Naughty Truck's Air Conditioning System Misadventure
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- čas přidán 9. 09. 2024
- Mistakes were made and things were learned. Everything ultimately worked out fine. Naughty Truck is a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado Classic K1500, and is so known as a result of several electrical gremlins.
On hot (90F+) days, the air conditioner has been outputting approximately 45F or slightly cooler air when pulling in fresh air under normal driving conditions. Performance is better in recirculation mode, as you'd expect.
While I don't often endorse anything, the Harbor Freight Tools 3 CFM two stage vacuum pump shown in the video has worked very well for me. I've tested it to pull down as far as 70 microns. I don't know if the model they sell today is the same or not, but here is a link (US only, as far as I know): www.harborfrei...
I believe (but have not exhaustively proven) that the HFT MVAC service port adapters are vacuum tight, or at least that mine still are. On the BBPOJ, I was able to reach a 300 micron vacuum with them and held very near to that in a decay test.
Vacuum pumps having greater air flow (CFM) can get the job done faster and you might want one for evacuating larger refrigeration systems. That said, I've used the HFT pump for residential HVAC work as well, and been quite happy with it. I don't see the need to spend a whole lot of money on fancy yellow cased pumps that seem to be quite popular.
Procedures shown in this video should only be attempted by trained/professional HVAC/MVAC technicians with the proper licenses. If you attempt anything shown in this video, you're doing so entirely at your own risk and bearing all responsibility for the results whether good or bad. I'm not responsible for the results of your actions.
I hold both the EPA 608 Universal and 609 MVAC certifications. I will readily admit that my approach and the equipment used are a mix between approaches and devices used for HVAC and MVAC.
Bill's videos have become a little more unexpected lately.
And always welcome just like yours!
@@truepcs Vwestlife uploads usually on Thursdays. Sometimes Wednesdays.
His videos are wild
I appreciate someone that owns up to their mistakes. It's about learning from them.
“Driving a video game”…Beautiful analogy
I am with you I love old school gimme analog all day it’s easy to overlook things sometimes we are all human
I cannot take credit for it, as I picked it up from another CZcamsr whose channel I will link later when on an actual computer...
@@uxwbill one of my vehicles is a video game, my other one is very much the opposite, only real option it has is a windshield washer system, and it’s very primitive lol
Glad to see you, Bill! I hope you and your family are doing well. 👌
I'm tired and irritable, so about perfect and like always. :-P
That's a nice truck! I still remember the first video you made on it and how it left rubber on the road when you accelerated.
Outside of the rust, which I don't really have a problem with, it's just about perfect...nicely equipped without going overboard. (It's also a bit of a unicorn in that an OnStar Delete was requested when it was new. I *really* don't want any part of that garbage.)
Oh man, a new UXWBILL video! Christmas in May! Been a sub since the old cold forgotten Buick cold start!
Always great to see a new video from you, Bill. Educational, easy to understand, and pleasant to watch as always, even if they're a bit unexpected. Much love!
I legitimately was just about to pull up one of my old time favorite videos on your channel. So this was a pleasant surprise. Good to see you again
I feel that a set of slip rockers would do wonders for the cosmetics of your truck.
It's a lot easier to do a long lasting repair than you might think. You cut the sheet metal back a few inches from the rust, clean up the edges, then affix the slip rockers over using whatever method you please (Rivets, Panel bond, duct tape, or even welding).
Next you'd want to open up the little body plugs behind the rockers and spray the living hell out of the inside of the rockers with Fluid Film, or even used motor oil (do this once a year)
I did the rockers on my Suburban this way 2 years ago, and there isn't the slightest hint of rust starting.
Oh yeah, don't forget to pick up either a can of Bedliner, or some color matched paint to blend your repair in. Since they are just rockers, I wouldn't bother trying to blend in the seam with filler or anything.
Hi Bill.
In Britain we do tend to use the word hob to refer to a stove or as we call it in Scotland, a cooker which might just be the gas or electric rings/induction cooktop or solid top or an oven or oven/grill combo as is quite common over here.
Very informative video as always, even though I'd never be doing this kinda thing, keep em up.
You know a ton more about ac repair than I do! Looked like you did a much more thorough job than most service shops. I agree with your comments about new cars! I bought a 2010 Toyota corolla for $500 about 3 yrs ago and spent $800 on new tires when I got it. All I've done is some oil changes, gas and cheap insurance.
I plan on running this little Toyota as long as possible since it works like new!
I hope you're pickup lasts a long time for you with very little costs!
Hello again! Glad to see you around once more. Crazy to see you still kicking!
I saw the bottom of that truck and immediately thought "look at all that weight reduction!"
rofl
Fuel economy any way you can get it!
@@uxwbill rofl
I always enjoy the humorous banter. No need to beat yourself up for making a mistake. Fun video, as always!
i remember when i first started watching you but i love your vids there a mix bag you learn everything computers or cars or hvac you never know what your gonna be doing glad to be watching your vids :)
Holy crap, two days ago I remember thinking I wish this dude would post more content
"This dude" has a name...
@@uxwbill I agree Bill i agree 😊
@@uxwbill Is Bill actually your name? Or were you just wishing he'd at least use your screen name...
@@Jon4270 I've never gone by "Bill" in real life. The "Unexpected Bill" pun was just too good to pass up. My given name is William and that's what I've always gone by. Yes, I'd have rather the original poster would have said "uxwbill".
