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Newbie Question - Pressure Readings 2002 ?

WyrTwister on Wed July 09, 2008 7:08 PM User is offlineView users profile

Year: 2002
Make: Buick
Model: Century
Engine Size: 3.1L
Refrigerant Type: 134A
Country of Origin: United States

Does any one have a temp / pressure chart I can use for this car ?

Also , where is the orifice physically located , in the engine compartment ?

Thanks ,
Wyr

WyrTwister on Thu July 10, 2008 1:15 PM User is offlineView users profile

The compressor locked down this last winter . Replaced it and the accumulator . Bought the orifice , but could not locate where it was ( Hays manual did a poor job of describing / showing this ) .

Can this be gotten to w/o removing other parts ?

A/C worked fine until a week or so ago .

What kind of pressure readings are commonly seen if the orifice is stopped up ?

I put some more 134A in the system this PM . 35 - 40 PSI low - 225 - 250 PSI high - 90 degrees F out side air .

Neither line to the accumulator is even cool , much less cold .

Dual driver / passenger controls . 80 degree air - driver side , 60 degree air - passenger side .

Thanks ,
Wyr

mk378 on Thu July 10, 2008 1:57 PM User is offline

I think my mom had one of those cars. On it the two service ports were right next to each other on a line on the right fender. The OT is in the joint between them.

I suspect you have a blocked condenser, and the new compressor is about shot now too because of debris from the first one that wasn't cleaned out.

WyrTwister on Fri July 11, 2008 5:53 AM User is offlineView users profile

Quote
Originally posted by: mk378
I think my mom had one of those cars. On it the two service ports were right next to each other on a line on the right fender. The OT is in the joint between them.



I suspect you have a blocked condenser, and the new compressor is about shot now too because of debris from the first one that wasn't cleaned out.

Do not know about the condenser ?

But I found the low side and high side service ports .

But still have not found the orifice tube ? :-(

Thanks ,
Wyr



mk378 on Fri July 11, 2008 8:46 AM User is offline

If you had a compressor lock up (the compressor part, not just the pulley bearing), it was grinding itself up inside before finally locking up. The bits of metal went into the condenser first, and most of them will lodge there because the passages inside a modern condenser are quite small.

Do you have the ports next to each other on the pipe between the condenser and evaporator, or some other arrangement? The OT is always somewhere in the pipe between the condenser and the evaporator. Some cars had it built in so you hac to replace the entire pipe but I think that was mostly a Ford thing. The GM should have it at what looks like a normal connection betwwen two parts. There will be 3 dimples crimped into the pipe about 3 inches downstream from the coupling nut. The dimples hold the tube in place inside the pipe.

GM Tech on Fri July 11, 2008 8:51 AM User is offline

Hey Folks- This is a GM "W" car- the OT is below the brake module- you must remove the brake module to access it---

-------------------------
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......

WyrTwister on Fri July 11, 2008 11:27 AM User is offlineView users profile

Quote
Originally posted by: mk378
If you had a compressor lock up (the compressor part, not just the pulley bearing), it was grinding itself up inside before finally locking up. The bits of metal went into the condenser first, and most of them will lodge there because the passages inside a modern condenser are quite small.



Do you have the ports next to each other on the pipe between the condenser and evaporator, or some other arrangement? The OT is always somewhere in the pipe between the condenser and the evaporator. Some cars had it built in so you hac to replace the entire pipe but I think that was mostly a Ford thing. The GM should have it at what looks like a normal connection betwwen two parts. There will be 3 dimples crimped into the pipe about 3 inches downstream from the coupling nut. The dimples hold the tube in place inside the pipe.

compressor locked down last winter ( defroster was going , I think ) on the car . Wife was driving .

Do not know / remember if it was the clutch bearing or the compressor .

Not saying you are wrong . The condenser may be stopped up as you say .

Would like to replace the orifice , any way . Bought a new one when I bought the compress & accumulator . So I still have it on hand .

It was recommended to replace it too , but , as I said , I could not find it .

Then if the A/C still does not work , I will be pretty sure the condenser needs replacing too .

Shame they do not put a filter / drier in the liquid line , immediately after the compressor . Like they do on a home type split system .

Does the accumulator act like a filter , on the suction side ?

Thanks ,
Wyr

WyrTwister on Fri July 11, 2008 11:32 AM User is offlineView users profile

Quote
Originally posted by: GM Tech
Hey Folks- This is a GM "W" car- the OT is below the brake module- you must remove the brake module to access it---



That would explain why I was never able to locate the OT .

Great engineering ! :-(

Can the brake module be moved enough to get to the OT w/o disconnecting the brake lines ?

Thanks ,
Wyr

It is to the right hand side ( looking at it from the front of the engine ) of the vacuum break booster , at the corner of the firewall , fender and wheel well . Below the booster .

How do you remove the brake booster ?

Thanks

Edited: Sun July 20, 2008 at 7:46 AM by WyrTwister

WyrTwister on Mon July 21, 2008 4:25 AM User is offlineView users profile

Got it to cooling , thanks for all the help .

See my thread on the 2002 Buick Century power brake vacuum booster , if anyone is interested in " The rest of the story. "

I had to move the booster out of the way to get at the orifice tube fittings .

The OT was indeed mostly stopped up .

Thanks ,
Wyr
.

Edited: Mon July 21, 2008 at 4:27 AM by WyrTwister

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