HHR AC broke

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Background: Went all winter without needing AC or the radiator fan. Fan conked out. I pulled it, hotwired it to a battery, it's definitely dead. Got a new fan, it works off battery. 2007 HHR base model.

I was out driving with the AC on, working well enough, got in a traffic jam. Car started dinging, it was in "overheat protection mode" with 240'F coolant. (Car has a coolant readout on the odometer.) I pull over out of traffic, the ram air cools it down, I investigate, swap relays and fuses, can't get fan to work. I let it cool down, roll down the windows, crank the heat, it behaves itself, I get out of traffic. Going 65, I run the AC again, it works.

A few days pass, the car is parked. Fan arrives in mail. I install. Run engine with AC on for a minute to test, fan doesn't engage. Engine does not warm up fully (yet). Also the AC isn't cold and the AC clutch doesn't engage. I assume the car uses AC line pressure to "know" AC's working and to kick the fan on.

With it idling, I open the charge port, planning to charge the AC up. Green goo is oozing out the schraeder port. I assume the o-ring in the cap was mostly holding refrigerant in as a backup plan, but that over several days, enough oozed out to kill it. I thought, heck, let's put a can on and charge it, but there was significant pressure and spillage trying to get the fitting on, and the can's gauge went up to red, so I said, forget this. (Also was hoping that "teasing" the valve might get it to reseal.) Remember that the car has only been running a minute.

I pulled a mfr specific code that read along the lines of "AC pressure switch low".

I gave up on AC and let it warm up fully, the fan kicked on of natural causes at 217'F like it's supposed to. So at least the car's safe to drive.

My question is, since I ran it hot, did this screw things up? IE did I over-pressurize the condensor by not having a fan blowing over it, which stressed the whole system, which found a weak spot in the schraeder valve, causing a slow leak?

What course of action should I take?
 
Recharge it with the refrigerant that has dye in it, see where it leaks. The Schrader core SHOULD have been able to take high pressure-but if it continues to leak, you'll see it.
 
Isn't this one of those catch 22s where you have to get the compressor to kick on to suck down the low side so it's low enough refrigerant will flow out of the can? Right now the compressor doesn't want to go.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Isn't this one of those catch 22s where you have to get the compressor to kick on to suck down the low side so it's low enough refrigerant will flow out of the can? Right now the compressor doesn't want to go.

You can short circuit the low pressure switch to force the compressor to turn on.
 
Even if you get the compressor to kick in and pull in the refrigerant in the can, you still have a leak. If you don't have the skills and knowledge and manifold gauge set, then bring it someplace to have it fixed.

I hope you have not added anything with a sealer?
 
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I jiggled the schraeder valve with a tire valve tool. Turned it CCW 1/4 turn, then back tight again. IDK how it ever got loose/ gritty, I'm not the original owner.

Then I pawed around looking for the pressure switches. Couldn't find any up top. Then I dug around underneath, I sheared it clean off with the fan shroud.
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But then there are still naked terminals sticking out, and I stuck the wire on, and AC works! Topped off what I feel I leaked out (totally precise off course) and
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Does anyone know if the pressure switch can be changed without opening the system to atmosphere?

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To future HHR fan fixers-- the radiator/ condenser flips forward over the bumper if you remove the hood latch and L-bracket things. Then you can pry up on the fan, it just clips in with downward force. GO UNDER THE CAR AND UNPLUG THE AC SWITCH then rotate the fan shroud 90 degrees in a series of manipulations to keep its "prongs" from hitting stuff LIKE AC SWITCHES and lift out.
 
All vehicles I've seen have a Schrader valve under the pressure switches so you can remove them without losing refrigerant. I don't have any experience with HHRs though.
 
Originally Posted By: exranger06
All vehicles I've seen have a Schrader valve under the pressure switches so you can remove them without losing refrigerant. I don't have any experience with HHRs though.


What he said.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
This seems legit.
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To be honest, if you tie like, 3 of them, spaced at 120 degree intervals, you'd be set.
 
There's an oring under that switch too. Replace it.the Japanese cars are usually built so that you lose the charge when changing the swich. Ford and gm don't.Chrysler can be either way.
 
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