Just wondering if someone else here has had to purchase new lines running to the rear AC unit in their burbs and where they found the best price. w_huismanatyahoodotcom. Thanks!

Also, how bout a best price on a compressor. Guess I'm in need of one of those too.

Sorry TDG... this kinda sux w/ regards to the new IP, but at least the wifey knows about it. Sure was hot riding 145 miles home from the lake today.

Ouch, I totally understand, Subs really need the dual A/Cs.

Why do you need new a/c lines to rear evap? Got a hole? What's wrong with the compressor?

ackits.com has compressors and stuff. Seem to be an okay bunch, they have a message board, and seem to be helpful online. Never bought anything from there, so don't know for sure personally myself.

Hey, besides how hot does it get in Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota anyway?

Sorry to hear it, Wade. The heat starts earlier here, it seems like I've been enjoying the cold a/c after fixing it for months already.

Question: Is the compressor bigger on the 'burb to meet the extra demand with two evaps? If that's a yes I'd like a part number if you get one.

I don't know if the compressor is different than my Tahoe, but Autozone had mine for $146 w/1 yr warranty. There's a catch though you have to buy a new expansion orofice $4.95 and accumulator $46 to get the warranty.

I think the 'burb's and Tahoe's use the HT6, largest compressor made for GM currently (163cc) If you could come up with an A6, is would have even more displacement (200 +/- cc) System needs to "match." Too little evaporator and condensor will not make it any colder. HT6 is what I have, and it ain't even touchin' the heat load right now.

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Why do you need new a/c lines to rear evap? Got a hole? What's wrong with the compressor?

A couple weeks ago my air quit blowing cold, so I took it to my bro-in-law's shop. When he hooked the AC machine up to it, he found the lines going into the back of the compressor were loose. So he tightened them up, pulled a good vacuum, then pumped it full of freon again. About a week later, she was blowing warm again. This time he replaced the seals on the previously leaky lines on the back of the compressor where, got a good vacuum, and pumped it full again. Also, this time he injected the magic dye too. Another week goes by and it's blowing warm again. With the help of the magic glasses and the magic light, you could see yellow all over the compressor and at the crimp fittings on the lines near the back of the burb.

Hey, besides how hot does it get in Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota anyway?

Mid-90's have been pretty common here that last few weeks, and with the humidity the heat index has gotten over a hundred on several occasions. It's not even the middle of July yet, so the hottest part of the summer is yet to come.

I've been contemplating stealing the AC fittings off a pickup from the salvage yard across the street from my bro-in-law's shop for little or no $, and plugging off the lines running to the rear. Then just replacing the compressor so I have AC in the front. That should get me by till next spring, when I'll pop for the new lines to the rear. Just not sure I want to go about it that way yet.

I've been told the rebuilt compressors that can be bought for $130 or so are junk, used ones run about $70-100, and the new ones run about $230. Seems the only way to go is get a new one. I'll get you that PN, QM, if I decide to go that route. However, I may just gut out the rest of the summer without.

The crimp fittings, are those "mid hose" as in halfway between the comdensor/compressor and the evap, or just as they enter the rear evap? I know some of these hoses have a portion of metal tubing in the middle. If that is your problem, you could cut out the metal tubing and crimped portions, and install some copper tubing with a bunch of hose clamps. Works on mine.

As for the compressor, is it the fittings on top leaking again, or the shaft seal leaking? Make sure that ALL the dye is cleaned off, and try again so you don't get any flakey readings when leak searching again.

Post back, let me know, so you can be cool again, or at least dear wifey.

The crimp fittings, are those "mid hose" as in halfway between the comdensor/compressor and the evap, or just as they enter the rear evap? I know some of these hoses have a portion of metal tubing in the middle. If that is your problem, you could cut out the metal tubing and crimped portions, and install some copper tubing with a bunch of hose clamps. Works on mine.

They're right at the connection to the rear unit, between the right rear wheel and the fender. They're two long lines with no other fittings or connections between the rear of the truck and under the hood.

