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Keep It Cool, Baby!

© Garth R. Smith

Here we are once again. The grass is growing, the trees are green and it's HOT! Here in Texas we have a saying that the best thing about summer is that it only comes once a year. So let's take a look at what it takes to keep you and your car running cool this summer.

Since cars became a necessity for the masses, manufacturers have been offering air conditioning in their vehicles. Some people would say that they still don;t have it right, but mobile A/C has come a long way. Many cars now have electronic climate control that you can set just like the thermostat in your house to keep the temperature at a steady level. In order for the air conditioner to work properly however there a few simple maintenance items you may want to check before it gets hotter. Most cars have a condenser for the refrigerant. This part looks like a radiator and is generally located in front of the radiator. Make sure that there are no leaves or other loose materials in front or behind the condenser or radiator. Any obstruction will reduce air flow and hamper cooling ability. Also, make sure that the radiator has plenty of fluid and that the engine cooling system is working properly. The hotter an engine runs the more pressure will build up in the A/C system thus further reducing the level of cooling.

If you haven't done so in a while have a licensed technician check the A/C system. He can tell you if there are any leaks in the system or if any components need servicing. A little preventive maintenance now can save you a lot of money later. The average price to have an A/C compressor and its complimentary components replaced can easily run over a thousand dollars.

If you drive an older car (1993 or earlier) be ready to take a hit the wallet. Most vehicles made before 1993 use the refrigerant designated R12. Back in the mid '80's you could walk into the corner parts store and buy a can of R12 for less than a dollar. In the late 80's the EPA in its infinite wisdom decided that R12 is "like, destroying the ozone, man" and put a moratorium on the manufacture and importing of R12. Now you can't buy it without a license and if you do have a license and can find it you can only buy it in a 30 pound container that costs over a thousand dollars. That means the driving public can expect to pay about sixty dollars a pound for it and the price will probably jump to over one hundred dollars by the end of the year. There are substitutes out there that claim to do as good a job as R12, but many of these use butane or propane as a main ingrediant. I don't know about you, but the thought of driving around with a canister full of pressurized flammable gas under the hood makes me a little nervous.

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