AC issue--need help
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 18
Likes: 1
AC issue--need help
I have a 2004 C5 Vert that is having AC issue....last year it stopped blowing cold and when I tried the DIY auto parts stuff the gauge said something was seriously wrong...so took it to Firestone and they replaced what appears to me to be everything:
COMPRESSOR W/NEW CLUTCH
ACCUMULATOR
ORIFICE TUBES
COMPLETE EVAC AND RECHARGE
2 days later the AC starts blowing warm again.(I should note at the time it was my mother's vehicle and she had driven it home 3 hours away)
At the time of repairing all the other crap, the Firestone noted possible evaporator core leak.....How difficult of a job is that to do myself?
COMPRESSOR W/NEW CLUTCH
ACCUMULATOR
ORIFICE TUBES
COMPLETE EVAC AND RECHARGE
2 days later the AC starts blowing warm again.(I should note at the time it was my mother's vehicle and she had driven it home 3 hours away)
At the time of repairing all the other crap, the Firestone noted possible evaporator core leak.....How difficult of a job is that to do myself?
Moderator, Tech Contributor
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 15,595
Likes: 4,055
From: Cape Coral, Florida
First off whoever replaced all those parts didn’t do a very good job of finding your leak first !!…it could have been an evaporator leak in the first place…depending if the system is completely empty or not you may have to get at least 1 pound of Freon in the system to at least begin looking for a leak…to find an evaporator leak you’ll have to see where the drain tube is located…just see where the water is dripping from underneath the car and you’ll need an electronic Halogen leak detector or a “sniffer” as they call them.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 18
Likes: 1
First off whoever replaced all those parts didn’t do a very good job of finding your leak first !!…it could have been an evaporator leak in the first place…depending if the system is completely empty or not you may have to get at least 1 pound of Freon in the system to at least begin looking for a leak…to find an evaporator leak you’ll have to see where the drain tube is located…just see where the water is dripping from underneath the car and you’ll need an electronic Halogen leak detector or a “sniffer” as they call them.
Yes, the Firestone definitely took my mom for a ride. I questioned it, but since i wasn't paying and she said "just do it" , I said OK.To be honest, not knowing much about AC I assumed replacing the compressor, etc would fix the issue.
I should likely just take it to an AC shop local and have them check it for me I would guess to be sure. I am prepping the car to sell for my mom, so it would be nice to be able to tell people exactly what is wrong
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 18
Likes: 1
I would think the same but they replaced the accumulator....that is the same thing as a condenser I thought?
Advanced
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 86
Likes: 17
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Racer
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 270
Likes: 64
From: Virginia
If the leak is in the evaporator, you will see the dye dripping out in the water that puddles under the car when the AC is running.
Advanced
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 86
Likes: 17
Pro
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 682
Likes: 275
From: Cincinnati Ohio
If you lost your charge in just 2 days after it was serviced, you have a pretty significant leak. You have already spent what, about $1000 or more on the compressor replacement. Before spending another $1000 or more on an evaporator someone needs to do some diagnostics to find the leak. Should not be too difficult for them with that quick of a leak.
of course, there is always a possibility that your leak is with one of the joints that Firestone touched. From what they replaced, they would have opened up joints at the compressor, accumulator in and out, and the liquid line. A pinched o-ring or contaminant at any of the joints may cause a leak.
of course, there is always a possibility that your leak is with one of the joints that Firestone touched. From what they replaced, they would have opened up joints at the compressor, accumulator in and out, and the liquid line. A pinched o-ring or contaminant at any of the joints may cause a leak.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 6,012
Likes: 726
I have a 2004 C5 Vert that is having AC issue....last year it stopped blowing cold and when I tried the DIY auto parts stuff the gauge said something was seriously wrong...so took it to Firestone and they replaced what appears to me to be everything:
COMPRESSOR W/NEW CLUTCH
ACCUMULATOR
ORIFICE TUBES
COMPLETE EVAC AND RECHARGE
2 days later the AC starts blowing warm again.(I should note at the time it was my mother's vehicle and she had driven it home 3 hours away)
At the time of repairing all the other crap, the Firestone noted possible evaporator core leak.....How difficult of a job is that to do myself?
COMPRESSOR W/NEW CLUTCH
ACCUMULATOR
ORIFICE TUBES
COMPLETE EVAC AND RECHARGE
2 days later the AC starts blowing warm again.(I should note at the time it was my mother's vehicle and she had driven it home 3 hours away)
At the time of repairing all the other crap, the Firestone noted possible evaporator core leak.....How difficult of a job is that to do myself?
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 12,864
Likes: 4,667
Another way to tell is if the sniffer detects the leak coming out the interior vents. I believe I have a leak in my evaporator. I've tried the dye, and can't find any leak anywhere. But the sniffer goes off slowly when held against the interior vents. OP, I priced having this done for me at C&S Corvettes in Sarasota, Florida. They're very good. This job is a PITA, one of the worst on a C5. My car is now over 21 years old. All 3 air blend doors are not working properly, and the heater core is, obviously, 21 years old, too. When you're in that far to replace the Evap, you may as well do the heater core, and anything else that's 20+ years old. I was quoted a price in the $1,700-$1,800 range. It is what it is. If you lived near me, I'd let you test your car with my sniffer. Best of luck to you.......
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 18
Likes: 1
Another way to tell is if the sniffer detects the leak coming out the interior vents. I believe I have a leak in my evaporator. I've tried the dye, and can't find any leak anywhere. But the sniffer goes off slowly when held against the interior vents. OP, I priced having this done for me at C&S Corvettes in Sarasota, Florida. They're very good. This job is a PITA, one of the worst on a C5. My car is now over 21 years old. All 3 air blend doors are not working properly, and the heater core is, obviously, 21 years old, too. When you're in that far to replace the Evap, you may as well do the heater core, and anything else that's 20+ years old. I was quoted a price in the $1,700-$1,800 range. It is what it is. If you lived near me, I'd let you test your car with my sniffer. Best of luck to you.......
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 6,012
Likes: 726