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  #1  
Old 02-18-2002, 02:09 PM
svxeno
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Tranny cooler/no AC

Afternoon all,

Well so far the rebuilt tranny seems to be fine. It sure does shift differently. I'm certain I'll get used to it. I have a problem however:

I had the shop install a tranny cooler. Since I picked it up on Fraiday the air conditioning doesn't work. The climate control responds as it should but the compressor doesn't kick in and the cooling fan for the condensor doesn't come on. From inside the car everthing seems normal, except no cold air.

Since I didn't do this work myself I don't know what has to be disconnected to install a tranny cooler.


Any ideas?

Randy (Sweatin' the hot stuff) ii
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  #2  
Old 02-18-2002, 03:08 PM
svxeno
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Tranny cooler/no AC part 2

With the help of my fine looking neighbor lady and my "mechanics Stethascope" <sp> I checked the relays and compressor while she turned the AC on & off. No Nothin'!

Once the car heated up from idling both the fans did kick on.

I'm going to hunt down the Climate control reset document and try that. I know it's out there somewhere. Wish me luck.


Randy (Now it goes, but it goes hot) ii
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  #3  
Old 02-18-2002, 03:12 PM
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Are you sure the system has freon? The compressor won't operate if the freon drops below a certain level.

I was going to ask about ambient cabin temp being adequate to activate the climate control to A/C mode, but then, I realized you were in FL, so, never mind.
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Randy Johnson
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1992 SVX PPG Pace Car Replica 110+k
1993 White Impreza L 240+K miles
2001 Legacy Outback Limited Sedan 250+K miles
2013 Deep Indigo Pearl Legacy 3.6R 49+K miles

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  #4  
Old 02-18-2002, 03:19 PM
svxeno
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Ared,

Why I do not know...

I thought about that. I wasn't certain if that pertained to this car or not. Seems interesting that it worked prior to the tranny shop but not after. Did I say after? I meant..uh...aw hell...I guess I'll say it. I wasn't going to tell you until you had yours back but...my tranny works again.

Is there anything weird about the AC system? Can most shops check the pressures alright or does it take yet another strange gadget to test.

Maybe it is just a coinqidink.

Any new word on yours?

Randy (Man, Ared is FAST) ii
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  #5  
Old 02-18-2002, 04:19 PM
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Quote:
Originally posted by svxeno
Ared,

Why I do not know...

I thought about that. I wasn't certain if that pertained to this car or not. Seems interesting that it worked prior to the tranny shop but not after. Did I say after? I meant..uh...aw hell...I guess I'll say it. I wasn't going to tell you until you had yours back but...my tranny works again.

Is there anything weird about the AC system? Can most shops check the pressures alright or does it take yet another strange gadget to test.

Maybe it is just a coinqidink.

Any new word on yours?

Randy (Man, Ared is FAST) ii

I saw your sig and was going to post a , but decided not to.

You should be able to check the freon level yourself, through the little window. Open the hood, look into the engine bay and find the silver thingy with the window in it on the left hand side (as you're looking into the bay, not from the driver's position). Have your neighbor operate the controlls again and look for fine bubbles in the window. If they're there, you've got freon -- the size of the bubbles also indicate the condition of the system. I don't have the manual in front of me, but, when I get home I can check it out. Meanwhile, if you don't see bubbles, you're likely out of freon, or the level is so low, it won't allow the system to operate. There shouldn't have been anything involved with the tranny that would cause them to have to remove anything to do with the A/C, unless they nipped a hose or something in the process.
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3rd Registered Member 02-21-2001
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First to arrive at the very first Reading Meet
Subaru Ambassador

1992 SVX PPG Pace Car Replica 110+k
1993 White Impreza L 240+K miles
2001 Legacy Outback Limited Sedan 250+K miles
2013 Deep Indigo Pearl Legacy 3.6R 49+K miles

"Reading is my favorite Holiday"
Mike Davis -- at Reading VI
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  #6  
Old 02-18-2002, 04:30 PM
svxeno
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Quote:
Originally posted by Aredubjay



I saw your sig and was going to post a , but decided not to.

You should be able to check the freon level yourself, through the little window. Open the hood, look into the engine bay and find the silver thingy with the window in it on the left hand side (as you're looking into the bay, not from the driver's position). Have your neighbor operate the controlls again and look for fine bubbles in the window. If they're there, you've got freon -- the size of the bubbles also indicate the condition of the system. I don't have the manual in front of me, but, when I get home I can check it out. Meanwhile, if you don't see bubbles, you're likely out of freon, or the level is so low, it won't allow the system to operate. There shouldn't have been anything involved with the tranny that would cause them to have to remove anything to do with the A/C, unless they nipped a hose or something in the process.


I'm going bubble hunting!!

Thanks Randy i


Randy (What caliber is required to hunt and capture a bubble anyway?) ii
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  #7  
Old 02-18-2002, 10:27 PM
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Uhh...if the compressor isn't kicking on you won't see anything in the sightglass. What I do (and for the sake of me not getting into trouble recommending that you do this...don't do what I do) is just momentarily depress the schrader valve in one of the two service ports and see if anything comes out. There should be a strong phffft (remember kiddies, don't try this at home, and if you do shield your eyes, etc.)

