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What did you do to your "other" car (aka musclecar) today

RyanbabZ71

By RyanbabZ71
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WELL i DIDN'T EVER THINK i'D FIND ONE, EVEN SAID TO MY FRIEND THAT IT WAS NO LONGER POSSIBLE, BUT iT CAME FROM SW TEXAS, NOT A SPOT OF RUST, SO i WENT ALL OUT. TOOK 2 YEARS, and a lot of work But it a

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SnakeEyeSS Senior Enthusiast

SnakeEyeSS

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Posted (edited)

What the heck, I let the car cool off and checked it, pressure rose over 10 psi?!?! On low side. This car is so wierd. How does it go from too low to too high AFTER cooling off. Ambient temp dropped also.

 

But the fans are running much less now since I hosed off the condenser and radiator.

Edited by SnakeEyes
Jsdirt Senior Enthusiast

Jsdirt

Posted
Posted (edited)

Ambient temperature must've went up either outdoors, or inside the car. That's why pressure is only a guide - it will constantly change with every degree of change in outdoor temperature.

 

Another note is those can gauges they sell are notoriously inaccurate. Some worse than others, but as a whole they are nowhere near accurate.

Edited by Jsdirt
SnakeEyeSS Senior Enthusiast

SnakeEyeSS

Posted
Posted (edited)

Ambient temperature must've went up either outdoors, or inside the car. That's why pressure is only a guide - it will constantly change with every degree of change in outdoor temperature.

No, it went down 5 degrees(storm moving in, temps dropping still), AND I left the garage door open to cool off the garage also. Since I have started working on this car it has defied logic.

 

And I bought a second gauge. I have measured the "can gauge" with manifold gauges several times over the years, the one I have is always within 1-2 psi of the manifold. The new one reads the same as the old one.

Edited by SnakeEyes
Jsdirt Senior Enthusiast

Jsdirt

Posted
Posted

Alright - this is tough to diagnose over the net ...

 

Could have air in the system, an overcharge of oil, or a mixture of different refrigerants. Whenever things don't act as they should as far as performance or pressures go, the best course of action is to vacuum the system & start over.

 

If this was a top-off, you can't be sure what the previous owner did. Could be alternative refrigerants, air, or any number of things that shouldn't be in there.

 

But ... if the lines are cold going into the evaporator, you could have a blend door problem - not uncommon on GM vehicles.

 

Wish I were closer to you to help you out. I'm just throwing things at the wall here hoping something sticks without actually seeing it, reading vent temps, pressures, and everything.

SnakeEyeSS Senior Enthusiast

SnakeEyeSS

Posted
Posted (edited)

Guessing you weren't following my progress in the musclecar thread, last week I replaced everything except the condenser and compressor. I drained the compressor oil and flused the condenser, vac'd down multiple times (pressure sensor was acting up) I put in 8-9 oz of oil in, and maybe 20 oz of 134a. For a week it held at about 45 psi, nearly perfect. Then a few days ago it seems to be working worse, so I check the pressure and it was at 30-35. So it sucked down the last few ounces I had.... then today.

 

 

I think it's time to give up and see if it loses everything, them have someone else figure it out.

 

Lines were cold even before I added freon. I don't see how they could be cold and it take two cans.

 

Best case, me checking it so often Slowly let out some freon, and then the oil finally equalized and so pressure dropped a little, then there was some fluke with the gauge and I added too much. I have checked for leaks again. Still can't find one. Seems there might be a little around the Schrader valve but it's a new valve and new cap, so...

Edited by SnakeEyes
SnakeEyeSS Senior Enthusiast

SnakeEyeSS

Posted
Posted (edited)

 

Maybe I'll take my ripped seat, chipped paint, 220k mile Z28 to test drive a 6th. They will either think "no way this guy is buying one" or "this guy really needs one".

 

I have also seen prices climbing since I bought mine. Any 4th in the area with an LS1 and under 150k is asking around 8-12k. That's ridiculous IMO. Maybe I should buy those leather seats and put it for sale for 7500. I'd actually make a buck or two.

 

 

I guess I need to go to the autocross next week. That's why I bought it anyway!

Edited by SnakeEyes
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CadillacLuke24 Enthusiast

CadillacLuke24

Posted
Posted

Get my first real paycheck on thursday.

