AC question with pics. Help

[Bob Urban]

My 96 Tahoe AC has not blow cold for a couple summers and I am sick of it(as long as cold air does not cost to much)

Dumped a couple cans of 134 in and the compressor kicks on and off while I am filling it but then it loses pressure rather quickly. I have taken pics of where I am pretty sure the leak is at and I want to know if I can replace it myself and is it expensive. It looks to be a relatively short high pressure hose. The first pic is of the area in the grill I am taking the picture from and the others are shot through the hole that the RH signal light sits in. The hose is connected to a radiator type thing. Thanks for any help.

Bob Urban

 

[steamroller]

If you know for a fact that's where the leak is then it's not hard to replace, just gotta pull the grille, remove the lines and a few bolts holding it in...I replaced mine last year and got one from RockAuto for around $100

Local auto parts stores have some UV dye that you can put in to pinpoint the leak, the compressors on these are known to leak where the 2 case halves are pressed together....do a google search for 'belly leaker'...Sanden makes a bolt in compressor that doesnt have this problem, it's the HT6 if I remember right

 

[destroyer1362]

Once you get the leak fixed I'd take it to a mechanic to have the system put under a vacuum and then recharged. You will get the most out of it that way. I payed $175 to have my leak fixed which included the vacuum/recharge.

 

[Riocool]

Bob, I recently had the same problem. Picked up a tahoe 6 months ago and the ac worked when tested but not when needed. I used to be a HVAC tech (commerical not automotive) but I applied what I know toward my tahoe.
First thing is to find the leak, it looks like you have done that. The part in front of the radiator is the Condenser, this is where the refrigerant is cooled back down. (Thats where mine was leaking too)

The condenser is pretty easy to replace. I did it, never have done it before. A new one is $75 -$150, there are two fittings that you can disconnect.

Once I swapped it out I used nitrogen gas which is dry to pressurize the system to see if there were any more leaks, I used soap bubbles in a spray bottle who has time for dye? The local ac shop told me that they use compressed air but that's not good since it has moisture and you don't want moisture in the ac system. When I heard that I figured I could do a better job.

You will need a vacuum pump which removes any air that is in the system. Let the vacuum pump run about 45 mins while connected to the system.Then charge her up yourselve, sounds like you can handle that. My tahoe has rear ac so it holds 64 oz. the cans are 12 ozer's. Without rear air I believe the guys said they hold 36 oz. or 2 1/4 lbs. of R-134A

The fittings that connect the lines to the condenser.

where mine was leaking, soap bubbles work great.

you can see the oil residue on the condenser, sign of leak.

The nitrogen is used to pressurize you only need about 100-125psi to test

The vacuum pump I used, you will need manifold gauges, if you have these then you can do it.


It's cooling great now and it's been about a month.

 

[Shrek]

NEVER used compressed shop air in a 134 system, the pressurized mixture can be explosive

 

[MetalStorm]

just did my condenser last week. be carfeful removing the lines as mine were corroded and the steel on aluminum did wonders for the integrity of the threads. original 1999 equipment, so naturally i had to break them off. the lines are not cheap, around $350 for the upper and lower lines.

 

[steamroller]

Once I swapped it out I used nitrogen gas which is dry to pressurize the system to see if there were any more leaks, I used soap bubbles in a spray bottle who has time for dye? The local ac shop told me that they use compressed air but that's not good since it has moisture and you don't want moisture in the ac system.

Thats why I suggested the dye, you dont want moisture in the system so checking for leaks with soapy water doesnt make sense to me, if he had a nitrogen tank at his disposal then sure go that route

just did my condenser last week. be carfeful removing the lines as mine were corroded and the steel on aluminum did wonders for the integrity of the threads. original 1999 equipment, so naturally i had to break them off. the lines are not cheap, around $350 for the upper and lower lines.

Same thing happened to me with the lower line, it was around $40, guess I'm lucky I didn't screw 'em both up

 

[crmzendrgone]

Not sure if we are allowed to do this but. . . .

here was my issue. I don't use this site much at all anymore.

http://www.truckforum.org/forums/gmc-truck-forum/19815-r-12-to-r-134a-16.html