The down side is if the schrader should happen to not seal completely and you lose your expen$ive R-12 freon. At $60+/lb. plus labor it would be wiser to contribute a few bucks to your local mechanic's cost-of-living fund and let him tell you what happened. Before you do that though, try looking at the wiring on the compressor and fans and make sure everything is still plugged in. Check all of your fuses. Better yet, just take the car back and tell them that since they worked on the car your a/c doesn't work.

Beav
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  #8  
Old 02-19-2002, 01:30 PM
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Quote:
Originally posted by Beav
Uhh...if the compressor isn't kicking on you won't see anything in the sightglass.
Okay, I feel stupid (so, what's new?). I'm not thinking clearly. Fourteen days without my SVX makes too weaks.
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Randy Johnson
3rd Registered Member 02-21-2001
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First to arrive at the very first Reading Meet
Subaru Ambassador

1992 SVX PPG Pace Car Replica 110+k
1993 White Impreza L 240+K miles
2001 Legacy Outback Limited Sedan 250+K miles
2013 Deep Indigo Pearl Legacy 3.6R 49+K miles

"Reading is my favorite Holiday"
Mike Davis -- at Reading VI
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  #9  
Old 02-19-2002, 05:13 PM
svxeno
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No AC many $$$$

Quote:There should be a strong phffft (remember kiddies, don't try this at home, and if you do shield your eyes, etc.)

Beav,

It's been a little chilly here latley. Some greenhouse effect won't hurt.

I thought of the lack of bubbles last night before I went out to check it. (I understand how the brain mushes up Randy i)

I took it to another shop, general repair, large chain. They told me that I have a leak from the evaporator. $1200+ for evap, expansion valve and dryer.

I just spent $2700 on a tranny rebuild last Friday. I wish I lived at home again and I was 13 years old.

I informed the shop that you can't squeeze blood from a turnip. Money being the blood and my wallet being the turnip, he suggested that I have dye and a stop leak type product installed and hope for the best.

Is there such a thing as stop leak for AC units?


Randy (hoping for relief) ii
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  #10  
Old 02-19-2002, 05:27 PM
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The only people I've heard say that the stuff works are salesman, and I'm suuuure they've used it many times on their own cars. Get a second opinion, maybe a third. Don't say "Sears (whomever) told me I need an evaporator." Just tell them it doesn't blow cold. Let them diagnose it - the answer they give you may tell you what kind of group you're dealing with.

If you're satisified with the diagnosis of a bad evap, or other pricey component, what would you have to lose by installing the sealer? Let's see, add on an expansion valve, a drier, a condensor and maybe even the compressor. Who knows what that stuff could do or damage.

BTW, I'm curious as to why they want to sell you an expansion valve, just because it's near the evaporator isn't good enough for me. And yes, I grew up in Florida and I know how to work on a/c. (This coming June will make 32 years.) I would expect a shop caught with their hand in the cookie jar to respond with that line.

I feel for ya bud, if someone told me I needed to spend that kind of money on my car I'd drop a log myself.

Beav
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  #11  
Old 02-19-2002, 06:23 PM
svxeno
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Anybody got next weeks lotto numbers?

Quote:BTW, I'm curious as to why they want to sell you an expansion valve,

Beav,

I think that answers itself...because they want to sell me an expansion valve.

Thanks for the info. I planned unexplained visits to a couple of other shops, 1 more at least. 30-40 dollars a visit. I'm really curious to see what different answers I get.

Is it smart or not so smart, should it be needed to buy a used evaporator? I've found a pretty sizable listing on the web.


Best, as always,

Randy (Got's no evap in my expansion for the dryer) ii
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  #12  
Old 02-19-2002, 08:48 PM
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Re: Anybody got next weeks lotto numbers?

Quote:
Originally posted by svxeno


Is it smart or not so smart, should it be needed to buy a used evaporator? I've found a pretty sizable listing on the web.

That's a good question that I really can't answer from experience. Most cars never have an evap problem. Those that do are generally a clear pattern failure. GM cars prior to the late 80's, Chrysler LH cars and mini-vans are probably the all-time worst for evaps. What I'm getting at is if you find a fair amount of SVX owners that have replaced their evaporators I'd steer clear and buy a new one. The labor to replace the core is reasonable. There are apparently three different cores used (it figures) and the worst one to replace pays 1.8 hours. Add another .5 for the drier and then ++ for the evacuate and recharge. If you do install a used core I would suggest converting to R-134, it's definitely cheaper than R-12 and you won't cry so hard if the core pops/leaks. Downside to 134 is that in a given size of system it doesn't cool quite as well. Figure R-12 to have a 10 - 15 degree advantage on a typical steamy Orlando (armpit of the south, for heat) day.

I can comment on the absolute waste of money that is called a 'rebuilt' evaporator. They take a used core, pump a load of glue through it to hopefully seal whatever leak(s) exist and dump it on a consumer. The core probably won't leak, but it won't cool worth a flip either as the sealer also has the uncanny ability to insulate the core from the inside. Figure about the best it'll do while sitting in traffic on your way to the Columbian in Ybor City will be about 73 degrees - a good one will do 36 degrees.

You can always resort to 2-60 a/c, plus you have the pop-off pressure valve on the roof...

Beav
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