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A/C on Passenger vents but not drivers side vents??? 2000 GTP Dual Zone Climate Cont

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Capt Fiero

New member
Ok a long time ago, in a galaxy far away.... Oh wait wrong story. Ok a long time ago, about 3 or so years we bought our 2000GTP and the AC did not work, I had a curious -10 display on the Climate control, came here to find out it meant the outside temp sensor was bad and that was why the AC was not working, replaced that and it worked amazing for a year or so, then we lost high gear in the trans and parked it for a year, until we had the $2000 to get a new trans. Fast forward to a few months ago, we got the car back and the AC no longer worked. I asked the transmission shop and he swore they did not touch the AC nor did they discharge it. Well on a hunch I picked up a couple cans of refrigerant and a cheepo (no gauge just a hose with fittings) AC Filling line. First can went in, and the compressor clicked a few times during filling but didn't fire, 2nd can in, compressor came on and I thought everything was going good. I jumped in the car and warm air from the vents, ugh... then I happened to wave my hand over the passenger side vent and it was blowing cold. What the HECK, I turned the dual Zone on and off, no change, I spun the temperature dial on the passengers side to full hot, which kicked the dual zone back on, and the vents went from cold to warm, then I did the same with the drivers temp knob, it went from luke warm to hot, then I spun it back to cold and it went from hot to luke warm?

I am really confused, can anyone comment on the dual zone system, if you are on the edge of having enough refrigerant, will it run cool on the passenger zone, but not be getting cold enough to cool the 2nd part of the system? Am I just nuts?

The cans I am using are the smaller 16oz cans of IIRC 12a.

If I can figure out what I did with my good recharge lines that have gauges, I will be able to tell you the pressures, but I have been doing AC charges on old cars long enough to gauge (pun intended) the compressor cycles to get by in a pinch without them. Kind of like setting ignition timing without a gun in a pinch.

Any suggestions on this car will be great appreciated. If it makes any difference I am in Canada. The car is a Canadian car, 2000GTP with the Dual Zone Climate Control, digital read out for what temps you want on the pass anger and driver side. Also displays the Exterior temperature.
 


Yes, if the system is low on R134A refrigerant it will blow warm on the drivers side and cool on the pass. side. Get someone that has an actual set of A/C gauges to make sure the system isn't overpressurized when filling, or the A/C will quit working altogether.
 
Thanks FordMann, and Scotty / erics, I will take another look for my good gauges and toss in a 3rd can. Hopefully that will bring the system up. If I have read right, the low side should be about 32-35psi running.
 
your low on charge v5 compressors do not cycle they stay on until you shut ac off so you cant judge charge by stopping when it doesn't cycle anymore. if u have 2 16oz cans just put them both in. it will be undercharged but good enough to work
 


wait a minute did you say you were using propane??? or did you typo that "12a" remark? make sure your using r-134a. don't use that duracool or envirosafe stuff its just propane and illegal to use in most areas.
 
paedbo said:
wait a minute did you say you were using propane??? or did you typo that "12a" remark? make sure your using r-134a. don't use that duracool or envirosafe stuff its just propane and illegal to use in most areas.
Click to expand...

Well it was a typo, but unfortunatlly not on the 12a, it was not a 16oz can, it was a 6oz can, and I have put 2 in. Its sold under the name Red Tek 12a Refrigernant. I honestly did not look to see what it was made from. Local auto parts store Lordco (same thing as like O-Riely's in the states) sells it for 8.99 a can. We use the same stuff in our Blazer about once a year it takes a can. Normally we use Duracool, but bought this instead. I knew a guy back in the day when R12 was just going away, was mixing his own refrigerant for R12 cars I think it was Propane and Butane plus something else. However he has long since stopped doing it. I am guessing that this Red Tek was not a good idea to put in the GTP's System. Well I guess in for a penny in for a pound, and I'll toss in a 3rd can tomorrow. If its going to burn up the AC System at least it will run cool while its doing it. I don't think I'll be able to undo any damage that has already been done.

gtpac.JPG
 
I know people who make their own mix to test systems for leaks instead of wasting r134a on it. However although propane/butane mix is a good refrigerant it just quite doesn't work so well in MVAC. I understand why people were using it for old cars with r12. r134a is not compatible with mineral oil and will not drag it around the system but duracool will. Hence why they say its a direct replacement for r12. Retrofit kits are kind of garbage because you should still remove the old mineral oil before switching to r134a. However in your case since your system was made for it you would be better off sticking to the right stuff. The reason they have to add butane to the propane is to try to get down the high head pressures caused when propane alone is used.

Anyways you can get r134a here for $4.54 a can. You have to buy a case though http://www.ebay.com/itm/Johnsens-13...Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a8306e462&vxp=mtr

around here carquest plain jane r134a is the cheapest of all the auto stores. Don't give in to any of the hyped up stuff. straight 134a is all you want. no leak seal no special conditioners etc. anything you add to the system that is not refrigerant technically takes away from its cooling capacity. Of course except for the oil charge.

also your not supposed to top up systems when using duracool or equivalent because you do not know what mix of propane/butane has been lost. If too much butane gets leaked out the system will start to run on the high side with pressure.
 
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