Re: Air conditioner is fixed - sorta . . . maybe . . . I think . . .

[Robert Houk - WorkGroup Server Firmware <Robert.Houk@East.Sun.COM>]

   Coupla questions:

   1. Cools OK, but just OK. If I stick a thermometer in the vent, how cold
   should it be? No, it doesn't snow in the car, but I just have the
   impression it should be colder - no guesses from me, I want a number. If
   low, add freon? Full charge is 1100 grams of R-12, 10% less for R-134. How
   do I check this?

"Conditioned" air is typically 50-60 F, sometimes as low as 40F, but you
risk icing up (my thermostat died, and turned the entire cooling head
into a block of ice!)

   2. AC off, car idles and runs like silk - an absolute pleasure. AC on, car
   idles and runs like ***T!, idle drops from 800 rpm to 600 rpm (is there an
   adjustment or "throttle kicker" for when the AC is on to raise the idle?).

There should be some form of idle adjust to compensate for the compres-
sor load. On my '83 UrQ, it's a small electrically-actuated air valve
(back of the head) that allows a idle air bypass, it's good for about
150 or so RPM. I added a small toggle switch to manually engage it,
makes a dandy "fast idle" for those cold winter mornings!

   3. How much should the gas mileage drop AC on vs AC off? 5 KS, 5 speed, not
   turbo.

   4. At 600 RPM, you have never heard such a racket at idle! I think every
   heat shield and exhaust bracket on the car is resonating. Gotta crawl under
   and shake stuff - suggestions on where to look first?

   5. When turning AC on for first time, there's a WHOOSH from behind the
   dash, drivers side, that sounds exactly like truck air brakes bleeding off
   excess pressure - sharp, loud hiss, one or two seconds, then all quiet and
   works fine. What goes on here?

Sounds like a typical pneumatic air valve ("vacuum solenoid" or "servo");
I'm surprised it's all that loud, maybe you have some sort of leak?

   6. Noise in blower motor housing - sounds like fan is hitting something -
   probably dead leaves, gotta check that.

   7. Any easy way to get the recirc door off? (and back on again) Gotta
   change the weatherstripping around the rim. It's two screws and the link
   for the vac. motor - I recall this being a grade one knuckle scraper when I
   changed the vac motor last year (AC didn't work then).

   8. Also gotta vacuum out two hundred years accumulated dead bodies and
   other trash from AC ducts - otherwise it blows all this crap right in my
   face! Ugh!

I put in a "screen" (coarse wire mesh, on the order of 1/4 inch grid) to
keep out the major leaves, nuts, rodentia, and whatnot. I just tie-wrapped
it directly under what passes for a grille in front of the windshield.

					-RDH