Automotive Air Conditioning Information Forum (Archives)

jameshobbs on Mon June 25, 2012 11:11 PM

Year: 2000
Make: Buick
Model: CENTURY
Engine Size: 3.1
Refrigerant Type: R-134a
Country of Origin: United States

Where is the orifice tube on a 2000 buick century 3.1? I have a belly leakier & am going to replace the compressor, Accumulator/Drier and want to replace the o-tube while the system is open.
I am use to it being right before the fire wall ( on the outside ) were the metal tubes head into the cabin to the evaporator core ?
Thanks for your help, Randy

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Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take - but by the moments that take our breath away
Thanks, Randy

GM Tech on Tue June 26, 2012 8:33 AM

I just service a 2000 buick regal last night- it had a belly leaker--- I removed compressor- put in all new seas and o-rings and re-installed- in 45 minutes---all done and out the door.

No need for an accumulator or OT on a failure mode of "leak" only for seized or mechanical failure.....save yourself some hassle- you have to remove the brake module to access OT on a W-car-- and I have never had to do that because I don't replace them.. because 99.9% of V-5 failure modes are for "Leak"

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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......

jameshobbs on Tue June 26, 2012 10:16 AM

Thanks ! I had put green dye in the last charge & pulled a vacuum then added r134, but before I found it was a belly leakier this last time I tried to put some more R-134a in it to see were it was going ( it had stopped cooling hi side was down low with the car off I knew it was low )
It was a 80 + degree day but as I added 134 to get the system to cool and find the leak the high side would never get above 130 to 140 and the system seemed to not want to take a charge, it never did start cooling ( low side was running 40ish ) I did not pull a vacuum it as I was just trying to find the leak and get it to cool for a while. do you think there was air in the system ? & that was not letting it take the 134a in ? The compressor has never been noisy but I was wanting to make sure the O-tube did not have metal in it or trash ? I am going to put a new compressor on it ? Your thoughts and comments will be appreciated very much !
I was a afraid it was over there under all that crap Well another automotive engineer that should of been a technician for at least 5 years before he was aloud to design his first car ! If he had to work on his junk it would be different !
Thanks so much for your help, Randy


-------------------------
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take - but by the moments that take our breath away
Thanks, Randy

GM Tech on Tue June 26, 2012 11:22 AM

A V-5 compressor (or any other) will not perform right with air in the system.....simple as that...

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

jameshobbs on Tue June 26, 2012 11:33 AM

With ( V-5 ) belly leakier is it pulling air in when it is leaking at the case O-rings ? or just leaking R-134a out ?

-------------------------
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take - but by the moments that take our breath away
Thanks, Randy