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#1
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A/C not all that cold.... it's kinda cold....
I tried straightening all the fins on the condensor, but it's kinda a lost cause. If I purchased some R-12 on ebay, and took it to a shop, could they recharge it? Or does this mean it's leaking somewhere?
Edit: Also, anyone tried this stuff? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...911118148&rd=1 Last edited by BoondockSVX; 08-04-2004 at 06:37 AM. |
#2
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Haven't tried that brand. It doesn't mention what R code it uses. I've tried RedTek R12a and it worked for a little while but stopped working again shortly after. I'm going to do a r134 conversion once I can afford it.
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David B. SVXipedia @ SVX-IW.COM -- SVX Information Warehouse 2.0 coming...eventually! Ebony 1992 SVX LS-L 5 spd Koni/GC Stebro 187k miles RIP (Rust In Pieces) 1993 SVX 5 spd Koni/GC Stebro Polyurethane bushings still available! |
#3
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That won't help you. R134a is a crappy coolant. R-12 is a much more effficient refridgerant, with the same hardware it'll be much colder with R-12 (freon). You must have a leak somewhere.
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#4
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Is it a matter of the AC just not getting very cold, or is it clearly turning off sometimes?
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2005 RX-8 Grand Touring 2005 Outback 2002 Mercedes-Benz E320 wagon END OF LINE |
#5
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It's just not all that cold. A year or so ago it was much colder... now it's just.... kinda refreshing, but it's not exactly going to perk anyone's nipples if you catch my drift.
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#6
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1993 25th Anniversary Edition # 156 of 301 ~ 121, 488 miles ( SOLD TO svxfiles 8/6/06) 2006 Subaru Impreza 2.5i....5spd - My daily driver 2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i -7k miles..Mom's daily driver 2,543 Member of the SVX World Network |
#7
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I've had the same problem, but over a much shorter time span. The car had no freon when I bought it, so in March I had it charged with R-12 (the good stuff) rather than paying for a conversion for an inferior coolant. Supposedly, a leak check is done before they try charging it. At some point, the cooling efficiency started to decease, and by July the A/C's output was so low I wasn't sure if it was cooling at all, but the compressor was still coming on. Since the local place with the cheapest freon doesn't do repairs, I took it to another place to have a diagnostic. I told them to call me before starting any repairs, but when I did call, they said they found no problems and no leaks, but it was low, so they recharged it. I had them suck it back out, since their R-12 is 2X as expensive. I called back the guy who charged it originally, and he said I probably have a leak that's too small to detect, and the only thing I can do is have it recharged and wait until the leak gets big enough to detect! (Talk about poor options!) He also mentioned that some cars' A/C's have a shut off that kicks in when the freon pressure gets too low. That means that you may still have half your freon in the system when it stops blowing cold air altogether. *I don't know if the SVX A/C's have this feature.* But if they do, I lost any reserve I may have had when that other place took their unauthorized charge back out, because they left the system empty. This is something to keep in mind if you have a diagnostic done. The A/C was back to full strength after I did have it charged! The leak was still too small to be detected when I had it charged. But when it's running there are often times when I smell a strong, sweet-ish odor. I suspect it maybe the leaking freon, but I have no idea what freon smells like, if it even has an odor. I know it would not be a good thing to inhale. When I smell this mystery odor, I usually switch the climate control onto "vent" for a while, and when I switch back to A/C, it's better. Unfortunately, it wasn't long until my A/C belt broke, and that was due to the belt's idler seizing up. (It was preceded by squealing sound when I started the car up, about 20 minutes before the breakage.) A new idler cost $70; my mechanic could only get it from a dealership. He showed me the old idler; that little pulley was sure messed up. The metal near the center hole was bent, and I could see the bearings inside. I got my car back yesterday, and I've got ice-cold A/C again...for now.
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#8
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When I bought my car at 104,000+ miles, the hose between the condensor and compressor was porous; that is, there were dozens of tiny pinholes through which refrigerant was ever-so-slowly seeping. As I read of these hard-to-find AC leaks, I wonder in how many instances this hose may be the culprit.
My local garage upgraded my system to R-134 when they replaced this hose. Can't pass along a dollar figure as I don't have the receipt with me, but apparently the only hardware required to make the change is a filter/dryer (needed anytime the system is opened), which was in-stock at NAPA and cost, as I recall, in the neighborhood of fifteen bucks. The AC has worked great all summer. I've found that using the CIRC feature really helps hasten cooling when I first get rolling on really warm afternoon. As to that "sweetish" odor, I've noticed an odd, musty aroma coming from the vents on occasion when I start the car, and surmise that this is caused by undrained condensation gone sour. Whatever; I doubt it's leaking refrigerant. dcb |
#9
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IggDawg is cool -IggDawg 1992 Teal SVX LS-L 160k miles 4.11:1 final drive, K&B dropsprings, ART front rotors, stainless steel brake, aluminum underdrive crank pulley, Kuhmo Ecsta Supra 712's, K&N drop-in filter. Previously owned by Alacrity024. FOR SALE 1994 SVX LSi, Barcelona Red #1659, build date 11/93, 117k miles, RIP ECUtune stage 1, bead crush, smallcar shift kit, TB bypass, SS brake lines, silencer removed, alternator and grounding wires, Mobil1 @ 117k |
#10
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dcb |
#11
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