An unexpected bill? Sweet!
It wouldn’t be the finest UXWBill video without mistakes, and tales of Naughty Truck
As the owner of a later-model car, I don't blame you a bit for wanting something that doesn't have fiddly touch screens, or "smart" keys, or other "if it breaks, it costs major money" stuff.
Sure, Toyota makes one of the more reliable products of this type, but my car is a collection of about 57 computers on wheels, and I need special software to talk to ALL of the car. Just getting an extra key cost $200 (to do it correctly; none of this "download shady software" stuff). At least my car has physical climate controls that are separate from the head unit. I can't understand how anyone would tolerate having to dig through the touch screen to adjust the climate controls.
If I could buy a car that primarily just drove and did so without a fuss, I'd be there like shareware.
Hey Bill it doesn't matter if you got something wrong it still was a compelling video by someone who was willing to take the time to investigate what was wrong. I think I speak for all of us when we say that truck deserves a nice engine bay cleaning!
Maybe this video should be called: "Naughty Trucks A/C Compressor Shenanigan's" haha glad your back uxwbill!
I've been doing AC work on my 98 Grand Prix GTP, had a leaking high side port and replaced that now I'm thinking it has a clogged orifice tube. Glad to see the ocasional new video after all these years, hope you're doing well
I'd recommend replacing the high side valve that uses that weird rubber looking valve instead of a schrader I've had/seen many of them leak on the Naughty Truck it's in an ideal spot you can probably get it off with some creative misuse of tools but on the Grand Prix it was buried so I bought the special mastercool socket for changing it. Before I knew it took a special socket I tried changing the port on a Regal GS for a friend and ended up having to replace the hardline it was in which runs from evaporator to the drier on the front of the car.
Your video has been a pleasure as always! I for one certainly appreciate that you are able to get out nearly 3/4 of an hours of worth of entertainment out for us all. I am far from an HVAC expert (computers are my primary area of expertise, with running old, road unworthy cars being a favoured hobby) but I did nonetheless enjoy the video. I somehow ended up watching it all in one sitting, such is the engagement of a UXWBill video. I truly hope that the armchair know alls don’t get overly vocal in the comments; a mistake is just a mistake. It had no seriously ill effect or consequence on anyone or anything. If other people don’t make mystakes*, how am I meant to justify my own?!
As far as the term hob, I had no idea that it was a British specific term! When one refers to a hob (singular) it refers to one burner of a stove top. With hobs (plural) referring to all them or to the stovetop as a whole. It does not refer specifically to either gas or electric stove tops (hobs). The component on which the pan rests (on a gas stove at least), I would call simply a stand; I do not think there is a more specific term for it.
Leo.
*the misspelling is a deliberate and meagre attempt at humour.
Thank you for watching. I certainly do hope it was enjoyable. Thus far, there has been no problem with criticism that isn't constructive. (Now just watch, after I've said something...) In that vein, I'm always interested in hearing what people think, even if they didn't like the video at all. I just expect the discourse to be reasonably civil. :-)
I haven't trained formally on automotive air conditioning applications (but many aspects of their performance and certainly the basic theory are the same as HVAC/R). I just decided to study and sit for the EPA 609 MVAC examination one night. Unlike the EPA's 608 exam, the 609 is open book. (Hence the statement in the video about mixing up techniques from the HVAC/R world with automotive A/C service. I don't have any automotive specific A/C service equipment.)
I'm probably not the guy to ask about the origins of words. After all, I'm usually fairly busy being Wrong On The Internet(tm). All I can say for sure is that only rarely have I heard an American (or Canadian) English speaker say "hob" or "cooker". I picked up the word from various overseas manufacturers of induction cooking equipment. I suppose that ultimately a grill, grate or stand is as good a term as any for what's found on a gas stove.
It's ultimately totally academic, being as I was brought up on an electric stove with regular coil elements on the surface and still prefer electric today. (I will admit that maybe I've never used a *good* gas stove. Nor have I ever cooked on induction, as most of my cookware would not be compatible with it.)
I’ve been watching for at least 12 years and I miss your videos and your moms cooking! Wonder why you stopped posting and hope you get back into it!
I'm very busy with work, and oftentimes tired when I get home. The weekends become recovery and downtime.
Totally agree with you on your lack of interest in virtually any new car on the market. I actually just sold my 2019 VW and traded back-in-time for my fathers ‘07 Buick Lucerne. Getting reacquainted with a push-rod 3800 powered Buick full-size sedan has been a refreshing dose of familiarity in today’s bizzaro world. Going to keep it on the road as long as possible, because it’s the end of the line.
Mister Rocks (below) has it right: "Grates" ... from the 14th Century latin "grata". Or as my grandma called them, "that burner thing" ... from the Yiddish "az burner zakh"
Am British- the hob is normally the whole appliance as one piece, the individual things are called burners or ‘rings’ . I.e the hob has 4 rings. Love your videos when they pop up!
tensioner pulley failures are pretty common on that era of truck. for future reference you can order a stretch belt from a later LS equipped truck. you can delete the failure prone tensioner and you will never have to worry about a future failure.
I suppose if it happens again, I'll see about doing that.
