The A/C in my truck has never worked since the day I bought it, over two and
a half years ago. Presumably the system is empty (R-12 printed on the
compressor). Is there a way I can tell if the compressor is good myself,
rather than take it to a shop? If the compressor is blown then to hell with
it, maybe someday I'll find a good one at a junkers. In the meantime I'd
stick a sunroof in it instead. The clutch works, as I discovered yesterday
when I applied +12v to the green wire ontop of the compressor. Any ideas?
Thanks.

'91 T-15 Jimmy, 4.3L TBI, 700R4, rusting a little more with each passing
day.

take it to a good A/C shop and have it retro-fitted for R134a. It will be
about as cheap as refilling it with the R12. Don't buy a junkyard pump
because it may barf your new freon and dye all over the front of your pump
before you get out your driveway ($100 charge down the tubes).

A sun roof will probably be about as much money as getting your A/C fixed
right. I suggest to call NAPA and buy an accumulator and a new pump. Put
this new stuff on and have the system charged. This way, you know it's done
right.

Just my 2 cents
Snowman
"SBlackfoot" <trypticon (AT) sympatico (DOT) remove.ca> wrote

"SBlackfoot" <trypticon (AT) sympatico (DOT) remove.ca> wrote

Acculumators generally run $70-75 USD (buy one with 134a dessicant, not R-12
dessicant). About the compressor, I wouldn't try anything till I had the
system filled and added an oil charge, however you can run it BREIFLY (10-15
seconds MAX) in the driveway (jump the clutch with engine running) and see
just how funky it sounds, but it could be quiet as a mouse and still be
shot. I've seen compressors that were shot that didn't have any funky
noises, but when you watched the low side pressure pre and post clutch
engagement, it didn't move (no suction). Compressors usually run $129
(reman) or $229 new.

Doc

A little more info...

Upon closer inspection I found another access port, this one on a line
between the fan box and the evaporator (I keep my ATF and oil funnels
wrapped in a plastic bag under the hood, which was covering this line). This
one appears to have no pressure at all, and the line between it and the
evaporator has a small kinked section. The crushed portion looks to have
been kinked intentionally by a previous mechanic. Could this indicate a
problem elsewhere? I'd imagine that this line would need to be replaced (at
least) before recharging.

I did find one good thing at least. Before I noticed that problem I
disconnected the sensor on the condenser and jumped the leads on the
connector. The compressor clutch would engage with the appropriate settings
on the HVAC controls (I only tried a couple of times, for a couple of
seconds each time). Hopefully this means the elecrical portion is up to spec
at least. The compressor didn't sound too bad at all, and the revs came up
slightly when the clutch engaged (but not as much as my brother's gutless
Pathfinder... lol)

Too bad the body is starting to show some really ugly rust. I don't know if
I should keep it or patch it up and sell it before it's totally worthless.

"SBlackfoot" <trypticon (AT) sympatico (DOT) remove.ca> wrote

How kinked is kinked? Like no-flow kinked or just crimped?

Doc

It looks like someone took a pair of needle-nosed vice grips and cranked
down on one spot. I suppose there could potentially be some flow through it
but it would be severly restricted at best.