C5 no AC
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Navigator
Joined: Apr 2025
Posts: 9
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C5 no AC
2000 c5 base with no ac! Bought the car and only had heat. On top of that it only blows air on max setting (5). Shortly after my heat went out too and i found a blown fuse for the blower motor. Car now blows hot again and now cool air but not really cold enough. Could it need refrigerent or new blower?
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,722
Likes: 138
From: Florida
St. Jude Donor '09
2000 c5 base with no ac! Bought the car and only had heat. On top of that it only blows air on max setting (5). Shortly after my heat went out too and i found a blown fuse for the blower motor. Car now blows hot again and now cool air but not really cold enough. Could it need refrigerent or new blower?
Pro
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 682
Likes: 275
From: Cincinnati Ohio
It sounds like you have multiple issues and without much vehicle history.
A simple, but crude test to see if the refrigerant side of your system is working: A/C on, blower high, someone holds the engine speed over 1000rpm and you feel the metal part of the suction line; it should feel very cold. If it is a hot humid day, the suction line should be sweating cold condensate as well. If it is only cool or warm, at a minimum you may be low on R134a. More serious things (expensive) may be wrong.
A simple, but crude test to see if the refrigerant side of your system is working: A/C on, blower high, someone holds the engine speed over 1000rpm and you feel the metal part of the suction line; it should feel very cold. If it is a hot humid day, the suction line should be sweating cold condensate as well. If it is only cool or warm, at a minimum you may be low on R134a. More serious things (expensive) may be wrong.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,767
Likes: 938
From: Orlando Florida
Your best option is to take the car to a trusted local shop. Can’t speak for others, but I don’t have one of those. Every shop I’ve been to has ended up being hacks one way or another.
You can learn a lot with a $40 recharge kit from Walmart or others. Just be sure it has a numbered dial gauge.
With the engine and system off for several hours, i.e. morning, connect the can to the low pressure port and see what static pressure is. It should be the same as ambient temperature. If it’s less then you need to add refrigerant. You can start adding until the system stabilizes at ambient equivalent pressure, then start the motor and A/C and charge to green zone on the gauge.
You can learn a lot with a $40 recharge kit from Walmart or others. Just be sure it has a numbered dial gauge.
With the engine and system off for several hours, i.e. morning, connect the can to the low pressure port and see what static pressure is. It should be the same as ambient temperature. If it’s less then you need to add refrigerant. You can start adding until the system stabilizes at ambient equivalent pressure, then start the motor and A/C and charge to green zone on the gauge.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 311
Likes: 23
From: Massachusetts
2000 c5 base with no ac! Bought the car and only had heat. On top of that it only blows air on max setting (5). Shortly after my heat went out too and i found a blown fuse for the blower motor. Car now blows hot again and now cool air but not really cold enough. Could it need refrigerent or new blower?
Id go refrigerent first being the cheapest before I get a compressor. I had the same issue and it was the compressor. Easier to replace than it looks just remove the header.
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Apr 2025
Posts: 9
Likes: 1
Your best option is to take the car to a trusted local shop. Can’t speak for others, but I don’t have one of those. Every shop I’ve been to has ended up being hacks one way or another.
You can learn a lot with a $40 recharge kit from Walmart or others. Just be sure it has a numbered dial gauge.
With the engine and system off for several hours, i.e. morning, connect the can to the low pressure port and see what static pressure is. It should be the same as ambient temperature. If it’s less then you need to add refrigerant. You can start adding until the system stabilizes at ambient equivalent pressure, then start the motor and A/C and charge to green zone on the gauge.
You can learn a lot with a $40 recharge kit from Walmart or others. Just be sure it has a numbered dial gauge.
With the engine and system off for several hours, i.e. morning, connect the can to the low pressure port and see what static pressure is. It should be the same as ambient temperature. If it’s less then you need to add refrigerant. You can start adding until the system stabilizes at ambient equivalent pressure, then start the motor and A/C and charge to green zone on the gauge.
What if the compressor isnt spinning? Can i still add refrigerent? I saw a video of a guy using a jumper wire to get it spinning. Should i go this route?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,401
Likes: 1,143
From: Dyer, IN
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2024
Posts: 94
Likes: 15
I just went through a similar situation. My problem was the refrigerant leaked out and the compressor was the issue. I have learned the compressors have a high failure rate on these cars. My car came with AC UV dye installed from the factory, so it made it easy to see the problem on the compressor. The compressor was covered in UV dye. Some of the people on this thread helped me with my issue. They are very knowledgeable.