I totally agree with you on the "video game" cars, although I generally call them smartphones. Hopefully third parties will design replacement "infotainment" units with dedicated tactile controls for all needed functions.
Touch screens are by far not the most annoying thing about modern cars, you only really mess with it if you use the navigation because you should still have real controls for radio volume and such on your steering wheel. The real annoying things are the safety features that you usually can't turn off, like randomly slamming on the brakes if the car thinks you're too close to something, but it's actually picking up someone in the other lane. Or a computer controlled boot lid release button that will just BEEP at you for seemingly no reason, instead of actually telling you what it wants on one of the many screens. Or it turns the engine off every time you come to a stop and you push the button to DISABLE it but the next time you start the car it's right back on again.
I don't have any use for a touch screen in a car, nor do I believe they have any place there. In particular, touchscreens cannot pass the "every dashboard control should be operable without having to look at them" test. I could take or leave steering wheel controls (my truck hasn't got them, and I wouldn't buy/order them). Not all "infotainment" (yes, I HATE that word) systems have any physical controls, nor were any of the ones I've seen programmed by anyone who was even slightly burdened by the thought of usability or discoverability.
Those "safety" features are the electronic nannies to which I'm referring, with tire pressure monitoring thrown in as well because I've never seen it work correctly across two decades worth of vehicles. At best, it's a lousy way to implement a thermometer. I could only see it having any value in a case of sudden complete tire pressure loss, but odds are good you'll already know that from how the vehicle is handling before the display says anything. I fear we are heading toward a generation of drivers that will be totally reliant on these "safety" features, rather than staying focused on their task and aware of what's going on around them.
I've never driven any car or truck equipped with an engine idle shutoff, so I can't comment on that, nor does the 4.8 liter V8 engine in Naughty Truck support the variable cylinder deactivation stuff that was offered with the 5.3L V8. The former I could take or leave, the latter I'm at least a little curious about.
To close this up, I will say that the linkages between steering controls and the brake pedals should always be physical in nature, not mere inputs to a computer that behaves as though it knows better, that could fail or become compromised, leaving the driver with no say in the matter of controlling their vehicle or being able to bring it down when everything else has gone wrong.
@@uxwbill Especially the parking brake. Computer controlled pushbutton parking brakes feel so wrong on many levels.
@@s8wc3 The automated parking brakes I do not profess to understand. I gather that people getting out of their vehicles while they are in gear is a thing that somehow happens (or happened) with too much regularity. What I don't understand is how anyone could _be_ that absent minded. I also don't understand how one could ever get out fast enough that they were clear of the vehicle before it started moving. (Perhaps they don't, and end up being dragged along for the ride for a while.)
A tensioner issue is a blessing compared to a compressor problem
These are great trucks.
I've seen them go 400,000 miles, here in SoCal, these run forever.
And hey, I don't fault you for getting a compressor and related parts.
At least you're replacing parts that likely would need replaced, anyway.
Also, I appreciate someone that owns up to their mistakes.
Thanks for the video, Bill.
The compressor was not replaced. All the other supporting parts were.
@@uxwbill I wish salt hadn't taken over,
That truck will go another 200,000 miles.
"Hob" refers to the physical cooking element proper, in my experience. I suppose the grates/grille could be referred to as a pot-holder, seeing as that's what they do.
Great to see you back on CZcams I can't wait to see more videos soon I enjoyed the video
Almost first to cheer for a new Uxwbill video
Well, we've all made similar mistakes before, going after the big parts before looking at the small ones first, just another life learning exercise... :)
Well, "shit happens" as they say. As long as you learned something, anything at all from it, it is not a waste! Its most annoying at the time it happens though!
Nice to see you upload Bill! You'll always have place in my heat you where one of the first people I subscribed to 14 years ago.
Thank you for watching and sticking around throughout the years. (I'm sorry I didn't notice this comment sooner!)
@@uxwbill haha
I've only just noticed how long I've been subscribed
Hope you're doing well btw Bill
I don't know how economical it is for you but here in nebraska I'm getting ready to do a lot of rust repair, ie cut it out and replace rocker panels and some sub-frame bits on my pontiacs and suburbans. I may well just become a manufacturer of these parts since so many I see need them! Mmm road salt..or nowadays this different 'liquid' they spay.
Hope the truck still serves you well since I agree with you on new vehicles wholeheartedly. Too technical to drive and enjoy. I much prefer just a normal radio and a heater at the least for cruising A-to-B.
More than anything else, I'm just not anything like that dedicated. That's especially true on a high mileage, fifteen year old truck.
We're just happy that we get to see a video, AND that you and the family are doing alright. The way I look at it is, it's not a mistake, it's more of preventative maintenance. At least you know what it's not, AND... if that new part doesn't work out, you still have the old part, so now you have spare parts. :)
I had a 97 Silverado with a fiberglass step side bed. I loved that truck it was a V8 but I easily got 22mpg. But rust finally killed it. The frame got to where it was rusted so badly that it broke in half. Still ran great with 300,000+ miles
Good to see you again, Bill. Very informative, as usual. Thanks!
He lives! Was wondering when we'd see another video from ya again!
Have you considered covering the frame and wheelwells with Fluidfilm? I live in a rustbelt in Norway, and antirust treatment is a must if you have an interest in keeping an older automobile. Finding pre millenium automobiles is getting quite difficult, as the rust never sleeps.
