PM.
Ok...bought a new OEM Compressor/Clutch/Dryer/Orifice Tube online for $540. Had my local Hi Performance shop change it out...evacuate and recharge for $344 out the door. So I'm all in for $884.00 while I was in Key West on a consulting job. These guys do great work and have a very good reputation. Since nothing exploded the system was squeaky clean...blows 34* in 92* Florida traffic.
Last edited by sprink94; Oct 13, 2020 at 05:55 PM.
I am happy you got it sorted out. I would love to have a local shop around here that I could trust. I am sure they are out there but finding them is the biggest issue. Heck...... I got turned away by a freaking GM dealership!! One would think the Atlanta area would have lots of performance shops. Just tuner shops run by millennials for the most part.
I am happy you got it sorted out. I would love to have a local shop around here that I could trust. I am sure they are out there but finding them is the biggest issue. Heck...... I got turned away by a freaking GM dealership!! One would think the Atlanta area would have lots of performance shops. Just tuner shops run by millennials for the most part.
GM stopped supporting this car a long time ago. So parts are harder to come by and if they break something, what is it you expect them to do? Order it from the parts warehouse? As such, they prefer not to work on it. Can't say I blame them. I have no issue changing a battery for you but on a C4? I wouldn't do it for anyone besides myself. Why? If I break that panel, it is going to be a LONG DAY.
GM stopped supporting this car a long time ago. So parts are harder to come by and if they break something, what is it you expect them to do? Order it from the parts warehouse? As such, they prefer not to work on it. Can't say I blame them. I have no issue changing a battery for you but on a C4? I wouldn't do it for anyone besides myself. Why? If I break that panel, it is going to be a LONG DAY.
tel me about it... had new tires put on my 92 and they wrecked all my tire pressure sensors and just removed them and thought i wouldn’t notice.
