Finally found a condenser

Ag76 · July 2, 2017

Anyone looking for an aftermarket condenser....CARiD sent me a notification that they have APDI 7014283 Condensers available. $100.44

Looks like CARiD may now be out of stock of this condenser.

jaytee · July 2, 2017

OK finally after waiting 75 days, the A/C condenser arrived and was installed by the Chevy dealer. The A/C is working at this time, but reading the fine print on the repair order they used an aftermarket condenser (AP) and the warranty for the part is only good for that dealership, is this common practice and who do I need to contact to convert the local dealership warranty into a national warranty?

Spurshot · July 3, 2017

OK finally after waiting 75 days, the A/C condenser arrived and was installed by the Chevy dealer. The A/C is working at this time, but reading the fine print on the repair order they used an aftermarket condenser (AP) and the warranty for the part is only good for that dealership, is this common practice and who do I need to contact to convert the local dealership warranty into a national warranty?

I recommend you contact Chevrolet customer service. Hopefully, any further repair will never be needed. But you're entitled to the warranty you paid for.

Spurshot · July 12, 2017

It's been a couple weeks since I replaced my condenser with a aftermarket APC brand. I drove it Sunday in 100F + temps and it cooled as new. Yesterday, I drove it for a few hours in 90F+ heat and it continues to work great.

While I was trying to fix this issue, I ran across GM information that the hoses/lines, and compressor, had all been superseded because of issues, as well as the addition of a stabilizing bracket for the hardlines at the compressor attachment. I replaced all the lines and compressor with the new part numbers, added the bracket, and now replaced the condenser. Even though the lines and compressor were ultimately not the cause of my leak, I'm feeling good I spent the coin to replace them now. I think those particular parts were about $500 in parts off the net. I'd say I'm about $750-800 in parts fixing this, with the $500 being optional/preemptive changing of lines and compressor.

I also took the time to buy a case of R134a for future servicing of my other vehicles. R134a in California, is becoming artificially expensive because of a mandatory $10 deposit/redemption fee scheme that our irrational commie legislature came up with. Basically, you have to pay $10 deposit on top of the retail cost of the Freon. The new "CA legal" cans have a flapper valve that doesn't allow residual Freon in the can to escape when you remove the tap. You have 90 days to return the depleted can to redeem it for the $10 deposit. If you go past 90 days or don't have the receipt, the retailer is not obligated to redeem and the state keeps your $10. This pretty well eliminates keeping Freon on hand. The grand scheme, as it was sold to the public, is that retailers will send all these redeemed/returned cans to a state approved recycler, who will capture all this unused Freon and save the environment. The truth is somewhat less. Otherwise, the state would have required redeeming depleted cans regardless of having original receipts or how long it had been since purchase. Don't you think?

Brian2015 · July 19, 2017

while my AC works, I noticed it is taking a long time for it to get cold when I first start the vehicle. Is this common? Is this a warning that I have been enrolled in the soon you're going to be sweating your c0ck off with no AC club because of crappy engineering club?

gilleydog · July 30, 2017

while my AC works, I noticed it is taking a long time for it to get cold when I first start the vehicle. Is this common? Is this a warning that I have been enrolled in the soon you're going to be sweating your c0ck off with no AC club because of crappy engineering club?

me tooo

Spurshot · August 1, 2017

while my AC works, I noticed it is taking a long time for it to get cold when I first start the vehicle. Is this common? Is this a warning that I have been enrolled in the soon you're going to be sweating your c0ck off with no AC club because of crappy engineering club?

On any really hot day with a vehicle parked in the sun and heat soaked, it's going to take a good bit of time for the AC to cool the ducting in the system before it blows cold air. My truck and car seem to take a minute or two before the cool air is flowing. Much longer to actually cool the heated interior down, of course. Put a thermometer in the center dash duct and measure the temp, while driving. It should be in the mid 40's when the outside temp is in the mid 80's.

Pacfanweb · August 5, 2017

On any really hot day with a vehicle parked in the sun and heat soaked, it's going to take a good bit of time for the AC to cool the ducting in the system before it blows cold air. My truck and car seem to take a minute or two before the cool air is flowing. Much longer to actually cool the heated interior down, of course. Put a thermometer in the center dash duct and measure the temp, while driving. It should be in the mid 40's when the outside temp is in the mid 80's.

My 04 Suburban's A/C has never been touched. Has almost 260k on it, and it'll run you out of there no matter what the temp. You'll be blowing cold air before you can back out of your parking place.

Spurshot · August 5, 2017

That's great. Sounds like you have a well sealed system that somehow cools better than your 2015.

I've had 7 or 8 R134a equipped vehicles. None cooled as well as my R12 vehicles that had hugely oversized systems. I could make ice on the vents with those cars. The compressors, condensers, and evaporators in today's vehicles are a fraction of the size of those old vehicles. You could feel the car slow down when those old compressors kicked in. They're making ac systems smaller for fuel economy imo.

O_J_Simpson · August 6, 2017

On any really hot day with a vehicle parked in the sun and heat soaked, it's going to take a good bit of time for the AC to cool the ducting in the system before it blows cold air. My truck and car seem to take a minute or two before the cool air is flowing. Much longer to actually cool the heated interior down, of course. Put a thermometer in the center dash duct and measure the temp, while driving. It should be in the mid 40's when the outside temp is in the mid 80's.

You failed to tell us what system you had. There are 2. A manual system will chill within 15 seconds. The auto systems will take a little longer and won't get as cold.

Spurshot · August 6, 2017

You failed to tell us what system you had. There are 2. A manual system will chill within 15 seconds. The auto systems will take a little longer and won't get as cold.

I hate when I fail.... My truck is an SLT with the climate control. I didn't know that there would be a difference in how cold a climate control system would get vs. a manual system. Especially when the thermostat set temp is much lower than the actual cab temp. My system seems to go to full cold when there is a large difference. Of course, when I am testing duct temps after servicing, I run the thermostat set temp to as low as it will go.

O_J_Simpson · August 6, 2017

I hate when I fail.... My truck is an SLT with the climate control. I didn't know that there would be a difference in how cold a climate control system would get vs. a manual system. Especially when the thermostat set temp is much lower than the actual cab temp. My system seems to go to full cold when there is a large difference. Of course, when I am testing duct temps after servicing, I run the thermostat set temp to as low as it will go.

Big difference. LOL. The manual system cools right down to about 40F and stays there until the user adjusts the temp control. The auto system like you have in your SLT starts to self mix warm air into the discharge at about 52F. It will not let the cab get as cold as a manual system.