JimD Posted March 31, 2006 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 The sun is north of the equator, the dogwoods are showing white, the grass is showing green, daylight saving time is tomorrow night and baseball season is next week; it must be time to worry about A/C systems. My '98 A/C has never been serviced and there is no evidence of oil seeping from any of the plumbing connections that I can see. However, at the end of A/C weather last year I noticed the '98 was not cooling as well as the '04 on the same day under the same conditions. There are no codes present and I did not stick a thermometer in the air duct. I just have this gut feel that a few ounces of R-134a would restore the performance. Is it safe enough to buy a can of R-134a at Autozone or Walmart and let the compressor pull it in? Is there a preferred brand or type that would include a few drops of PAG oil? Is there a better idea short of buying a gauge set? Jim Drive your car. Use your cell phone. CHOOSE ONE ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted March 31, 2006 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 It is probably a little low on refrigerant. Just add pure R-134a - don't use the one that has o-ring conditioner or stop leak, or other snake oil mixed in... I would check the vent temps - you can probably safely add 1/2 to 1 12oz can to restore the system performance. Use your have and feel the evaporator inlet (after the orifice tube and before the evaporator) and the evaporator outlet - they should be approximately the same temperature, if not, add refrigerant until they are close to the same temperature. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted March 31, 2006 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 While we are on this topic my AC isn't feeling really cold, its about 65 out, is that why? Is it that the airmix door isnt required to be open to AC 100%? I will try 60 degrees when I go out. Mike Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1 >> 1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/ Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted March 31, 2006 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 The air mix door could be letting in outside air. Feel the inlet and outlet pipes on the evap. If they are the same, it likely has a proper charge. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeal1892 Posted April 1, 2006 Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 Mine seems to like a can of it every spring it seems ! Michael- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Fenwick Posted April 1, 2006 Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 Do you all ever worry about too much pressure exploding the can or R134. I use a gage when I have to add any. All I can think about is shrapnel all over my face. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted April 1, 2006 Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 The R-134a is added theough the low side port - the can is not going to blow up connected to the low side port. If the can were somehow connected to the high side port, then it could blow but the connectors prevent anyone from connecting the R-134a can to the high pressure port. If a gage manifold set is used and the high pressure valve is accidentially opened when the compressor is engaged, then there is a possibility that the can could blow. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimD Posted April 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2006 It is probably a little low on refrigerant. Just add pure R-134a - don't use the one that has o-ring conditioner or stop leak, or other snake oil mixed in... I would check the vent temps - you can probably safely add 1/2 to 1 12oz can to restore the system performance. Use your have and feel the evaporator inlet (after the orifice tube and before the evaporator) and the evaporator outlet - they should be approximately the same temperature, if not, add refrigerant until they are close to the same temperature. It pulled in 4.5 oz. of DuPont-Suva brand R-134a (no additives) as all vapor (I did not flip the can upside down). Improved the vent temperature by approx. 5 degrees and the inside - outside temperature difference is 39 degrees at the peak of the cycle. And it seems that the clutch is not cycling as frequently. Ready to chill beer and hang meat! Come-on, August. Thanks Kevin. Jim Drive your car. Use your cell phone. CHOOSE ONE ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrenJ Posted April 2, 2006 Report Share Posted April 2, 2006 The sun is north of the equator, the dogwoods are showing white, the grass is showing green, daylight saving time is tomorrow night and baseball season is next week; it must be time to worry about A/C systems. Ah, ya gotta love a poet! Last year I hooked up a can of 134a (with a guage and extension hose) and infused what must have been the smallest possible amount of refrigerant. Sheesh! That "Low Refigerant" warning was maybe just a little premature? Being the anal sort, I returned to the parts store and tried to judge the weight difference between my "used" bottle and a new shelf bottle. It was hard to tell the difference. Sometimes it don't take much. Regards, Warren EDIT: Oh Yeah, it was a virgin bottle. None of that additive crap. There is no means of avoiding the final collapse of a boom brought about by credit expansion. The alternative is only whether the crisis should come sooner as the result of a voluntary abandonment of further credit expansion, or later as a final and total catastrophe of the currency system involved. - Ludwig von Mises Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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