Air Conditioning Does Not Work After Replaced Compressor??

[Pokealong1227]

So last summer I went to turn on my AC and to my surprise, got blasted with outside temperature air. I took it to goodyear and they said that the compressor clutch had gone bad and they recommended replacing the full system(minus condenser) for about $1,100, but told me they were confident the only problem was the clutch. Well I replaced the compressor with a refurbished one from another Grand Prix. Same part, but supposedly with a working clutch. I took it in and got the system charged. Goodyear said everything was done correctly, the compressor seemed to be working fine, they filled the system, but nothing changed. I didn't bother to fix it as by the time I'd gone through all that trouble there was only 1 or 2 more hot months left so I'd just open the sunroof and roll down the windows. Well the hot weather is approaching quickly, just the other day I had all my windows down and it was mildly warm. Granted now it's back into the 20s and 30s(that's Missouri for ya), but I'd like to get my AC fixed before the weather gets into the 80s-100s again this summer. Not sure if this bit of information helps, but I don't seem to get very pressurized heat on the furthest driver side vent either. It is just kind of weak. What would the next step be? I was thinking what I should do is get the freon flushed out, replace the compressor, drier, orifice tube, and condenser, then get it refilled. However I'm not sure if this is the right step or not. I've worked pretty extensively on nearly every part of my car in the little over 2 years I've had it, but I'm unfamiliar with the AC systems in cars still. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

[Fivefingerdeathpunch]

The last time you tried it, did the compressor kick on and off? Lke does the clutch engage and shut off like normal, you'd be able to hear and see it outside of the car.

If that happens the system still has freon and should send out cool air. Otherwise I'd say you have maybe a blender door that isnt working and allowing the cold air to enter the car.

[Pokealong1227]

The last time you tried it, did the compressor kick on and off? Lke does the clutch engage and shut off like normal, you'd be able to hear and see it outside of the car.

If that happens the system still has freon and should send out cool air. Otherwise I'd say you have maybe a blender door that isnt working and allowing the cold air to enter the car.

It did sound like the compressor was kicking on after it was replaced. It had a very loud grinding type sound before replacing, which goodyear said was the bad clutch. Sounded much better after replacement. Can still hear it kicking on. The blend doors also seem to have a full range of motion when switching from heat to AC.

[Pokealong1227]

The last time you tried it, did the compressor kick on and off? Lke does the clutch engage and shut off like normal, you'd be able to hear and see it outside of the car.

If that happens the system still has freon and should send out cool air. Otherwise I'd say you have maybe a blender door that isnt working and allowing the cold air to enter the car.

How hard is it to change the actuators and/or doors? I have the dual climate control. I figure if it's not terrible expensive and moderately easy to do I might as well just do it once it warms up, see if it fixes any issues.

[Fivefingerdeathpunch]

I don't really know off hand how hard there are.

I think someone in the past had posted a diagram of the blend doors and which one does what to help determine if one is bad or not. But I'm not really sure where it would be and that only a guess at the what the problem might be.

[Scottydoggs]

How hard is it to change the actuators and/or doors? I have the dual climate control. I figure if it's not terrible expensive and moderately easy to do I might as well just do it once it warms up, see if it fixes any issues.

turn the heat off. temp down to 60, if cold air is blowing in on both sides the actuators are working. then back to 90, if both sides blow hot you know for sure they are working.

thats all the blend door actuators do, hot or cold, or a mix of the two, aka 70*.

[BrandonHall10]

How hard is it to change the actuators and/or doors? I have the dual climate control. I figure if it's not terrible expensive and moderately easy to do I might as well just do it once it warms up, see if it fixes any issues.

I recently replaced the temp blend door (pass side) on my car. Dual climate w/ digital temp control. Wasn't too difficult. Whatever you do, do NOT plug it in until it is installed.

[Pokealong1227]

turn the heat off. temp down to 60, if cold air is blowing in on both sides the actuators are working. then back to 90, if both sides blow hot you know for sure they are working.

thats all the blend door actuators do, hot or cold, or a mix of the two, aka 70*.

