|
|
1997 Chevy Tahoe - Front works awesome, rear is warm
|
|
|
| |
|
|
dstrausser83
New User
Feb 15, 2013, 3:52 PM
Post #1 of 10
(2839 views)
|
|
1997 Chevy Tahoe - Front works awesome, rear is warm
|
Sign In
|
|
Hi I have a 1997 Chevy Tahoe. The Air conditioning was starting to suck so we recharged it today.
Works awesome up front. The rear though after running for 30 minutes still is warm. It's just warm air blowing through, not a hint of any coldness. We are puzzled.
Any idea how to fix this? We aren't the greatest mechanics FYI.
Thanks!
|
|
| |
|
|
MarineGrunt
Enthusiast
Feb 15, 2013, 5:38 PM
Post #2 of 10
(2805 views)
|
|
Re: 1997 Chevy Tahoe - Front works awesome, rear is warm
|
Sign In
|
|
It's probably due to a bad blend door.
|
|
| |
|
|
speed
User
Feb 15, 2013, 6:15 PM
Post #3 of 10
(2798 views)
|
|
Re: 1997 Chevy Tahoe - Front works awesome, rear is warm
|
Sign In
|
|
yeah in the right rear wheel well housing on the inside is where the door should be at you should be able to access the area relatively easy try tapping on the actuator to see if it does anything to it.
GM ASEP 26 SCC Milford ASE certified in Brakes and Electrical on Thursday April 5th 2012
|
|
| |
|
|
Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Feb 15, 2013, 7:19 PM
Post #4 of 10
(2790 views)
|
|
Re: 1997 Chevy Tahoe - Front works awesome, rear is warm
|
Sign In
|
|
It could be a blend door problem. it could also be a plugged expansion valve which is also quite common.
Feel the temp of the return line to find out. If the return pipe is not cold, then it's not a blend door problem.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
|
|
| |
|
|
Sidom
Veteran
/ Moderator
Feb 15, 2013, 8:33 PM
Post #5 of 10
(2782 views)
|
|
Re: 1997 Chevy Tahoe - Front works awesome, rear is warm
|
Sign In
|
|
When you say you recharged it.......Did you take out the old refridgerant, evac the system & then put back the correct amount???
I hope you used straight 134 & not one of those cans will all the other junk in it....
|
|
| |
|
|
dstrausser83
New User
Feb 15, 2013, 10:27 PM
Post #6 of 10
(2770 views)
|
|
Re: 1997 Chevy Tahoe - Front works awesome, rear is warm
|
Sign In
|
|
Thank you all. I will give your suggestions a shot and let you know what I come up with.
I did not use straight 134a. I used the stuff with the sealant in it. It was called Artic Blast, I also did not take anything out of it because I didn't know how to. I just added to it.
|
|
| |
|
|
Sidom
Veteran
/ Moderator
Feb 15, 2013, 11:46 PM
Post #7 of 10
(2766 views)
|
|
Re: 1997 Chevy Tahoe - Front works awesome, rear is warm
|
Sign In
|
|
Ok....sounds like you aren't real familar with a/c systems so....we'll go easy on you...
You had said earlier that your system started to "suck" so you recharged it.....
When a system doesn't cool as well anymore, it can be due to a leak and then charging it by the way you did, while not the best way, will work and get the system to cool again....The problem here is there is also pieces in that system that can go bad and when they do, a full charged system won't cool anymore. In that case, it doesn't matter how much refrigerant you put in it, it won't start to cool again until that piece has been repaired...
The other problem here....There are some here that can probably give you a more technical explanation but in a nutshell. These cans with sealers, oils, etc that you get with the 134 can actually cause some pretty bad problems. When they mix with the oils in the sytem they can form an acid type substance that destroys everything in the system.....If you are going to charge your system, just use virgin 134. If the system has a leak, the odds a very low that this stuff will fix it.....AND while it's not your problem, this stuff can actually ruin recovery machines the shops use to service a/c systems......Sadly they even have detectors for this stuff shops have to buy to protect their a/c equipment....