No. The effort required just isn't worth it to me.
Good to see you again Bill
i think you just have helped me solve a big mystery with the tsb you just shared because my 2003 Chevrolet suburbans a/c Compressor from time to time makes a horrible sound when you turn it on after it sat overnight and I’ve never been able to find a reason why I think you’ve solved the reason I’m going to inspect that pulley immediately and find out what I need to do to find a solution to fix this problem thank you very much if it makes a recommendation on how to fix the sluggging problem or if it’s just the tensioner causing it please let me know oh and i thought i would mention that particular supplier gets OEM parts for their new products I was surprised as well when I put a compressor on my Ford explore used the same company and I called and asked and that’s what I was informed of that’s how they can guarantee their warranty as they were getting some really bad compressors in the past apparently i don’t know how true this is but it’s what i was told
The "slugging" (internal parts of the compressor being subjected to incompressible liquid refrigerant) to which they refer is purely a refrigerant related problem. Not only does refrigerant "want" to be with the oil in the system, it will also go to the the coldest place in the system, unless something stops it from getting there.
You should definitely examine the tensioner pulley to make sure it is not failing or in the proces of becoming damaged. Unless it's caused by a refrigerant overcharge or too much oil in the system, I don't know of any ways to resolve refrigerant slugging in an automotive A/C system. (Residential and commercial A/C and refrigeration equipment oftentimes uses a small electric heater on the body of the compressor to drive refrigerant out of there and keep it from displacing the oil. Engine heat will certainly help a little to drive liquid refrigerant out of the compressor, as will airflow through either coil (condenser or evaporator) if they become the coolest parts of the system.)
The pamphlet should still be around, so if I can find it and there's anything about solving the problem in there beyond what I've already mentioned (overcharge or too much oil), I'll post accordingly.
i like your video with the nice caprice 93, keep it well
Hey love your videos man, I still watch your mowing videos. You are always so chill and always so so entertaining. Keep doing what you do man.
My 1997 Ram 1500 has never had the A/C serviced and it still freezes me out on the hottest days. I actually have to turn the heat up just a bit to take the bitter chill out of it. Granted my truck doesn't have near the miles yours does as it isn't my everyday driver at 10-14 mpg. It's 25 years old and just about to hit 100K.
Glad to see you again Uxwbill. Nice video
hey uxwbill. you might now know me. but i used to watch your old pc tech videos from like what. 10 years ago?, you were basically my childhood LUL
I remember right before driving out to Denver in my '98 Suburban I went to the junkyard and picked up an A/C Compressor after the original one locked up.
About 100 miles from Denver my I started to smell burning rubber, I stopped and popped the hood to see the A/C pully standing still while the serpentine belt was burning up.
I shut the truck off, took the belt off and worked the pully until it was kinda free.
When I put the bt back on it did run, but it sounded terrible, so I ended up limping to the parts store and buying a new compressor (I originally was just looking for a bypass kit, but they didn't have one in stock).
I'm still using that same belt that got torched 7000 miles later.
I'm going to hazard a guess that GM was still using the R4 compressor in that application, and it definitely wasn't their finest work.
It's my hope that whoever ended up with the BBPOJ appreciates the fact that it's not merely a junker, it's an *air-conditioned* junker.
Actually no, they changed that in '96 when they went to the Vortec MPFI engines. I remember my '95 Burb had the R4 though.
It was still a heck of a lot easier to replace than it would have been with 4.8 in your truck.
Good to see a video from you. Hope you're doing well!
228k is nothing to worry about on these engines. I see these 5.3 with over 500k regularly. If I were you I'd keep this baby forever. I have a 08 with 157k...not even broke in yet. Great trucks. Furthermore I still would have went ahead and just replaced the compressor unit since you were already down there and moved everything out of the way. Either way excellent video.
Ps. That sending unit for your oil pressure is bad. Typically when those gauges fail they will read max psi.
This one is a 4.8 V8. I suspect the rust will be a problem long before the powertrain. My brother and I didn't get as far as getting everything out of the compressor's way when the failed tensioner was spotted. I thought about changing it anyway and couldn't justify the expenditure when the compressor I had was still completely functional.
I do plan to change the sending unit in the near future.
WOW! There were NO balls left in that bearing! It sure did destroy itself. It must have been making alot of noise.
One clue that might tell you whether or not the compressor bearings are bad is to note when the noise occurs. IF the noise is there without the compressor running (clutch dis-engaged), that might point to either idler bearings or the clutch bearings being bad.
If the noise goes away when the clutch is engaged, it more than likely is the compressor clutch bearings.
Like you found when you rotated the pulley by hand, and it was quiet, that should rule out the clutch bearings. But like you also stated, the side load on the pulley from the belt could also indicate that it still could be the idler bearings.
It can be tricky to find what has failed, but you did the best you could.
I was just watching old kitchen table electronics videos, good to see another great uxwbill video!
My dad's hatchback and my Oldsmobile Intrigue lost the A/C last year and I charged both of them. However, both of them lose refrigerant. I'm going to check for leaks by adding the UV dye to the low pressure side and see if the compressors are bad and if they're good and if the Schrader valves are gone, if I'm lucky, I can replace those after I discharge the A/C system, remove the moisture, replace the oil for it, and recharge it.
