[DeTomaso] A/C Help...

JDeRyke at aol.com JDeRyke at aol.com
Fri Jun 7 17:33:43 EDT 2013


In a message dated 6/6/13 4:14:24 PM, lance730 at msn.com writes:


> Just tried to charge stock A/C (R12) - on my 88 GT5S - I know nuthin 
> about A/C systems.  The guy
> said - its not holding the charge, and suggests trying a new expansion 
> valve first.  It has a new
> dryer - but the rest of the system is original, and car was stored 10 
> years, and rarely driven.
> 

First, put the car up on a hoist or tall jackstands, because a large number 
of freon leaks will be right thru old deteriorated A/C hoses, and the most 
deteriorated will be the ones that pass close by the engine. A 
flame-actuated or electrinic freon-sniffer will quickly find the problem   Seldom do the 
hoses protected inside the rocker panels ('71-early '72) or inside the 
console (late '72-up) leak. Having said that, we had a hose explosively rupture 
inside the console while crossing the Mojave Desert years ago, and it vented 
compressor oil and fog all over the windshield. So it CAN happen but is 
rare. Rarer still are mechanical component failures, although removing the 
expansion valve and cleaning debris out of the 'secret filter' screen in the 
valve's side-leg will help cooling once you find the leak. Its called that since 
most A/C people don't realize there is a tiny removeable conical 
filter-screen in there. An OEM York compressor can leak from a number of spots but has 
an isolation valve up on top to retain some freon while working on other 
parts of the system. Good luck- J Deryke


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