Experience with a good A/C repair??

[Wolfie62]

The best place for good A/C repair that I have found is in my own toolbox. First, check the charge of 134a using a Wal-Mart kit/guage. If charged and won't cool, you have control problems. If it the charge is low, buy some cans of 134a and charge. If it cools and no strange noises from the compressor, you have a leak. Use dye to check for leak. Once you have found a leak, go to the repair shop and get a bid on replacing the parts necessary to fix the leak. Use your own good judgement. Not rocket science at all, just good common sense.

The last truck I drove had A/C problems. Had a leak in the sleeper lines. One dealer insisted I needed new compressor and lines, etc. Another place insisted the dash controls were bad. Another said the entire system needed to be replaced without EVER checking the charge.

Guys, this is HIGH PROFIT TERRITORY for all these places---do your OWN homework first!!

 

[RETIDEPXE]

"Had a leak in the sleeper lines."

This is why I carry my A/C gauges and vacuum pump (cheap stuff from Harbor Freight will do) in my tool box. In the past 700k mi.s, I have replace a condensor, accumulator, compressor, high pressure line and repaired one line my self. Most recently found a leak on a line going to the bunk where it runs close to the Turbo in our M2. Cut the line and installed a brass barbed connector that fit the line with a couple hose clamps. Tied a nice heavy stainless wire around the clamp worm screws to keep the high pressure from blowing the hose off the barbs, rapped a heat sheild around it (a spark plug wire insulator from NAPA, fiber mesh of somekind) and wala, vacuum, recharge with a shot of oil bought at Wally world and cool again. Like you say, not rocket sience, the gauges even come with instructions. The vacuum pump is a cheap $14 job that uses air pressure to pull a vacuum. LIke you say, a high profit area for shops indeed!