ormani
New member
So it all started when I did a radiator flush. According to the instructions on radiator flush, I was to cleanout, refill and run this stuff with the heater on high. For a deeper clean it was suggested to run for a couple of days before refilling with fresh new coolant. So that's what I did ran it for about an hour with heater full blast, next day same thing. The third day when it was cold from not running it. Drained, flushed well with water to make sure all flushing fluid was gone, and filled up with Fiat antifreeze.
All was going well but I noticed the A/C was not cooling so well. Being in Miami Florida heaters rarely ever used, especially in high like I was running for radiator flush.
So who knows, maybe a leak or something developed. I started thinking, maybe the radiator flush had some acids that might have ate away something : O - ring? aluminum?
I stopped by the local autozone store and picked up some refrigerant charge, with stop leak and compressor conditioner. The can even had a pressure gauge, braided line and a quick release nozzle for the low pressure.
I drive back home, pop the hood, put A/C full blast, connect the can and it measures yellow for low. No problem , shake the can and start pushing through in like intervals. Gauge is moving up from yellow slowly towards the green. All of a sudden , it by passes green all together and goes right on the beginning of red line. I immediately disengaged and figured some will probably leak out a little. I will be good.
Go in the house, hour later get in the car. A/C is blowing nice and cold. Then I start hearing like this jet noise, and then a BOOM. I even felt it in the cabin, but can't remember if it was the startle of the noise or a something exploded around the center firewall. What ever it was it was not good.
Looked around every where and no signs of oil residue. Compressor stopped working.
Bought some more refrigerant with stopleak. tried a little this time. Compressor would kick on as was filling system then shortly after stopped. Looked like leak somewhere in engine compartment area. Low pressure hose look like a culprit. Changed it.
Compressor then wasn't working and left it alone when all the Covid stuff started. I been fidling with it, ended up getting really gauges, a vacuum pump. and still will not hold vacuum and compressor will not engage. tried pushing florescent dye through system with compressor not working engaged but no signs anywhere. I even went a little courageously crazy and took the whole dash iut and looking in through evap / heater box for fluorescent traces and haven't really seen anything. Anyone have any clues, ideas, suggestions?
All was going well but I noticed the A/C was not cooling so well. Being in Miami Florida heaters rarely ever used, especially in high like I was running for radiator flush.
So who knows, maybe a leak or something developed. I started thinking, maybe the radiator flush had some acids that might have ate away something : O - ring? aluminum?
I stopped by the local autozone store and picked up some refrigerant charge, with stop leak and compressor conditioner. The can even had a pressure gauge, braided line and a quick release nozzle for the low pressure.
I drive back home, pop the hood, put A/C full blast, connect the can and it measures yellow for low. No problem , shake the can and start pushing through in like intervals. Gauge is moving up from yellow slowly towards the green. All of a sudden , it by passes green all together and goes right on the beginning of red line. I immediately disengaged and figured some will probably leak out a little. I will be good.
Go in the house, hour later get in the car. A/C is blowing nice and cold. Then I start hearing like this jet noise, and then a BOOM. I even felt it in the cabin, but can't remember if it was the startle of the noise or a something exploded around the center firewall. What ever it was it was not good.
Looked around every where and no signs of oil residue. Compressor stopped working.
Bought some more refrigerant with stopleak. tried a little this time. Compressor would kick on as was filling system then shortly after stopped. Looked like leak somewhere in engine compartment area. Low pressure hose look like a culprit. Changed it.
Compressor then wasn't working and left it alone when all the Covid stuff started. I been fidling with it, ended up getting really gauges, a vacuum pump. and still will not hold vacuum and compressor will not engage. tried pushing florescent dye through system with compressor not working engaged but no signs anywhere. I even went a little courageously crazy and took the whole dash iut and looking in through evap / heater box for fluorescent traces and haven't really seen anything. Anyone have any clues, ideas, suggestions?