Hi I'm new with a 2003 chevy malibu
December 2nd, 2016, 8:20 PM
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Hi I'm new with a 2003 chevy malibu
I've owned this car since it's had 130,000 miles. Now it has 195,000. It had a grocerie list of items that needed to be fixed:
Missing ac condensor
Bent radiator core
Improvised core support
Cooling fans fail to turn on
Check engine light on (bank 1 issue)
So far I've fixed the check engine light by replacing the EGR valve and am not concerned about the severe bend in the radiator core because it does what it's made to do without leaking. I also was able to replace the Improvised core support (1/4" flat stock with holes drilled in it) and re-bent the frame to fit a core support taken from a pontiac. I was in a rush to fix the fans not turning on, so for now they're linked via wires in the fuse box to the control relay for the rear defroster. Once the engine reaches proper temp, I turn the fans on by pressing the defroster to keep the optimal engine temperature. This will stay this way until I get bored enough to actually go through the electrical system to see what's actually broken in it. At first glance the relays appear to be working(although they could be the wrong relays), yet they aren't getting switched on.
Finally to the reason I'm here. I would like to get the a/c working. It's been missing the condensor for at least 5 years because of a dear issue (remember the radiator core being bent?). I have access to a guage manifold and a vacuum for the lines, what should I expect to replace before I charge the system? Will the dryer, compressor or the expansion valve need to be replaced since they have sat static/exposed for so long? Should I replace all the o-rings in the lines? Or shall I simply insert a condensor from an old one I find at the junk yard, vacuum the lines and charge it up?
Missing ac condensor
Bent radiator core
Improvised core support
Cooling fans fail to turn on
Check engine light on (bank 1 issue)
So far I've fixed the check engine light by replacing the EGR valve and am not concerned about the severe bend in the radiator core because it does what it's made to do without leaking. I also was able to replace the Improvised core support (1/4" flat stock with holes drilled in it) and re-bent the frame to fit a core support taken from a pontiac. I was in a rush to fix the fans not turning on, so for now they're linked via wires in the fuse box to the control relay for the rear defroster. Once the engine reaches proper temp, I turn the fans on by pressing the defroster to keep the optimal engine temperature. This will stay this way until I get bored enough to actually go through the electrical system to see what's actually broken in it. At first glance the relays appear to be working(although they could be the wrong relays), yet they aren't getting switched on.
Finally to the reason I'm here. I would like to get the a/c working. It's been missing the condensor for at least 5 years because of a dear issue (remember the radiator core being bent?). I have access to a guage manifold and a vacuum for the lines, what should I expect to replace before I charge the system? Will the dryer, compressor or the expansion valve need to be replaced since they have sat static/exposed for so long? Should I replace all the o-rings in the lines? Or shall I simply insert a condensor from an old one I find at the junk yard, vacuum the lines and charge it up?
Last edited by Jackleek2008; December 2nd, 2016 at 8:24 PM. Reason: Grammer
