2007 Pontiac G5 Sedan, 2.2L, 4 speed auto transmission, 145188 miles, manual A/C. I just installed a new condenser and a/c compressor. I used a flush kit to flush the hoses and also the evaporator and expansion valve (flushed at the firewall due to difficulty in removing). I replaced all the seals under-hood, and wetted them with PAG oil.
I installed the parts and a new serpentine belt and I believe I did it all correctly.
I put vacuum on the system for 2 hours.
When I engage the compressor clutch and open up the low side gauge with my refrigerant bottle open and attached to the service hose, the compressor is not sucking in the refrigerant. The pressure goes up to 80 psi and nothing happens. The hi side remains in vacuum. Nothing is happening. No refrigerant is being sucked into the compressor, but I can see the compressor clutch is engaged because the triangle portion is spinning.
Do you have any advice for me?
Well, if the compressor has been in, it's not sucking then you have a restriction in the system somewhere something's clogged up like the orifice tube or the condenser. Something is blocking the flow
Since I just installed a new condenser, I have to assume it is not restricted. Rock Auto doesn't list an orifice tube for my vehicle--would it still have one? Will it be under the dash by the evaporator or near the expansion valve? Does the entire dashboard and center console have to be removed to access the evaporator? I used a flush gun to flush out the evaporator at the firewall connector and stuff was flushed out and I didn't think anything was restricted. Did I plug up some screen doing this? Is it at all possible my new Denso compressor is inop? In order to get the A/C clutch to engage with the hvac controls, I had to get some refrigerant into the hi side. Now both sides are 50 psi (just the refrigerant can pressure). I am using HC-12a instead of R134a which I can't buy in the store here in Ontario. Does that matter? (Thank you for the first reply btw. . .) 😎
Scotty doesn't usually revisit questions he's already answered.
You wouldn't have both an orifice tube and an expansion valve.
You didn't mention the drier, hopefully you replaced that.
The problem with flushing parallel-flow components is that the flushing compound may go around a clog rather than pushing the debris out. (It's a little hard to tell but going by the photo of that part at rockauto.com I think your evaporator core is parallel-flow.) The expansion valve "should" keep debris from a failed compressor out of the evaporator, but I wouldn't doubt that it's possible for some to get through. It's also possible that there is debris stuck in the expansion valve itself impeding its operation.
I don't know what you need to do to access the evaporator and expansion valve on that specific car but dashboard removal is commonly required.
The HC12a refrigerant should work OK as far as I know. (We don't see that stuff much in the U.S. due its flammability, potential legal issues, and R134a being readily available.)
You may want to ask in an AC technical forum where professional HVAC technicians hang out before getting in deeper.
