I remember before i got my truck i rented the lowes 2500hd wit either the 6.0l or the 8.1l and the second i turned the a/c on i thought, holy crap thats cold. Cooled a truck sitting in a 105* parking lot to goose bumps in about 2 mins...

...so 1 month ago i buy my 2003 hd with the 6.6l...waiting in anticipation to turn on the a/c........wtf?

Practically drove all the way from dallas to albuquerque with the a/c on high re-circlating and never cooled it right.


Well after reading on here i founf the TSB and want to fix it. Truck of corse is out of waranty, so its all out of my wallet.

GMpartsonline.com is no betting then the dealer on the prices, but i did find a place that sells all acdelco parts for geat prices. running the part numbers in the TSB pulls up a different acdelco number, although the acdelco site list both and the representive claimed there are identical.

Question 1: I was under the assumption that GM used Acdelco? are genuine GM parts not Acdelco?

question 2: I have all the tooling incuding a vacuming pump. But i dont have a r134a machine.
Is using the 12oz cans acceptable? 2 cans makes 1.5# and it calls for 1.6-1.8 so the you would have to guess or wieght the 3rd can i suppose.


question3: I though PAG was clear. I noticed my system have alot of green in it. im assuming the previous owner put the leak stop and/or leak dye in there if its not suppose to be green.
IF SO...do i need to flush it? How? How much PAG do i put back in?


Dealer quoted me about $860 to do this, if i do it myself....its more in the $220 range


Thats for the help guys, sorry for any spelling errors!

My '03 had a hard time cooling and I found that it was over charged. I
relieved some of the pressure and it cools steady at 40 degrees at the
center vent. I have also read here that over charged system is a known
problem.

My 02 nevers cools at the begining of the season until I take it in for a charge. Works great all summer. I guess over the winter it loses its charge because next summer I have to do it all over again but it lasts all summer.

I though TSB where good if you where out of warranty or not?

No, the TSB is only a technical buletin, it isn't a warranty item. You get it fixed for free if you in warranty only.

I'd try just lowering the charge on the system first. When I had mine done, that's all they did, no parts, and it's a fridge in there! And very quick too! I barely get out of the driveway before it's blasting real cold air on upper 90's days. If you pump the system down, you could use 2 cans and use a electronic postal scale to get close on the remainder from the 3rd can. Weigh the third can with the hose hooked up and start adding charge until you get the right amount. It won't be exact but bet you can get close.

cararossguy2, I just went through this problem on my '03. If and when you open your system to change the accumulator, install a variable orifice valve (VAV), instead of the factory orifice tube. You can use one for severe duty if you really want to freeze your sack off. It'll cost you about $35 just for the valve, but it's worth it. I used one and charged my system to 39 lbs on the low side and 230 on the high side on a 95 degree day. You're supposed to use 2 extra oz's of oil with the VAV, but I didn't and it cools just fine. I get 38 degrees from the vent in about 4 or 5 minutes during the hottest parts of the day.

My '03 had a hard time cooling and I found that it was over charged. I
relieved some of the pressure and it cools steady at 40 degrees at the
center vent. I have also read here that over charged system is a known
problem.



It was over charged. I release ALOt of freeon...about 20psi worth

Worked better, but still never got below about 58*

I then evacuated all the pressure out and added 1.6# and still about 58....except now it doesn't always turn the compressor on??? sometimes i have to unplug the pressure switch then plu it back in to get it working. very frustrating.

I figure the best option is to replace it via the TSB and do the pressure switch to.




I am worried at the possiblity of the previous owner using those freon+oil+leak stop things.... maybe theres to much oil now and a ton of leak stop clogging up the system.
Thats why i asked about the green inside the system.

cararossguy2, I just went through this problem on my '03. If and when you open your system to change the accumulator, install a variable orifice valve (VAV), instead of the factory orifice tube. You can use one for severe duty if you really want to freeze your sack off. It'll cost you about $35 just for the valve, but it's worth it. I used one and charged my system to 39 lbs on the low side and 230 on the high side on a 95 degree day. You're supposed to use 2 extra oz's of oil with the VAV, but I didn't and it cools just fine. I get 38 degrees from the vent in about 4 or 5 minutes during the hottest parts of the day.


i will google it, but were might i get one of these VAV?

I tried all the fixes above before the TSB actually came out. None really worked well. If the outside temp was above 95, the truck would never really cool off in the cab, even with full force recir going on.

The TSB fix REALLY works and IMO is the only way to go. During the string of 100+ degree days we had in Dallas this Summer, after the initial cool down, my fan would run at about medium-low speed. At idle, in 105 degree weather, I can manually click on recir and hang meat in it, in the middle of an asphalt parking lot!!!

Any real parts store like napa, or carquest. I wouldn't think autozone would even know what you were talking about. Some may call it an "adjustable orifice tube"
i will google it, but were might i get one of these VAV?

UPDATE!

Well I order these parts:

89018601
15136596
15136597
10372792

From Jason cromer at Sam taylor buick/caddy 850-243-8826
Gm list and price at anyother dealer was $286+tax

Hell Gmpartdirect.com was only $6 less at $280


From Jason cromer, parts were $159+12 shipping :)


I figure it will probally only take and hr or so to do and 2 cans of R134 and a little PAG oil the total cost comes to $190 :) compared to the dealers $860 quote i think i did ok.



P.S. the jason cromer deal is for anyone i think, but he is an f-body guy and it started with giving the wholesale price to people on camaroz28.com msg board. So you might need to say your from there, i dunno.