I get either very hot air, but weak power from the driver side vent, or outside temp air. No cold, unless of course it's cold outside. If it's hot outside and I set it to the coldest setting, it is still cooler than being on hot, but it's not cold or even cool by any means.

[Scottydoggs]

http://www.grandprixforums.net/threa...door+actuators

thats the how to.

this is what a 97-03 actuator looks like. see the Y across the round part with the two notches on the middle part that moves? the notches line up with the Y, the V part of the Y is as far as it moves back and fourth. you can take everything off so you can see them, or feel them move with a finger when your turn the heat hot to cold and back.

[Pokealong1227]

I will check it tomorrow afternoon when I have access to a garage(it's currently in the lower 20s). The actuator wouldn't affect the pressure though would it? Causing the vents on the passenger side to blow more air through than the driver side AND be colder than the driver side?

[Scottydoggs]

nope, your fan speed should be the same hot or cold. when you take the glove box door off, up top is a fresh air vent, hit recirculate car running and see if it shuts like it should. its a 8 inch x 3 inch door, it will rise and drop like a guillotine.

[Pokealong1227]

nope, your fan speed should be the same hot or cold. when you take the glove box door off, up top is a fresh air vent, hit recirculate car running and see if it shuts like it should. its a 8 inch x 3 inch door, it will rise and drop like a guillotine.

The only controls on my unit are the dual climate controls, fan speed, defrost(front and back), vent control, and ac button. No recirculate button. Or am I missing something?

[Scottydoggs]

its like max a/c or heat. mine dont say max, i do drive a regal, so things are different, but you still have this door for fresh air.

what mine looks like.

[ItHurtz]

you have a cassette player?

[Scottydoggs]

its a random internet pic and its a moonson.


i do have a tape deck in my stock radio, but it also has a CD player.

not my pic again, but the same radio and cc i have.

[Pokealong1227]

My controls are a VERY different from those. They're dual zone, but the systems not automatic. Maybe because it's a GT without the monsoon system. This picture is how my stock unit looked. I don't have the stereo because I have a full custom pioneeer system now, but the AC control unit is the same. Would the dials turned to the coldest and A/C button off be recirculated?

[Scottydoggs]

does that say max on the knob to the right? if so thats your recirculate button.

if you turn the defroster on even in the winter, the a/c clutch should also come on.

[Pokealong1227]

does that say max on the knob to the right? if so thats your recirculate button.

if you turn the defroster on even in the winter, the a/c clutch should also come on.

Yes the compressor does kick on when defrosting and it defrosts perfectly. And yes it is max. Sorry I guess I misread your last post. I'll have access to a garage at 5, so I'll take the dash apart and check everything.

[Scottydoggs]

good luck, all you can do is poke around and look at stuff. if the clutch is turning thats good.

we've seet the climate controls go bad too, or the vac pumps linkage goes bad too sometimes. you'll know when you open up the lower dash car running move the air flow direction and temp.

[Pokealong1227]

good luck, all you can do is poke around and look at stuff. if the clutch is turning thats good.

we've seet the climate controls go bad too, or the vac pumps linkage goes bad too sometimes. you'll know when you open up the lower dash car running move the air flow direction and temp.

So bad news. Checked the actuators and the recirculation. All seems to be working fine. Weird thing. When it's hot outside, my heat works fine but my cold is weak, it's cold today and my heat is weak but the cold blasts like crazy. Recirculating or not. Also the compressor doesn't seem to be kicking on no matter what I set it too. It was working fine last I checked. I could hear it turning on. Now, nothing. I haven't checked under the hood to see if it's spinning or not because it's freaking cold, but it's going to be in the 40s tomorrow afternoon and I have to change my water pump anyways so I'll check it while I'm checking for leaks.

But as far as options now. Unit should be fine, actuators should be fine, vents should be fine, so where does that leave me? Freon leaks? Condenser? Drier? Compressor? Vac line?(I can check lines tomorrow if that's a possibility)