Back to your problem.....It wasn't working right and you added some 134, if this did nothing for the cooling then more than likely you have a piece that failed and your system is probably overcharged....There were a few suggestions in this thread that are morely than likely spot on. If you go the DIY route, after you fix the problem, if you have to recharge the system,,,,,,Just use straight 134 with nothing else.....If you go to a shop to have them recycle the 134, give them a heads up that there is sealer in the system
(This post was edited by Sidom on Feb 15, 2013, 11:49 PM)
|
|
| |
|
|
Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Feb 16, 2013, 9:49 AM
Post #8 of 10
(2751 views)
|
|
Re: 1997 Chevy Tahoe - Front works awesome, rear is warm
|
Sign In
|
|
I can see it now.
<owner>"Well, I did did try to repair it myself using some sealer and those Do it yourself kits." <shop> "Thanks for telling us that. You can take it down the street to another shop because our shop isn't equipped to handle refrigerant contaminated with sealer. By the way you'll need to replace the entire system because when it is opened up all the sealer is going to turn to rock."
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Feb 16, 2013, 9:49 AM)
|
|
| |
|
|
Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Feb 16, 2013, 4:45 PM
Post #9 of 10
(2735 views)
|
|
Re: 1997 Chevy Tahoe - Front works awesome, rear is warm
|
Sign In
|
|
When these go low on charge the rear stays colder than the front as an X valve will hog the bounty and the O tube front will suffer. Your diagnosis was flawed you just messed up a mega thousand buck system putting sealer in it. The problem was the X valve no doubt to me.
As DS just said, some of those sealers use a cryo-silane such that you can't open that system up again and when they find moisture go as hard as glass. I would bet you meant well but there was no warning of that. You are screwed IMO. Diagnose first while it works at all when possible.
Just maybe a shop can get contaminated refrigerant out with a flush but not so sure on that depending on what sealer and you may never know as the containers are not listing just what that I ever see out there. Moisture is the trigger for cryo-silane which is plain in air. Chance of those working is at best 5% IMO for a last ditch try but it wasn't your problem.
Worse is that you didn't even know if you needed more refrigerant at all!
T
|
|
| |
|
|
nickwarner
Veteran
/ Moderator
Feb 16, 2013, 5:32 PM
Post #10 of 10
(2728 views)
|
|
Re: 1997 Chevy Tahoe - Front works awesome, rear is warm
|
Sign In
|
|
This is an expensive lesson learned. I can see why you thought this was a safe and economical thing to do, as I hear ads on the radio from car parts stores all summer talking about specials on their refrigerant. Stuff is advertised as a miracle in a can. Those of us in the trade call it a death kit.
Refrigeration seems easy and safe with the way they make it look to sell you their product. Problem is they don't help. In the future, never use any product for any system that is advertised to stop leaks. They stop everything but the leak. The only fix for a leak is parts. These parts may be expensive. The labor to install them is expensive. But that ends up being the cheapest route in the end since this death kit has now wrecked your entire (very expensive) system. The company that made the death kit and the store that sold it to you will pay not a dime for that. It was to be used at your own risk. I feel for you, but those are the facts.
In the future please take your ac work to a trained pro. Its not cheap, but its cheaper than what this death kit did. If that stuff worked, shops wouldn't buy a $5000 machine to do this type of work. We'd go to Autozone or Wal-Mart and get a bunch of death kits.
If this system gets opened up for work, which it will need to be, that sealer will become a rock.The entire system will be destroyed. With the unmetered refrigerant you dumped in it, if it is overcharged (likely is) the compressor can draw in liquid refrigerant instead of vapors. Vapors are compressible. Liquid isn't. So the compressor grenades, sending shrapnel from it through the system and forcing you to replace pretty much everything in it.
Please post back to let us know how this turns out and what the final bill was. Also please do the right thing and warn the shop you put a death kit in it. This stuff will wreck their machine and I already told you how much we had to pay to get these things.
|
|
| |
|
| | |
|
Auto Repair Home
SEARCH
WHO'S 
LOG 
2011 Dodge Nitro OBD scanner seems to drain battery in 10-20 minutes
Grounding Cable, 2017 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk
equipment
Howdy