 

One part for each vehicle....new tailgate handle for the truck, and a "new" (j yard) control arm for the car.

 

:D

RyanbabZ71 Senior Enthusiast

RyanbabZ71

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Posted

Maybe I'll take my ripped seat, chipped paint, 220k mile Z28 to test drive a 6th. They will either think "no way this guy is buying one" or "this guy really needs one".

 

I have also seen prices climbing since I bought mine. Any 4th in the area with an LS1 and under 150k is asking around 8-12k. That's ridiculous IMO. Maybe I should buy those leather seats and put it for sale for 7500. I'd actually make a buck or two.

 

 

I guess I need to go to the autocross next week. That's why I bought it anyway!

A few people I know just graded to 6th gens. The 0% financing swayed them and they really like the 6th over their 5th mainly for the features/interior.

 

 

Ryan

Jsdirt Senior Enthusiast

Jsdirt

Posted
Posted

Guessing you weren't following my progress in the musclecar thread, last week I replaced everything except the condenser and compressor. I drained the compressor oil and flused the condenser, vac'd down multiple times (pressure sensor was acting up) I put in 8-9 oz of oil in, and maybe 20 oz of 134a. For a week it held at about 45 psi, nearly perfect. Then a few days ago it seems to be working worse, so I check the pressure and it was at 30-35. So it sucked down the last few ounces I had.... then today.

 

 

I think it's time to give up and see if it loses everything, them have someone else figure it out.

 

Lines were cold even before I added freon. I don't see how they could be cold and it take two cans.

 

Best case, me checking it so often Slowly let out some freon, and then the oil finally equalized and so pressure dropped a little, then there was some fluke with the gauge and I added too much. I have checked for leaks again. Still can't find one. Seems there might be a little around the Schrader valve but it's a new valve and new cap, so...

 

Ahh, yeah I did see that - forgot about it.

 

I would have tossed that condenser before starting that job. Common leakers, especially on older vehicles, since they're right in the line of fire for road debris and rain. Since yours only holds 24 oz, not a real big deal to swap one in there. Compressor shaft seals are also another common leak point.

 

Leaks can be a real bitch sometimes without the right equipment. Some will leak under pressure, some only when sitting, some only at a certain temperature, and some leak intermittently. There's a reason they make $1,000 leak testers. When doing this for a living, you need to find the leak, no excuses. It can be tough. If you have dye in there I'd run it a while, and if the leak is as big as it seems like from here, it will be obvious where it is, probably even without the UV light and glasses. Will be a big oily spot with dirt and crap stuck to it.

SnakeEyeSS Senior Enthusiast

SnakeEyeSS

Posted
Posted (edited)

 

Ahh, yeah I did see that - forgot about it.

 

I would have tossed that condenser before starting that job. Common leakers, especially on older vehicles, since they're right in the line of fire for road debris and rain. Since yours only holds 24 oz, not a real big deal to swap one in there. Compressor shaft seals are also another common leak point.

 

Leaks can be a real bitch sometimes without the right equipment. Some will leak under pressure, some only when sitting, some only at a certain temperature, and some leak intermittently. There's a reason they make $1,000 leak testers. When doing this for a living, you need to find the leak, no excuses. It can be tough. If you have dye in there I'd run it a while, and if the leak is as big as it seems like from here, it will be obvious where it is, probably even without the UV light and glasses. Will be a big oily spot with dirt and crap stuck to it.

there is no easy way for much to reach the condenser on these. There is sand and grass in it, but the way it's, designed its more of a ram air via lower air dam. Air gets pushed in from below, nothing is directly exposed(think corvettes). Yeah probably just should have replaced it, but not in a hurry to take apart the car, and not exactly worth dumping money into. Edited by SnakeEyes
Jsdirt Senior Enthusiast

Jsdirt

Posted
Posted

Yeah, that's an odd one. I'm out of ideas! :dunno:

CadillacLuke24 Enthusiast

CadillacLuke24

Posted
Posted

I have let out a ton of freon(I'm guessing a can's worth) and the temps and pressure are barely budging.

 

Take a rubber mallet and beat on the darn thing until

 

1) It starts working

2) you breaking, necessitating the need for a new part

or 3)You run out of steam, relieving your frustration.

 

Or maybe not. I have unnecessarily broken stuff in the past that way. HMMMM :D

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