The new life of the formula fastback

[Fierofool]

What sort of problems with the variable orifice tube?

I think he said that the pressures were all wrong.  I think it was building too much pressure on the low-pressure side.

[Fierofool]

The last owner of the car called me about an hour ago just to see if I was still around.  We got around to talking about the car and he said he didn't know it had been converted to 134 and had never had any problem with the AC.  It was working when he parked it.  That was probably 6 or 7 years ago, at least. 

[NoMad]

Well after much trouble shooting, cursing, and two extra cans of r134a due to issues..... The car has working AC. Turns out the really cheap manifold gauge set I had rented from pep boys was finicky. Some trouble shooting secured that the hoses were not actually allowing any flow to and from the car. Got them massaged into working and now the system is fat, happy, and blowing cold air.

Wish I would have scrubbed under the hood and found the sticker so I could have tried just a vac and charge but such is life.

Lots more to do but I can at least now drive in comfort.

[GTRS Fiero]

That's always how it goes.

[NoMad]

Well I bit the bullet and ordered my Mr.Mikes seat covers. Should have some updates soon.

Also knocked iut my oil change last night. Been doing them at 5000 mile intervals. Oil has been Mobil1 synthetic and this time I grabbed a Napa Platinum pf52 equivalent for a little extra capacity.

What kind of change intervals have you all Been doing?

[GTRS Fiero]

3,000 miles, here.

[Fierofool]

I've been doing 5000 mile oil and filter changes on all my vehices for many years.  At least 20.  I was using Fram filters but after seeing an analysis of various filters, I've swapped to Purolator or Wix.  NAPA has one that's made by Wix.  I think it's the one you have. 

[NoMad]

I know NAPA Gold are made by WIX and the Platinum is supposedly just the one for synthetic oils.

[NoMad]

So the first AC belt nuked itself in a week. Looked dry rotted when it came off. Will try to see if they honor the warranty.

My horn now mostly works. Cleaned the ground point on the horn to frame and away she goes. Still have some horn button grounding issues in the column to work out.

Tested the tempreture gauge since the new sender didn't fix the issue. Looks like the gauge is in op and needs replaced. Yay, back in the dash....

[GTRS Fiero]

I wonder if the belt just overheated.  No glazing, right?

[NoMad]

No glazing. Just several cracks that were not there a week ago, some missing rubber, and where the belt snapped you can see the reinforcement bands.

[MikeMac]

When you install the new pressure switches, let us know if your cooling fan runs all the time.  If not, we'd all like to know how you wired them.  DeShoe's conversion keeps the cooling fan running full time and no solution has been found other than to disconnect the switches.

Here is a good thread by my Go-To AC guy.  http://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/117640.html

NoMad...Is your cooling fan operating properly?

 I have a feeling the problem on DeShoes's car is a bad low pressure cutoff switch in the back of the compressor. It is a normally open switch but it must be failed to ground.

[MikeMac]

No glazing. Just several cracks that were not there a week ago, some missing rubber, and where the belt snapped you can see the reinforcement bands.

That was a brand new belt right? Do you think you have a defective belt or is something on the car causing it to shred?

[NoMad]

Hey Mike!

I will have to check on the cooling fan, been so many other small issues I forgot to check.

I am guessing it was a defective belt. I had thought it might have been belt tension issues possibly but am not so sure after getting the new one on and tight and not seeing any issues at all despite the same process and general level of tension.

[GTRS Fiero]

It isn't hitting the battery or battery tray, is it?