a/c in car blowing hot air?

Question

i have a 1984 buick skyhawk
the a/c is blowing hot air and never getting cool.. what might this be

im already having to get the alternator replaced and would like to know what to do for the a/c so i can do both at once

for one the alternator is not cost me much .. $65 for parts and labor ..

since my mom's b/f is a mechanic

i was given the car for free by my mother and not getting another for atleast 2 years then im probaly going to end up getting her van which is a 91 ..


thanks for the answers..

BTW all fluids are checked weekly

Answer 1

Try getting the freon checked, and the belt's tightness.Since the alternator is bad this could be the problem.

Answer 2

It could be a number of things involved w/you’re A/C, however, sadly, despite what they maybe, all them are going to be expensive & hard to get parts for a car that old.

Chances are you’re A/C compressor has either died, or is cracked or you had a leak some where & lost all your Freon. Also, considering how old your car is, getting the Freon recharged once you find out where the leak came from, is going to be a b*tch, since the EPA banned using Freon in cars. There's a Freon substitute that can be used in older cars, however, it can be quite expensive.

Also, ignore those idiots who just say, "You need to have you’re A/C recharged." A/C's aren't like gas tanks where after awhile it uses up all its Freon; it doesn't work that way. The Freon isn't a fuel OR used like a fuel, rather it's a component of the A/C. Also, A/C's just don't loose their Freon, there has to be a leak for you to loose your charge. You can recharge you’re A/C all day long, but if you don't find the source of the leak, it'll be for nothing because it'll just escape out again.

Sadly, getting your A/C up & running is going to cost more than your car is worth. Around 500-1500 dollar range depending on what needs to be fixed & replaced & good luck finding parts for an '84.

Sorry for the bad news, hon!

PS- Gentle Giant's answer of: "Check to make sure your radiator has water in it. Check your coolant level. Does the head gasket need replaced??? " This has absolutely NOTHING to do w/the A/C working properly. If your radiator didn't have coolant, then your engine would be over heating & chances are you would have either A- cracked the block, meaning enough heat & friction caused the metal of the engine to split or B- Seized your block, meaning heat & friction caused to metal to melt just enough to make the pistons stop moving.

Aprilc232's anser of: "a/c may have leak or may need recharged. It's normal, but not necessarily cheap." The reason it needs to even be recharged in the first place IS because it has a leak.

Nichole K's answer of: "Ok, it may not be as easy as just recharging it, you may have to convert it so that it will be that easy (b/c it is an '84, it may not have the same type of a/c that is in newer cars). That whole kit can be bought at wal-mart" Um Wal-mart doesn't sell auto parts & there's no such thing as a do-it-yourself kit that you can buy there to do an A/C assembly swap.

lizbabe01's answer or: "Well it means your A/C is broken....and you need a new one! DUh" Real intellegent answer there, dumb@ss... She knows that it's broken, she's just wondering what could be broken on it, sh*t-for-brains...

Answer 3

There are two likely cuases , a vacume module isn't opening the vent so the air is still blowing through the heater core , or your air conditioning unit needs more refrigerrant , and since you have an older car you will need to retrofit your system from R12 to the newer
R34A.

Answer 4

Since your car is 20+ years old,
spending good $$ on major repairs (alternator, a/c) is throwing good money away, cuz good bet other mechanical problems will continue.

I would suggest putting the $$
you would be spending on repairs
to purchase a different used car
that is in sound running condition.

Answer 5

well it could just be your thermostat, but it really sounds as if you need a recharge, which can cost on that make & model of car. your mechanic can let you know. go to an auto parts store, read on the possibles, & then play dumb when you go to the mechanic, when he starts to talk mechanic mumbo jumbo throw out something you read so he doesnt think u r too clueless, but still keep ur innocence, then ask if he can check it out for free.

Answer 6

Compressor for the AC is probably messed up. Costs around 300 bucks to fix, I think. Or it might just need freon.

Answer 7

1

Answer 8

On older cars I'd say the compressor seals have leaked all of the refrigerant out. You most likely need a new compressor and recharge of refrigerant.

Answer 9

Ok, it may not be as easy as just recharging it, you may have to convert it so that it will be that easy (b/c it is an '84, it may not have the same type of a/c that is in newer cars). That whole kit can be bought at wal-mart.

Answer 10

Check to make sure your radiator has water in it. Check your coolant level. Does the head gasket need replaced???