That and on my car, the pulley on the A/C compressor is squealing like mad because idiot me didn't drain the coolant from the bottom of the radiator and drained it from the thermostat side, which is where the compressor is. I can order new parts for it and get it to work.
To be fair while you didn’t guess what the issue was the first time, I would say this has to be the most throughout when talking about pulling an A/C charge. Most other videos on this kind of install totally glaze over the importance and most just mention to go to a garage or other place to get the system recharged.
From what I've seen of such work being done in dealership garages, I went a lot further than they would, especially on the vacuum.
I think you are awesome, and I love your videos! I have watched you for a few years now, and I love everything you do. I’m looking forward to seeing more videos!
Great to see u again Bill
bill good to see life is treating you well. even if it stopped keeping you cool. ..... as a side note "B flat" ....lol if your gettin paid your a professional.
one day you need to start using that smart phone camera for your video adventures. well time to go see you next time . stay well
I can't imagine why anyone would trade an actual camcorder for a phone camera, no matter how much better they have gotten.
Your videos have great replay value, so I am infuriated that CZcams has removed the ability to sort by oldest uploads first on both mobile and desktop.
Hi uxwbill, I'm way behind on my subscriptions, but I always enjoy seeing your videos. I've been subscribed for 10 years already! Anyway, I agree with your sentiment of not wanting to drive a video game. I don't mind a modestly sized touch screen in a vehicle, but the computer-sized screens in the center of the dash and the wide digital dashboards are hideous. I'll have my 2010 Ford Explorer as long as I can. I've been Fluid Filming the entire undercarriage every year in the last 6 years that I've had it, and while the rockers are starting to rust, the frame is in excellent shape. My suggestion would be to do the same to your truck, get it Fluid Filmed every fall, and maybe even in the spring as well if you have a lot of humidity through the summer and you park on dirt or gravel. It won't reverse the rust, but will slow it down, which would be great to help you keep your truck as long as possible. Thank you for sharing, and I hope you and your family are well! - Eric
Yes, yours is a name I certainly recognize. (I know most of "the regulars" ... whether that's a good or a bad thing I will leave for you to decide. However, I am honored that folks have thought what I've been doing here was at least somewhat or sometimes worth watching for so many years.) :-)
Anyway. (Let's see if I can press a button while I am writing this and lose the whole comment. I probably can! The last time I wrote a similar reply to someone else, I did!)
In this day and age, I suppose I'd have to settle for accepting the presence of a modestly to small sized touch screen. I see some vehicles that have small screens, some of which don't even look to be touch enabled. I'm not sure mere mortals can easily get their hands on them though. (Most are fleet spec trucks and vans, equipped about as basically as one can get them.) There are still the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana full size vans that don't have any touch screen, but if I wanted one of those I'd have to take a 3/4 ton model and boy have the prices ever gone up! $40,000+ buys a basic model and they go up fast from there. I'm not willing to pay anything like that much!
The Ford Maverick truck is a possibility, though I've got a bad feeling it's built the same way so many things are. People as tall as I am (6'2") aren't uncommon, yet they must not exist in the car design world. So many cars -- even the sadly departed Ford Panthers -- are "Clown Cars" to me because there is no headroom and I can't hardly bend my neck enough to get in.
As far as Fluid Film goes...a lot of folks have made that suggestion. I'm honestly not all that convinced it would be worth it. I've already kept "Naughty Truck" for far longer than most people would ever dream of keeping a vehicle. While it is rusty and it shows, it's nowhere near to the point of being unsafe. At this point in its life (almost 256,000 miles and 16 years!), I'm not sure it's worth the effort. Even if it might be, I'm far too lazy to invest that effort.
Well unexpected good news is still good news even if It came from a mistake! I highly doubt many dealers or shops would have gone to the lengths you did to find the problem, they'd rather fire the parts cannon at it. I believe GM has a bit of a history with using leak detection die in new systems, many I've worked on have had it. I just finished replacing the AC condenser on my 2002 Chevy Cavalier and it had it as well and I don't believe the system had ever been serviced to my knowledge. Ps... I totally hear where you're coming from as far as new vehicles are concerned, I can't think of any brand that makes something decent. All the stupid electronic "assistance" features and likewise are a complete joke along with the extreme use of plastic in major drivetrain components. I'd sooner spend the money restoring something older than buying anything off the lot made in the last 10 years.
I was in a new rental car recently and noticed it had a plastic steering wheel. Good grief.
I find it frustrating how most people are happy to get rid of an old car to buy a new car payment and full coverage insurance policy, instead of spending 1/3 of that money to fix up the old one. It's a vicious cycle, because with each new generation of cars they get harder to service.