As for the compressor, is it the fittings on top leaking again, or the shaft seal leaking? Make sure that ALL the dye is cleaned off, and try again so you don't get any flakey readings when leak searching again. Post back, let me know, so you can be cool again, or at least dear wifey.

Mark (my bro-in-law) said the leak on the compressor was not on the lines we had tightened in the previous efforts, but was internal to the compressor. I didn't look at this area myself, so I can't explain to you where the dye on the compressor was showing up, but I trust Mark. He's my bro-in-law and a fishing buddy.

So do your hoses go fitting-hose-metal tubing-hose-fitting? Or does it go not have a metal tubing part. If they are leaking in between and not on the connection fitting to the evaporator itself, why not cut out that part, run it in copper (sleeve it in something so not to rub a hole in it, like heater hose) use hose clamps and go on.

Or did I misunderstand 'zactly where your leak is at? You could buy a whole new hose assembly, but you could start to drop some money on that.

Common point of failure on the compressor is the shaft seal. Most guys will replace the compressor, but I have heard of a few that may actually try to replace the seal. Not many of them out there would attempt it either, need tools to do it from what I understand.

Not sure about exactly how the hoses look without climbing under the truck for a look. Might do that tonight or tomorrow after I get home from work.

As of today, here's my tentative plan of attack.

I'll buy new lines from GM ($200 for the pair) and get a used compressor ($70). I'll put them in myself to save on labor costs, then have Mark vacuum test and pump her full of freon again ($45).

How tough can it be to replace the lines running to the rear unit? Anybody here have any experience with this?

What a pain in the ass.

Change the accumulator/drier while you are at it. Long hose runs, especially in long vehicles like mine and yours spells moisture. Mine gets moisture within a few weeks, EVEN with a new drier installed. Opening up the system is even more moisture.

Cheap insurance!

Cheap insurance!
He's right

Where's the accumulator/dryer?

the rubber hoses can be replaced on the hard lines. If I am understanding you correctly and thats whats leaking. You may have to find a place that builds AC systems to have this repalced. basically they cut off the old hose and crimp connector and replace the hose with new crimp connector. Its a lot cheaper than getting an whole new line set. Or at least it has been in my experience. I use a place in Tampa called Mark's Air. They build systems for off road equipment as well as cars and trucks. I usually get my AC parts from them for my street rods. I have gone in there with some really weird requests and they have always helped me out. Another option is you could get bulk AC hose and just run hoses all the way to the back. you will have to get the ends crimped on but thats not a problem. Make sure you use AC hose though, especially with R134. I think it has to do with the size of molicules (not sure this is spelled right) of R134A. They are so small they will go through the side of a regular rubber hose like heater hose or something. This is why you must change the O-rings when doing a convert from R12.

As far as an compressor, I am partial to the Sanden 509. I run this compressor I most of my equipment. I have gotten them preaty cheap off E-bay. You will have to make a bracket for your Burb though. This might be more than you want to get involved with. The simplest method would be to get a replacement compressor.

Hope this gives you a few more ideas

Silver tank near the evaporator. Usually is where the low side access fitting is.

Silver tank near the evaporator. Usually is where the low side access fitting is.

Gotchya. Thanks!

This was an issue on another chevy forum I was part of years ago. The rear A/C on the Suburban does not receive enough air flow with the fan on low to function properly. Without the higher air volume blowing something happens to the condenser back there, or something (sorry I can't remember all the details). The rear fan needs to always be on medium or high in order to have longevity on the rear system when the A/C is on. There was some sort of design flaw that caused a high amount of failures of a part or two in the rear that this feller (Dean Darwin) learned of. He shared it with us and I've listened to his advice.

My wife does this with her Burb. and I've suggested it to friends with them, as well. You guys qualify:thumb: . Hopefully this will help prevent some issues with some Suburbans and Tahoes in the future.

If someone thinks this belongs in another thread, let me know.

