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97 Saturn A/C: No High Pressure

TIMSPEED on Thu April 23, 2009 9:59 PM User is offlineView users profile

Year: 97
Make: Saturn
Model: SL2
Engine Size: 116
Refrigerant Type: R-134a
Ambient Temp: 80º
Pressure Low: 30psi
Pressure High: 80psi
Country of Origin: United States

So I done everything correctly, following the vacuum/recharge process on here.
Went to fill the system, and no matter what, the high side wouldn't get above 80psi.
I changed the compressor out, and it got to exact same, 80psi.
I'm thinking my expansion valve might be bad...but how could that cause only 80psi?
Any suggestions before giving up and taking it ino the shop...?
P.S.- I've put about 30oz of refridgerant in it now. (2½ 12oz cans)
Specs call for 1½lbs.

-------------------------
87 Corvette
75 Chevy PU
93 Saturn SC2

Edited: Thu April 23, 2009 at 10:35 PM by TIMSPEED

bohica2xo on Fri April 24, 2009 3:36 AM User is offline

You have a bad service valve connection, or hose check valve. Try pushing down on the high side connector to see if it will depress the schrader valve properly.

With 80f ambient, you are not even reading a proper static pressure for 134a. Your high side gauge should show that much pressure even if the pump was junk.

B.

-------------------------
"Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest."
~ Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhi, An Autobiography, M. K. Gandhi, page 446.

GM Tech on Fri April 24, 2009 10:50 AM User is offline

Got to love those rotary vane pumps-- do a search for some hints on trying to make them pump- search for saturn, rotary, vane among other tags....



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The number one A/C diagnostic tool there is- is to know how much refrigerant is in the system- this can only be done by recovering and weighing the refrigerant!!
Just a thought.... 65% of A/C failures in my 3200 car diagnostic database (GM vehicles) are due to loss of refrigerant due to a leak......

TIMSPEED on Fri April 24, 2009 11:13 AM User is offlineView users profile

Quote
Originally posted by: bohica2xo
You have a bad service valve connection, or hose check valve. Try pushing down on the high side connector to see if it will depress the schrader valve properly.
With 80f ambient, you are not even reading a proper static pressure for 134a. Your high side gauge should show that much pressure even if the pump was junk.

That's what I was thinking also, that my high side is lying. However I do not have cold A/C...should I just keep adding refridgerant until it's cold?

-------------------------
87 Corvette
75 Chevy PU
93 Saturn SC2

bohica2xo on Fri April 24, 2009 2:06 PM User is offline

Well, if you keep stuffing refrigerant into it it will get cold... once. When something finally lets go, it will get very cold for a short period of time.

Get a real high side pressure reading and get back to us. At 80f ambient, the underhood refrigerant temp is likely well over 100f. Work with your couplers untill you get a reliable static reading before you blame anything else.

B.

-------------------------
"Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest."
~ Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhi, An Autobiography, M. K. Gandhi, page 446.

TIMSPEED on Fri April 24, 2009 2:39 PM User is offlineView users profile

I MIGHT not have exactly a full charge in it right now...
However, the odd thing is, I plugged my guages into my other saturn, which also doesn't have a working A/C, and the high side reading was right about the same (around 80psi).
Today, I'm going to plug it into my saturn that DOES have a working A/C (Yes, I have three saturn's) and if the high side STILL reads no higher than 80psi, I'm going to call it a bad guage or coupler somewhere (has to be the coupler)


-------------------------
87 Corvette
75 Chevy PU
93 Saturn SC2

TIMSPEED on Sun April 26, 2009 12:27 AM User is offlineView users profile

Quote
Originally posted by: bohica2xo
Work with your couplers untill you get a reliable static reading before you blame anything else..
Yup, you got it. It was my High Side coupler...the internal rubber seal fell apart. I put the guages on my WORKING car, and it only showed 130psi on the high side and I have GOOD A/C...so, yeah. Monday I will get a new coupler and go to work.

-------------------------
87 Corvette
75 Chevy PU
93 Saturn SC2

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