Hi guy's, I'm trying to figure out a couple of problems that I'm having with my car right now. One of them is the a/c it's not blowing cold air out. I recharged it Saturday and it was cold cold air but when I went to drive it Sunday there was no cold air. Then Monday there was no cold air at first but then I heard a click and I began getting cold air. When it's not blowing out cold air I can smell an odor almost smells like antifreeze. Anyone know what this could be and how to fix it?

 

How did you recharge it? What were you pressures on the high and low sides? The odor is likely from a cracked heater core, the AC not working could be something else but you likely didnt charge it properly.

 

If your refrigerent was gone, you have a leak somewhere. It's an inert gas and does not dissipate. Re charging will do you no good until you find out where. If the compressor is coming on intermittantly it could be the problem, or sticking relay etc. Coolant smell is most likey heater core.

 

Take it somewhere and have a professional find the leak. It's probably at the condenser since those sit out front.

1. You can't just "recharge" an ac system. On our cars there is a special procedure and you have to replace the condenser when you do it because it houses the evaporator core and orifice tube.
2. You have to evacuate the system and hold a vacuum for like 30 minutes before you can even add refrigerant. Otherwise moisture will build up in the system and that is bad news.
3. Those "recharge" kits you buy at autozone or wherever are useless unless you have the right equipment (gauges, scale, etc). The gauges those kits come with are next to useless. Don't even waste your time with those.
4. You're welcome.

 

Yes the do it yourself recharge kits almost never work, you need the right equipment to do the job properly

 

You don't need to replace the condenser to recharge the AC system. You just need to recharge the system properly with manifold gauges and a vacuum pump. lol

 

Good luck.

 

You don't have to wish me luck, ive been doing AC service for 10+ years on car's. Never once unless its a full system overhaul that has been exposed to outside air for extended periods of time have I ever bothered to replace a receiver/dryer.

 

It's good practice to do so. Most companies won't warranty their compressors unless you can show that you replaced the condenser.

 

The receiver/dryer, which is full of descendant which pulls moisture from the system. Not the condenser. Condensers rarely ever get replaced at all unless they are severely damaged (loss of fins/puncture). But like you said the receiver/dryer is part of the condenser in a cobalt. Doesn't necessarily mean that it NEEDS to be replaced to get your AC to work properly. Vast majority of systems that dont require some sort of major part repair or overhaul do fine with just a full system purge and refill the refrigerant properly. Biggest mistake people make is either they dont vac the system down before dumping refrigerant in, use one of those "recharge" cans and wind up over-pressurizing the system or contaminate the system one way or the other.