MJDiesel

Hello everyone, I have a lot of questions. It seems that the more I work on this piece of junk, the more it keeps falling apart! Oh well, it could be worse......I could be stuck with a Ford!!!

First, the AC hasn't been working. I think that I will have it evacuated and then replace the seals, expansion valve, and dryer. Then drain the compressor, replace the oil according to directions in the conversion kit, install 134A fittings and have someone with some gauges charge it (while teaching me how to do this work). Living on a farm, it will be handy to have this knowledge. Does this sound like a good plan?

Also, the upper seal on the steering box is leaking like crazy. After searching this forum, it sounds like a frame crack might be the culprit. Either way, it really should be fixed. Is it worth it to try to replace the seal (I was informed that it is almost impossible???) or can I buy a remanufactured gear box for a reasonable price? I suppose that a junkyard could be an option, but they usually want way to much for their used and questionable parts!

Finally, the cruise has quit once again after I invested time and money into getting it operational. It accelerates fairly hard when the cruise is set instead of staying at one speed point like it should. I have had this problem before (although not this severe) and it turned out to be a vaccum leak. I fear that the problem may be the servo itself this time, but I should make sure that it is not a vaccum problem this time. I think that if i could somehow create a small cloud of smoke (or something), I might be able to detect a leak. Any other ideas about this or other causes of the cruise control failure?

Oh yeah, the brakes suck too, but lets save that for another day!!!

Anyway, if you can share any wisdom, it would be greatly appreciated! I might get this thing all fixed up and ready for another needed repair. And the transmission will still suck! On the other hand, I could just repair it with a stick of dynamite, who knows? Either way, everyone on this forum has been very helpful and I am greatful for that. Keep up the good work!

wannadiesel

Do a little more diagnosis on the A/C before tearing it apart. If it's low on refrigerant then you need to find out where the leak is. I'd do a quick & dirty conversion, throw some dye it, find the leak, then fix it right.

There's a link in the sticky to a how-to on the steering box seal. A cracked frame or mount wouldn't have anything to do with it - but you still ought to look them over good while you have the box off to do the seal.

Best way to find a vacuum leak on one of these trucks is to get a small handheld vacuum pump like a Mityvac. Take the vacuum line off at the pump and hook up your hand pump. Try to pull a vacuum. If you can't get it to hold vacuum, work your way up the system until you can hold a vacuum, and replace what leaks.

I'm thinking brake booster myself.

MJDiesel

Hey thanks for the help! There is a wealth of info in the "sticky"!

My father has a R134A can tap. Do you think that I should just charge the system with about the correct amount, along with some dye? The system is empty right now (I am not going to get into that!) and I have ran some sealant and indicator dye in it when I tried that Freeze-12. I didn't find any leaks. The fact that the Freeze 12 didn't work makes be wonder if it is not a compressor problem. Then again, I may have just overcharged it a tad. I guess that it needs to be charged to find the problem anyway, so that is my plan. Do I need to worry about oil, or is it OK to use the R-12 oil until the system is pumped?

The brake master cylinder makes sense!

wannadiesel

Did you ever find where the leak was with the dye? If you know where the leak is, then fix it as you had originally planned.

The cheapo conversion kits come with "conversion oil" that you blow in through the low pressure port. That would be fine if you feel the need to charge the system up again. It ought to be vacuumed first if it's been opened, though.

MJDiesel

No, didn't find a leak. I should just take off the condensor and look it over good. After all, it took a good hit from a deer and that is what I had originally assumed to be the problem. But, the AC was not very strong last year, so it could just be a small leak elsewhere. If this is the case, then I have no problem with giving it a shot of freon every year to keep it charged. I just need to investigate a little further before I know exactly what to do.

The Chrysler-specific kit that I got included all needed seals the oil in a small plastic jug (not pressurized can) so I suppose that I will still have to remove the compressor and drain-fill it with part of the oil, right?

Dang it, I just NEED to learn about AC systems! My pickup, in addition to two tractors on the place, have out-of-comission AC. This gets a bit annoying when its 100 degrees. And the bill from the implement dealership (when they recharge-work on AC) is nothing short of horrible!

wannadiesel

Yes.

You can get a set of gauges from Harbor Fright for about $40, and if you have a stout air compressor you can use an ejector style vacuum pump (around $10, also from Harbor Fright). Even if you have to buy an electric pump, one use will pay for it. Then you will be completely independent of a shop for your A/C work.

MJDiesel

Bump-

Thanks again for the help. I think that I have the steering box repaired, but I still need to solve the problem with the cruise and get the AC working. I might just go ahead and order the tools from Harbor Freight.