SnowDrift

UPDATE:

I've got a used compressor lined up out of a wreck w/ 53k miles on it. $80

The parts guy at the local GM dealer told me to take my leaking lines that run to the rear AC to a place in a neighboring town that rebuilds them from rubber hose. Supposedly it costs half as much as ordering new lines from GM, they supposedly last "5 times as long", and they're supposed to be a heck of a lot easier to re-install than the metal ones. Rebuilt Lines: $120

Who woulda thought a GM parts guy would refer a customer to another parts source?

Still hoping to get out of this mess for under $300.

Actually, in the long run, metal would be better. That rubber allows a lot of moisture permeation (sp?). Moisture in your system will mix with the PAG oil and create acid in the system, eat up that compressor. Can this guy fix what you have right now? Or does he have to build you a whole new set from scratch?

Don't worry about the rubber lines there, knk. Plans have changed again. Upon pulling the lines loose from the back condenser connections, I found the condenser threads were shot. I talked to the good ol' bro-in-law about it, and he says that is extremely common on those aluminum to aluminum connections.

Guess I'm going to get new fittings under the hood that abandon the lines to the rear, leaving me with air up front only.

Hope I have better luck with the connections to the front condenser.

My AC just went out on my truck as well. I found the best prices for compressors on E-bay. I think I paid 255.00 for a new compressor, Or tube, and accumulator. This also included the oil. I found a site online that sold AC delco parts and ordered the line set for another $55.00. If you are interested in this company PM me and I will look it up. I figured for a little over $300.00 bucks I can replace just about everything on mine. My hoses were probably alright but I figured with the price of R134A being where it is I wasn't going to take a chance.

I had the same thing happen on my dad's truck, where the aluminum fittings fell apart upon removal and I had to replace it all.

Guess I'm going to get new fittings under the hood that abandon the lines to the rear, leaving me with air up front only.


A little serious, but mostly TIC, what about an AC unit for a house window, but mount it on the floor in the back (not out a window)? I've seen some small ones go for around $80. That should crank out plenty of cold. It'd be recirculating everything inside the 'burb.
My AC is underpowered, so the idea crossed my mind recently as a cheap, inelegant fix.

I had the same thing happen on my dad's truck, where the aluminum fittings fell apart upon removal and I had to replace it all.

If the same thing happens when I replace the lines to the front condenser, I'll just get a new front condenser. But there's no chance in hadees I'm gonna replace that rear condenser. More trouble and dollars than I want to get into. Most of the rear interior needs to come apart to replace that thing. No fun. And even though I can't find it on rock auto, I'm guessing it's a pretty spendy part since the rear fan is connected to it and sold as one unit.

This past saturday I installed new AC lines which disconnected the rear unit. I also installed a new compressor sized for a typical GM truck without a rear unit. Then on Sunday, after figuring out that the oriface valve doesn't come "pre-installed" in the new lines as it was in the old ones, we finally got a good charge and cold air blowing out the vents.

Thank God it's done. It was 98 here on Saturday and 96 on Sunday, with heat index values of 103 and 107 respectively.

Now, back to driving the burb to ball tournaments and pulling the boat between lakes.

(Hey Tex, can we shoot for a deal in September sometime?)

Hey Guys,

I have a similar problem with the A/C in my Burb, and I was hoping you guys could help. But first the setup, this is a pretty lengthy story. In a nut shell, the A/C compressor froze up last summer, followed shortly both my head gaskets. I replaced everything last Fall, but kept the compressor unplugged because I did not recharge the system. About two weeks ago I tried turning on the A/C and charging the system. Only problem was, I couldn’t get the compressor clutch to engage. I tried jumping the low pressure switch and still nothing. So I returned my compressor under warranty and got a new one. Of course now I no longer have a high pressure switch on the compressor.

My question to you guys is, how can I get this darn clutch to engage? I know I can jump the low pressure switch at the dryer, but what about the high pressure switch on the compressor? Do I need that switch installed just to test the clutch prior to recharging? Can I jump that switch as well? I am really stumped as to why I can not get the darn compressor clutch to engage?

juancho, Either buy a new high presure switch or put the old one in there if you still have the core.