You know bill I will say one thing you have a big Advantage having and education about refrigeration systems which helps because it is a lot cheaper to just recharge the system yourself. After you said the belt blew I was thinking it could have been the tensioner pulley but also I didn't know it had a separate belt for the air conditioner. I will say in Connecticut it was 96 degrees on Sunday and I'm thankful for my air conditioner that works on my 2014 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI I just don't know how cold that car really gets but I will say it gets to the point that you have to turn the AC down and the fan off because it feels like a freezer LOL. When you were saying that you made a mistake I agree with you we are human and are allowed to make mistakes. I also agree with you about the newer cars with the touch screen radio my car has buttons and touch screen and thankfully is a manual transmission I can't stand automatics nor do I like those Tesla piles of garbage that run around on the highways I'm just thankful that I have a car yes granted the diesel fuel is quite expensive but the overall cost isn't as bad when you have basically 500 to 600 miles to the tank undress 14.5 gallons of diesel which is about 38 MPG average in the winter and about 45 to 50 MPG so far. I hope you and your family be well and hope for your truck to have many many many more miles to go. As little as I drive my car as it is and being 34 years of age as long as I take care of it wash it baby it drive it it shall be my last vehicle however I would like to have another one as second car.
i rthink most people have a chance at changing the oil of their car. recharging theirAC system though, not a chance
@@randomrazr the problem is most people in this Society are very lazy and the acquired skills for a mechanic's excetera nobody even wants to do that. Pretty sad
Not sure why people still bashing on Harbor Freight, they have better tools now. Their Manifold gauge is actually pretty great
My rusty trusty 03 Dodge Dakota's A/C system has been giving me a bit of a project every year so far. I didn't know the A/C worked until I found out that its clutch coil had no ground connection (I actually ran my own solid core ground wire to fix that). Then last year the bearing failed in the compressor's pulley (I was able to replace the pulley, clutch and coil keeping the compressor itself intact). And now this year the clutch coil seems to be dead (the clutch does not attract or click when I energize the coil manually by hooking it up to the battery directly). The coil refuses to even grab a paper clip at this point. This weekend I should have my 2nd round of clutch coil and pulley parts which will be fun all over again and will maybe give me a video upload or two (wish me luck). I have a feeling my compressor may decide by next year that it's had enough. You seem to do things much more in the realm of how they should be done (I just use A/C pro and walmart r134a cans) - hopefully your A/C system thanks you for this and provides you many more years of low/no cost service.
One of my neighbors had a full size Dodge Ram truck from the late 1990s with nonfunctional air conditioning. He asked me one day if I'd have a look at it, and being the curious type, I said yes. For some reason, he backpedaled almost immediately and said "someone else said it was just completely trashed and not worth it". So it never got looked into any further...probably no matter, as rust had almost completely eaten that truck.
Those, "beads" on the old orifice tube, that looks like the beads from the dessicant cartridge inside the accumulator possibly coming apart, and the orifice tube has stopped those beads from entering the compressor.
It seems that those beads really were a part of the orifice tube and not escapees from the accumulator. I tried prying a few of them off to see if there was a screen or filter underneath, and there wasn't. Underneath all of them was a hole large enough that one of those beads at a time could have passed through.
I tried to run an inspection camera down the accumulator's tubing and in both cases, the bend was too sharp for my camera to clear it. I may yet cut it open to see what's inside.
Make sure your rear frame tubes are clean of debris, and spray deluted waste oil in a garden sprayer inside them to prevent them from rusting bad. I have an 02 Silverado Z71, and ever since i bought it in 2017 i have been spraying the frame down once a year before winter with waste oil to preserve it. FYI i had that same tensioner problem. AC worked for the first year, and the second year nothing lol
Or just treat the whole underbody with Fluid Film or alike. More expensive, yes but you are not contaminating a ton of water with waste oil :) Probably lasts longer, too.
I have to be honest when I say that thus far I'm not that dedicated and probably won't be. Usually, I"ll just hose off the underside with a pressure washer as best I can.
I agree 100% with your reference to cars with the touchscreens on them last thing I would want to deal with on a new that has a bug in where the windows or some other component stops working or you can't leave your house with out a firmware update first. Love the video I don't know much about A/C work but I'll looks like you did an amazing job especially the vacuuming part.
It's just amazing to me how bad they really are. Insufficient computing resources, few if any software updates, built on ancient software, no thought given at all to security (seemingly not even a firewall running on those with Internet connectivity), craptacular interface design and I could sure go on. The one in my father's 2019 Silverado Custom is a flaming pile of complete garbage. It doesn't have even vaguely adequate performance (watching it run Carplay is a complete tragedy) and it crashes to a blank screen with great regularity.
(I'd readily grant that the second case is a defect and the unit might be replaced under GM's limited warranty, but who cares when the unit is defective in every way *by* *design* ? I say "might be" because so far the dealership wants to come up with every excuse in the world as to why it's failing, although they have yet to twig onto "because it belongs in a garbage can" as a likely reason.)
Every dashboard control in a vehicle ought to be operable without ever having to look at it. There's no way for a touchscreen to ever pass that test.
@@uxwbill One of the things I *hate* about it is, they put these distracting things into their cars and then require you to have the car parked to do stuff. I get it, people shouldn't be setting up their Bluetooth while driving, but do they realize that *passengers* exist? "Sorry dad, you have to pull over for me, the one *not* driving, to connect your phone!"
You always make comfy vids
He who does not make mistakes walks on water.
The NHTSA back in 2018 made backup cameras mandatory for new vehicles, because of this car makers needed to put a screen to view it, and this resulted in them all changing the radio to an LCD touchscreen to display the camera. The new Chevy Express and GMC Savannah vans have the same old non-touchscreen radio from the late 2000s, so I wonder how they got around that requirement or if the vans are exempt from it
I believe they put the display for the camera in the rear view mirror.
Yay! Good to see a new video from you again!
