A/c Question

[MBT]

Hi.

Looks like summer is the time of A/C troubles.

Here is the quick version of events:

- last week I turned on my A/C, which I almost never use, and nothing happens

- - the light goes on, but the temp does not change AT ALL

- after reading some posts here I decided to re-charge the system

- Tuesday I got a kit and got to work

- - I charged the system to ~25 PSI

- - checked temp - NOTHING!

- - checked the pressure ~25 PSI

- - decided that maybe it needs some time to spread or something (I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT A/C)

- Wednesday checked the pressure again - 0 PSI (or as low as the gauge goes)

- - charged the system again to ~30 PSI

- Friday (I was busy Thursday) checked the pressure - 0 PSI

Conclusion: it is leaking (or at least that is the only thing I can come up with).

So now I need to decide what's next.

The options I see are:

1. get a leak tracing kit and see what is going on; what are the most common places where the leak could be?

2. get it over to an A/C shop somewhere (anyone know a good place in Seattle/Bellevue?)

3. check the compressor (no idea what is involved here)

- - the reason I bring this up is that I could not hear anything in the area of the compressor when A/C is on.

Thoughts? Answers?

Thanks,

Mike

P.S. the heat wave is back today = NEED A/C TO SURVIVE! :)

[swedesteed]

We all go through this same ritual with A/C sooner or later. Definitely sounds like a big leaker, which with the low pressure safety switch built into many a modern A/C system, when your pressure falls below a certain psi, the compressor is shut off to prevent damage running on empty. In most cases you gotta let a pro do it, especially because they have all the right (and pricey!) tools, but prices whether a dealershop or indie shop, they got us. Get some opinions though recommending those that do good work; not everyone got an A+ in mechanic's school. The most expensive leaks are multiple leaks as well as the evaporator core, next to your heater core under the dah behind the firewall. Very labor-hours intensive($$) But as I said-everyone eventually has to pay the A/C piper or learn to do it yourself as a pro or find a pro-technician a/c buddy to do a side job for you. B)