Hello; I know the show is on right now but after the show please let me know how I can tell if I have an AC leak or a compressor issue? I recently added freon and stop leak and the AC was blowing nice and cold for a week or so but now it takes a while to get cool but not cold like it was. Please let me know what you think? Thanks for your help. p.s how can you tell when you have a compressor problem?
Doesn’t matter if the show is on or not, Tom & Ray don’t read these posts.
Why did you add stop leak ?
You should have put in a leak detector, either a red dye or ultra violet.
The stop leak may very well be doing TOO MUCH stopping.
I bet it has plugged the orifice tube.
Thanks; so if I have the AC system serviced at a shop will that help?
originally there was a leak (green dye) leaking from the upper schrader valve? so what is the remedy now?
At an a/c shop they will have to wash out the gunk in the system and replace the orifice and the afore mentioned schrader valve and re-charge.
As usual , the snake oil remedy cost more in the long run than the correct fix would have.
Stop leaks in radiator and engines can cause similar plugging of passageways that are tiny yet intended to flow.
which orifice tube do you mean? will this get corrected if I have the system serviced professionally?
did adding stop leak cause me more problems?
It’s my belief it did.
Only a complete disassembly or other diagnosis by A/C pros can answer the assumption.
The orifice is in the liquid/low pressure line and on a Saturn I’m not sure if it’s replaceable or sold in the tube asssembly.
I’m just a parts guy, yet with thirty years at this Ford dealer I’ve seen stop leak cause a bunch of problems …and I’ve also seen stop leak work as intended many times too.
so if i take the vehicle in for service (evacuate system) will this help? can they put back in the freon that comes out or should it be replaced?
complete dis assembly? of what?
They’ll be wanting to diagnose the flow.
Hopefully just disassembling the hose for the orifice replacement would answer their questions.
Flushing the system may address the rest.
let the A/C pros diagnose telling them what you’ve already done, I could be wrong on this end.
Maybe it’s still losing refrigerant. It’s always near impossible to determine what’s going on with A/C problems without knowing what the high and low side pressures are; both at idle and at elevated RPMs.
Thanks Ken and everyone for your continued help, support and expertise! Mel
p.s. Ken FYI; I have always been a Ford guy till the Saturn LOL
Thanks; I really didn’t think Tom and Ray read the posts - that’s the listeners jobs - didn’t want to distract you guys while the show was on. LOL Thanks so much!