How odd I just helped serviced three ac systems in the past two weeks. One was the system at home which had a loose wire. The other two were on vehicles. One of which the previous mechanic had disconnected the compressor and removed the fuse. No idea why. The final system was my own vehicle which just needed to be corrected to the right pressure as it was cycling the compressor like mad when the heat started coming at 90 degrees
In a similar vein to the fuse being removed from the A/C system, I really don't understand the mentality of folks who damage or destroy the entire A/C system on a vehicle when it doesn't work, and they have no intention of repairing it. This is especially true of much older vehicles, where factory A/C was a very rare option. I could understand removing the compressor if it locked up, but there's no reason I can think of not to just leave the rest in case some future owner wants to repair it.
@@uxwbill me and my mechanic think it was to up sell his sister a complete ac system instead of the recharge that was only needed after reconnecting the compressor and installing a fuse. We had pulled out his power probe thinking maybe something could be up with the wiring but no after gaining access to the compressor from under the vehicle it was simply unplugged and boy did things seem suspicious of that previous mechanic.
One of my favorite things about my truck (2013 Ram 2500 tradesman) is the lack of overwhelming technology. Feels like a much older truck than it is, but I like that. I have absolutely no idea what newer trucks with this trim level have. Personally I don't care if there is a touch screen on the radio, as long as there are buttons, and no other types of the car's controls are in the radio. I refuse to have to use a touch screen for the climate control!!
I'm glad to see you finally put up a new video even though it was 2 weeks ago and it facing my CZcams never told me that you had a video up there even if I do have you with the Bell. Adventure with GM. I spent about I guess it was about 20 bucks the other day maybe a little more than that but I got a couple pieces of schedule 80 PVC pipe half inch maybe it was 3/4 yeah 3/4 in I put caps on the end of the things I put a key in there use the appropriate PVC glue for the hell on the thing and then I put a hose bib fitting on the end of it and I deal with 16 in holes in a row about every two inches apart and guess what I do with it I'll use it to wash the underside of my vehicle after I have been running around on the dot in Nevada highways sand salt Brian combination in the winter time I can completely wash out my fenders I can get in the Nixon cranny just by change the angles of the dangles and although my 1995 Ford Ranger has lifted a dozen for the most part it has been exposed to the Salt in the winter roads and I can get on anything vehicle cuz my handle is 6 ft long quarter a 16-in drill bit and you can actually get your water to spray about 10 ft up in the air.
Excellent job on the video uxw bill was really glad to see the video definitely looking for more Auto repair videos in the near future excellent job to you and the key keeper keep them coming!! 😎
HEeeeeeeessss BACKKKKK
Great video fellow ac master...lol id keep the low side temp above freezing, so you don't turn the coil into a solid block of ice then no airflow
shouldn't the compressor cycles off if the low side gets too low?
@@Jon-hx7pe It will, although that may not be enough. The BBPOJ had a problem with its A/C freezing up on the lower fan speeds almost from day one.
It's normal for those Silverados to have rust. My brother in law has a 2002. It's doing the same thing. If you wanted to spend the money they can be fixed. It would be cheaper than buying a new vehicle.
It sounds like that truck is worth dropping a few grand into to get the body work done.
Breaking the rules, breaking the rules
Great video UXW!!!
@21:18 Constructive criticism: You could have saved your truck from rust if you would have rustproofed it with oil. People don't realize how effective a rust treatment is against rust with the right oil. Ask CORVAIRWILD, he drives old Suburbans on salty roads, and his vehicles are rust free. This is not a paid endorsement, but I use Rust Cure's Formula 3000. Not sure if it's available in the US, but they do sell that in Canadian Tire stores. I'm sure it can be ordered online.
It's probably not too late to treat the rust on your truck. Also, you could make a new rocker cover out of galvanized vent pipe and some stainless steel rivets and you're good to go! I'm sure the frame is pretty solid still. I had a 20 year old Buick Skylark that was driven on salty roads and it had little rust on the underside.
Truthfully, I'm not going to invest that much effort. About the furthest I'm willing to go is washing the truck thoroughly after the winter weather is past (or several nice days in a row come along), paying attention to as many nooks and crannies as are reasonably accessible.
Good see the the Chevy truck still doing good
Great to see you.
Awesome 👍🏻
ShanemanTV is in Illinois, and in his recent video he said that it was very hot there.
What you're watching was mostly shot about two weeks ago. Now it's cool again. In fact, I turned the heat back on last night.
Came here to enjoy uxwbill's quarterly videotape.
Came away with yet another tool on the shopping list for my side-side HVAC/R excursions (I got dragged into factory maintenance very recently--the money and working terms on offer were unbeatable given my maybe 2-3 years of professional experience and 2 years of school experience in the field of HVAC/R install and service, both commercial and residential--so I'm also no longer doing HVAC/R professionally).
Funny and tangentially related story, I sort of have you to blame directly for getting me to go back to school for HVAC/R and actually get into trying to do it (and I did rather enjoy doing it for the short while I did it professionally even if the pay was kinda crap, it did beat the hell out of the pay Walmart was giving me at the time) so, I mean this wholly, thank you!
I am curious what tool you have been "inspired" to go shopping for?
I never did find a good HVAC/R company to work for, only several that were run by crooks. Needless to say, that definitely wasn't how I hoped it would turn out. Now I'm back in the IT racket, which is OK by me and I'm working for a great company. I am still glad for the experience and thoroughly enjoyed all of my classes.
