1996 850 NA Air Conditioner Not Working

PeteB · Post by **PeteB** » 22 Jul 2017, 19:57

Harbor Freight has a 25% off sale today, ending tomorrow so I bought the tools.
Ran the vac pump for about 5 minutes and got about 28 PSI of vac but it runs
down in about 5 minutes.
The dryer is quite rusty so I need to check that, but I don't yet have a light.

kaneelschep · Post by **kaneelschep** » 23 Jul 2017, 03:43

I dont understand the facination with filling the airco yourself.
Getting all the tools and fluids etc.. And if all goes well, you only need to use it once.
Here you bring it to any garage and they fill it with a proffessional machine wich does everything. Vacuming, checking, filling, trace fluid. For 50 euro.. Takes 15 minutes.
And if at vacuming there is a problem, they tell you.
You or they fix the problem, come back and finish the filling.
Plus they dont sell the stuff here loose

Why want to do it yourself..

Post by **abscate** » 23 Jul 2017, 04:56

Your tradespeople are better than ours in the U.S...we often have mechanics who understand certain sub systems of cars better than others, but the rarely admit this. Our dealers don't really want to work on old cars, that same testing will probably cost you 200 Euros in a big US city

With my fleet of cars and drivers, I have done 6 AC jobs since I bought the 150 USD of Harbor a Freight tools, plus another 9 helping out others. I like to think that's why all my cars break in the driveway and not 1000 km from home!

Post by **abscate** » 23 Jul 2017, 04:58

Pete.. I think I still have my old dryer from my job..it might work for testing purposes. Pm me.

Post by **jreed** » 23 Jul 2017, 05:28

You make an interesting point kaneelschep. In my opinion it made more sense 10 or 20 years ago to hire somebody to fix this type of problem -- a problem that is not too difficult to do as long as you have the correct special tools.
Now with labor rates averaging $70-$100 per hour, and the price of tools having come down at places like Harbor Freight, it makes more sense in some cases to get the tools and fix it yourself.

PeteB · Post by **PeteB** » 23 Jul 2017, 09:13

kaneelschep wrote: ↑23 Jul 2017, 03:43 I dont understand the facination with filling the airco yourself.
Getting all the tools and fluids etc.. And if all goes well, you only need to use it once.
Here you bring it to any garage and they fill it with a proffessional machine wich does everything. Vacuming, checking, filling, trace fluid. For 50 euro.. Takes 15 minutes.
And if at vacuming there is a problem, they tell you.
You or they fix the problem, come back and finish the filling.
Plus they dont sell the stuff here loose
Why want to do it yourself..

I'm fairly sure that most places here will quickly get your bill up to over $300 pretty fast.
The Volvo had problems in 2010, is empty now, so it is not just a top up that it needs.

I take care of 5 cars, 2 have weak A/C, the newest of the bunch has an A/C compressor
that is known to go bad and is on the way out. I'm going to do it myself in the next few
years - it still works just has a 3-5 minute delay before it starts, once it starts it works
very well.

I agree with jreed, got the gauges and pump for just under $130 out the door.

PeteB · Post by **PeteB** » 23 Jul 2017, 10:11

Finding leaks:
Eric The Car Guy:

ChrisFix - nice job:

Post by **JRL** » 23 Jul 2017, 11:54

ALL the evaporators fail every few years, it's just a bad design.
I would not waste a lot of time on this, just charge it until full.
If it gets cold and stays cold, note how long it lasts.

If it lasts more than 90 days just keep an eye on it, if less, see below.

When you get to keeping a full charge only for 30 days it's time for a new evaporator or sell the wagon as the job is more than the car is worth! The entire dash and half the interior comes apart!!
(Flat rate gives 10 hours plus about $250 or so in parts.
At the same time the heater core is exposed so that should be changed, if original as there's really not more time in labor).

PeteB · Post by **PeteB** » 23 Jul 2017, 13:07

The kids are young and skinny, they can live without A/C.

But the plan for now is to find the leak and if it is simple fix it.
The evaporator might have been replaced in 2010, not sure.

Step by step guide to replace evaporator, just too much work for me:
viewtopic.php?t=12317

PeteB · Post by **PeteB** » 24 Jul 2017, 11:33

I'm thinking of pressurizing it with air from our compressor and then soap
water testing the dryer. Is that a bad idea?

I could run vac on it after to take out the air and possible moisture.

1996 850 NA Air Conditioner Not Working

Re: 1996 850 NA Air Conditioner Not Working