Neon AC

My 2000 neon AC compressor won't start. I have my doubts it's stuck. Will
the AC compressor engage if the r134a is low?

Mike

 

If it were stuck, turning it on would result in loud noises and bad
smells, because the belt would burn, burn, burn.

No.

-Stern

 

Normally if the system is out of 134A, the compressor will not go on. This
is somewhat a safety feature on cars.

 

No it won't, and if the R134 is low save youself a LOT of grief and
change both the evaporator and the condenser at the same time, as they
virtually always fail within months of each other.

 

The above is yet another crockashit from Clare. The evaporator and
condenser do not need to be replaced *unless* they fail, and the idea of
"saving yourself grief" by unnecessarily changing the evaporator,
especially, is utterly laughable.

"Save yourself a bunch of grief, spend nine hundred unnecessary
dollars"...

Pfft.

-Stern

 

Stern - you are being a jackass.
There is a DEFINITE problem with the quality of the a/c evaporators
and condensors on the Neon vehicles - when they are low on R134A it is
ALWAYS due to a leak. In most cases the condensor is found to be
leaking in the bottom right corner.
You go through the trouble and expense of replacing the condensor and
regassing the system - only to find less than 6 months later the R134
level has dropped again to the point the compressor will not run. IF
you were smart enough to put dye in the system at the first repair, by
removing the grommet in the right lower heater housing under the dash
and shining the UV light in, you will find significant indications of
refrigerant leakage on the evaporator core.. When you remove the core
you will find leakage around the edge of the core. This is a STANDARD
FAILURE MODE on the Neon AC. Other than the Evap and condensor cores,
leakage is very uncommon (compared to FORD where the "O" rings like to
be replaced every year or two).
It is NOT uncommon for both condensor and evaporator to fail within 3
years It is very uncommon for them to last as long as 6 years.

Save yourself a lot of money - do the job twice.
It's up to you. You can try to save yourself some money by only
replacing the "easy" part - which is most obvious - or you can do the
job RIGHT and replace the one that is obviously leaking, as well as
the one that I have told you will ALSO be leaking - and which you
cannot see is leaking, all at once instead of doing the job twice.

Oh, and while you are at it and you are pulling the condensor - take a
GOOD look at the rad core too. If the fins are loose behind the left
hand fan, you may as well save yourself some more aggravation, and
spend a bit more money and replace the rad while you are at it -
because you WILL end up replacing it within the year. The consensor
bolts to the rad, and the rad to the condensor. The bolts from the
bottom of the condensor to the rad will in all likelihood break off in
the rad.

In order to remove the rad, you need to remove the entire battery box.
(to get the right fan out)
Usually the battery hold down bolt is seized - so just yank the
battery out of the back clip, thewn remove the battery case and soak
the bottom of the hold down bolt with Kroil or some other GOOD
penetrant to see if you can get it loose. If not, the battery can be
replaced using a bar like the Stanley Tools Wonder-Bar to force the
plastic box/clip back while pressing the battery back in.

Been there - done that - got the "T" shirt - too often.

 

....says the man who recommends hundreds of dollars in unnecessary parts
and labour.

Sure, fine, whatever.

-Stern

 

A/C is a closed up system. Freon, R12, R134A etc does not run out by being
consumed. There is obviously a leak somewhere. In my case, my car holds 2
1/4 pounds and looses less than 1 per year so it's worth for me just to have
some re-added every beggining of summer.

 

The only problem with doing this is that what leaks out is a mix of
R-134a and compressor oil, and what you put back in is just R-134a.
Eventually, most of the oil will be gone from the system and the
compressor will run dry and seize. You could try putting in an ounce of
oil occasionally, but you're only guessing how much has been lost and
there's a great risk of getting TOO much oil in the system.

The proper solution is to find and fix the leak (but not by
"shotgunning" evaporators and condensors at a car that doesn't need them
as one nincompoop suggested) and then recharging with the recommended
amount of oil and refrigerant.

 

Don't forget, according to him you're also supposed to "save yourself
additional hassle" by replacing the radiator, too. For his next trick,
he'll probably try to justify going ahead and replacing the engine, the
left headlight, the glovebox latch and the right rear seatbelt to "save
more hassle".

 

I agree with you, but since my car is 15 years old and don't plan to keep it
much longer, I'll settle with just adding...

 

The cost of the parts is significantly less than half the cost of the
job - and the labour you pay for twice almost pays for the second part
being replaced.

You can believe Stern, or you can benefit from my experience.

 

Ah-ah-aaah, remember, you recommended *three* parts being replaced whether
they need it or not: Evaporator, condensor and radiator. And of course if
you're going to replace the radiator, you're going to replace the radiator
cap, and the radiator hoses, and if you're replacing the radiator hoses
you should replace the heater hoses, and of course you're not going to put
the old coolant back in, now, are you?

Ch-ching, ch-ching, ch-ching. Cash, cheque or charge?

Good old-fashioned oversell, still at work after all these years.

-Stern

 

I did not say replace the rad if it is not needed. I said if the fins
are coming off behind the second fan, replace the rad while it still
has coolant in it and before you need a head and head gasket.
As for the coolant - yes, I re-install it. Just run it through the
recycler ( super fine filter) and adjust the pH. Radiator hoses? They
were still just fine - they can easily out-last today's crappy rads.
The heater hoses are still in great shape too, as is the rad cap,
believe it or not.

I put a condenser in my daughter's 98 last summer. By October the AC
had quit again. I put the rad in this week. Caught it just in time.
The tubes were swelled like balloons in the area where the fins were
gone, and thin as a ballooon too. Only lost about a cupfull of
coolant. She can't afford the evap replacement right now, so she'll
sweat through the summer like I had to when I was a kid.

If I had replaced the rad last summer it would have saved an emergency
run to the shop and about 2 hours of labour - enough to pay for the
rad.. If I had replaced the evap last summer, it would have saved one
recharge, dye pack, and oil, and she'd still have air this summer.
Would have saved the reciever/drier too - which will likely need
replacing if and when the air gets fixed.