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Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,767
Likes: 938
From: Orlando Florida
When the car has been off for some time, the pressure in the A/C system equalizes between the high and low sides, and stabilizes at a pressure roughly equivalent to ambient temperature, i.e. if it's and 80 degree day, the static pressure will be 80 psi. If the system is static, and you have 40 psi on an 80 degree day, the compressor may spin just long enough to drop the pressure on the low side too much, and then the compressor stops again.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/EZ-Chill-...R&from=/search
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Apr 2025
Posts: 9
Likes: 1
No. That is definitely not a first step. One of the reasons to check your static pressure is to know whether there is sufficient refrigerant for the system to run. If your refrigerant is too low that alone will prevent the compressor from spinning, in order to prevent compressor damage. The gage on the EZ-Chill recharge kit from WallyWorld will tell you if you have the minimum you need to turn the compressor on.
When the car has been off for some time, the pressure in the A/C system equalizes between the high and low sides, and stabilizes at a pressure roughly equivalent to ambient temperature, i.e. if it's and 80 degree day, the static pressure will be 80 psi. If the system is static, and you have 40 psi on an 80 degree day, the compressor may spin just long enough to drop the pressure on the low side too much, and then the compressor stops again.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/EZ-Chill-...R&from=/search
When the car has been off for some time, the pressure in the A/C system equalizes between the high and low sides, and stabilizes at a pressure roughly equivalent to ambient temperature, i.e. if it's and 80 degree day, the static pressure will be 80 psi. If the system is static, and you have 40 psi on an 80 degree day, the compressor may spin just long enough to drop the pressure on the low side too much, and then the compressor stops again.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/EZ-Chill-...R&from=/search
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Apr 2025
Posts: 9
Likes: 1
No. That is definitely not a first step. One of the reasons to check your static pressure is to know whether there is sufficient refrigerant for the system to run. If your refrigerant is too low that alone will prevent the compressor from spinning, in order to prevent compressor damage. The gage on the EZ-Chill recharge kit from WallyWorld will tell you if you have the minimum you need to turn the compressor on.
When the car has been off for some time, the pressure in the A/C system equalizes between the high and low sides, and stabilizes at a pressure roughly equivalent to ambient temperature, i.e. if it's and 80 degree day, the static pressure will be 80 psi. If the system is static, and you have 40 psi on an 80 degree day, the compressor may spin just long enough to drop the pressure on the low side too much, and then the compressor stops again.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/EZ-Chill-...R&from=/search
When the car has been off for some time, the pressure in the A/C system equalizes between the high and low sides, and stabilizes at a pressure roughly equivalent to ambient temperature, i.e. if it's and 80 degree day, the static pressure will be 80 psi. If the system is static, and you have 40 psi on an 80 degree day, the compressor may spin just long enough to drop the pressure on the low side too much, and then the compressor stops again.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/EZ-Chill-...R&from=/search
Pro
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 682
Likes: 275
From: Cincinnati Ohio
You have established that you have no refrigerant in the system. Someone needs to leak test your system and determine where the leak or leaks are. Should turn the compressor over by hand too and see if it turns smoothly or is crunchy like it is broken internally. Since the system has no refrigerant, it is easy to pull out the orifice tube and see if there are small chunks of metal.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2024
Posts: 188
Likes: 120
You’re getting a lot of good advice here and are heading in the right direction. I would also finish checking on your HVAC controller to make sure the blower motor works properly at all speeds and that all of your vent modes work as they should. That way when you get the AC system repaired and recharged you know everything is working properly on the control side.
As for the absence of refrigerant, I had the same problem on my 2000 with weak AC and as stated earlier in this thread the compressor housing o rings are a common failure point which is what caused the leak in my system. The oil has dye in it and it was easy to see it leaking out around my compressor. I took the car to a shop and had them evacuate the system. Then I pulled the compressor and rebuilt it with a seal kit from Auto Zone (you can also just buy a new compressor). After inspecting the rest of the system I was pretty confident the compressor was my only leak point. Had it recharged and I’m on my third summer with ice cold AC.
Good luck and keep us posted!
As for the absence of refrigerant, I had the same problem on my 2000 with weak AC and as stated earlier in this thread the compressor housing o rings are a common failure point which is what caused the leak in my system. The oil has dye in it and it was easy to see it leaking out around my compressor. I took the car to a shop and had them evacuate the system. Then I pulled the compressor and rebuilt it with a seal kit from Auto Zone (you can also just buy a new compressor). After inspecting the rest of the system I was pretty confident the compressor was my only leak point. Had it recharged and I’m on my third summer with ice cold AC.
Good luck and keep us posted!