You're certainly welcome. I thank you for watching.
That there digi manifold you had there. We were *persuaded* to buy a Yellow Jacket one when I was in school, but I was "shoplifting ramen noodles" broke all through school so I wasn't in a position to buy that. The one we were shown was less feature laden though and now I'm in a job that pays enough to keep the lights on, I'm looking back at tools which would have been insanely useful when I was doing that professionally (since now I do it on my own terms outside of my day job).
On that, my experience was sort of similar when searching for work. Most local companies are either less than wonderful under the hood or (in the case of the one I stuck with for the back half of 2021 and the Lincoln area branch of the one I was with in 2020) were just too small to pay big bucks to the green guy.
As bossman at the last gig I worked for said, "even if you don't stay working in this field, the skills you come away with are useful for the rest of your life".
@@bakonfreek Never let it be said I'm not totally out there somewhere, on another planet. I should have figured that you meant the Testo. I have truly been really happy with it. It's even still running on the batteries it shipped with when I bought it about three or four years ago.
The Yellow Jacket digital manifold I've seen looked kind of like it was an afterthought and maybe more than a little fragile, with a box containing a display perched on top of what looked like a "warmed over" conventional manifold.
I never could figure out why nobody reputable seemed to be interested in hiring me. I wasn't even after the big bucks (anything would have been a welcome improvement at the time). Two of the more reputable places I interviewed at seemed like they were going to pan out, until the manager at the first suddenly said "you think I'm going to hire you" (which I did). Since I went through all my classes completely out of order, I didn't have my EPA 608 until much later. I mentioned this to the second place and they didn't seem to think it was a big deal..."we'll sit you down in front of a computer and you'll have it in an hour", yet I never heard any more from them. Maybe I shouldn't have said I had a preference to service work? I dunno.
As you said, nobody can take that knowledge away. I don't regret having gone through the program I did for even a moment (although I wish it had been less focused on wiring diagrams and more on "so this is how installation works").
Funnily enough, things are looking to come full circle. My instructor called me a while back to say he was hanging up his toolbag and asked me if I'd be interested in teaching his night classes. I thought about it for a while and started the ball rolling. It's early days yet, so I'm not sure how or if it will play out. I have the recommendation of all the instructors in that department and it looks like I'd be starting off with just one class per week (gas heat basics).
Yeah, I feel like a bit more could be taught regarding install since a lot of places won't hire service guys right out of school (I got to find that out the hard way, but a couple of places offered me install without me asking under the guise that "it would be great to know how things go together and come apart so you'll know how to fix them" and I'm inclined to agree there, shame my school wouldn't teach us how to install stuff--I gotta wonder if that's a universal thing or if that's just community college).
That's an interesting way for things to come back around. I can't speak for "in real life" since obviously I've only seen you on CZcams, but at least from your personality here on CZcams, I feel like you'd make a pretty good teacher (HVAC/R and some $100 words to take home--my mom is an English teacher who grew up on a farm and for those two reasons, she likes the car videos on your channel).
Could the mystery nodules on the orifice tube perhaps be AC "stop leak" residue?
No, they appear to be simply how it was made. I don't have any reason to believe the system was ever opened prior to my doing so.
Good to see you
It's a part of life, unfortunately mistakes happen.
Luckily in this case, it won't cost you, nearly as much as you thought.
I almost forgot, do you miss the Roach Palace??
I am nothing other than very glad that the Roach Palace is gone.
I had a 1987 Chevy Blazer 4x4 and I do miss that. Then I had a 1997 Chevy Cheyenne C 150 Work Truck. I miss it also I have always been a Chevy guy even though I drove a Mercury Grand Marque actually had 2. Then I am not ashamed to say I drove a 1999 VW Beetle for awhile it got me from point a to point b. Now I a 2013 Dodge Ram 1500 and I love it also even though I really wanted another Chevy I drove the Dodge and it just felt right. I am not against driving a Ford Truck as long it get's be from point a to point b. I plan on keeping the Dodge for as long as I can.
HOORAH FOR UXWBILL
20:53 was that a mouse that jumped down off the rad into the engine bay?
Probably not.
Oh my god... not... no... it can't be... a GM with a mechanical fault? noooooo... say it isn't so! Juuuuuust razzin' ya. I actually like how easy it is to service these rigs - I was able to replace the water pump in my Grandfather's '98 Tahoe in like... 20 minutes. Can't say the same about any of my foreign vehicles!
I am very much of the belief that while most GM vehicles will run for a long time, everything else will fall off, short out, smolder or break.
Other than the engineers not caring (because they don't have to ever work on it), I don't get why everything underhood on a modern car has to be crammed in as tightly as possible. I wouldn't miss points and condenser ignition at all, but there is something to be said for being able to stand or sit underhood, right next to something like a straight six engine.
@@uxwbill I used to have a 2000 S10, and it looked *ghastly* inside with all the plastic pieces cracking and crumbling, but man, that thing was fun to drive. I miss that truck. I'd probably still have it today if it wasn't cheaper to replace it than to replace the parts that were beginning to fail.
Denso are very very good brand, they make parts for Toyota
Nice!
Testo is nice, but a bit too pricey for diyers, the ole dial gauge is good enough for me