Re: Need advice on dealing with A/C in old car
- From: "Greg Bailey" <nowhereman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 21 May 2007 13:37:08 -0500
Followup, hopefully shorter ... the Freon hasn't leaked out, the same thing
that happened last summer, the clutch plate flying off, was about to happen
again, the thing was barely hanging on. And that part of the compressor
seems to be pretty much trashed, my mechanic was unable to retighten the nut
that holds the plate to the shaft, he checked with a flashlight and dental
mirror and the shaft area itself is damaged, plus the key-pin that sort of
helps hold the plate on the shaft was shredded. That same thing happened
last time and I absolutely could not find a pin to match it and my mechanic
engineered one and isn't sure he can do it again. Basically, because of the
damage and to keep from having to re-engineer the key-pin every few months
because it's apparent this is liable to happen again, we're going to go
ahead and install the other compressor and keep our fingers crossed that
nothing else is the matter.
"Greg Bailey" <nowhereman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:QqCdnWJakIzgLszbnZ2dnUVZ_vCknZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I have a 1990 Plymouth Sundance. Odometer says 125k but it broke several
years ago. So heaven only knows how many miles are actually on the car. I
bought it as a program car with 5K miles on it, all the other mileage is
mine. It's been a great car and I've kept it maintained and it's in decent
mechanical shape for a car its age, albeit the body and interior are
getting a bit ragged.
The air conditioner worked fine during most of the life of the car, I
think in 14 years I only had to have Freon added a handful of times, which
surprised me. Anyway, in 2004 the A/C quit working. I took it to an A/C
shop and they gave me a six-foot-long list of what was the matter with it
and basically told me it would cost more than the car was worth to fix it
and that I ought to let them recharge it and try to sell it quickly as-is
before the air quit again. I left that place and never have and never will
be back, basically because of that last bit (as well as the fact that they
ripped my father-in-law off). I have this funny habit of wanting to be on
the up-and-up with people.
I then took it to my main mechanic, the guy who does all but the heaviest
work on my cars, and he said, "Shoot, let me have a shot at it," and he
changed the thing to R-134, filled the system and the thing worked
absolutely fine for two entire years.
In spring 2006, I noticed that the A/C had quit working again, took it to
my mechanic and he filled the system and it worked fine throughout most of
the summer. Then in August ... really good time to have A/C problems in
the Deep South, LOL! ... the clutch broke off the compressor as I was
driving down the road with the A/C working fine. After I finally tracked
down a clutch (more on that later), my mechanic made the repairs and
filled the system again and everything was fine, but I noticed in late
September, as it was still a bit warm and I was running the A/C, that it
had quit again. In hindsight, and this is strictly anecdotal and off the
top of my head, but I wonder if the clutch breaking off ... and it sounded
like the freaking engine had disintegrated when it happened ... really
damaged something even more in the A/C.
My mechanic recharged the system again on April 2, this time using some
refrigerant that contained a stop/leak formula. The A/C worked fine until
yesterday, when it quit again.
I know the first thing everybody is going to say is, "Get another car."
That isn't an option. This is one of the sacrifices we are making to send
two kids to private school. Basically, we're going to run this one until
it quits before crossing the bridge of replacing it.
I have, in my storage shed, a recycled A/C compressor that will fit the
car. I bought it last year when I was looking for a replacement clutch,
because a replacement clutch was like twice as expensive as the whole
compressor. I figured I'd take the clutch off the compressor and use it
and save some money. Until I found out that it wasn't the EXACT compressor
and clutch, just one that would interchange with the Sundance if you
replaced the whole thing, so I ended up having to buy the clutch anyway.
But this one is sitting there ready to be installed, all I'd be looking at
is probably the cost of a new hose assembly and labor.
The thing is ... and I've discussed this with my mechanic, and I'm about
to go see him when I get up from the computer, I just was looking for some
other input as well ... I'm afraid that if I have the compressor and maybe
a new hose assembly installed, it might wind up that the condenser or the
evaporator is actually what's leaking.
Given what I've said here ... and I've made this lengthy to be as detailed
as possible ... how would some of you A/C folks recommend that I proceed
here? I know there is some leak detector with dye in it that will show
where leaks are, should I get my mechanic to do that?
Or should I just quit trying to put bandaids on this ancient car and roll
the windows down ... the only problem there is that the Sundance is so
aerodynamic that I can roll the windows down and drive 70 mph on the
interstate and not enough air to muss my hair will get into the car.
Thanks in advance for any help. :)
.
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