I have a 2004 Olds Silhouette and the air conditioning isn't working. When I turn it on, I hear a faiint, high pitch whistle but the air doesn't cool. I tried to add coolant with one of those kits with guage from Walmart and the preasure already says it is good. I am very handy with a meter as a 30 year copier repairman but can't find a wiring diagram to know where to begin troubleshooting. Does this sound like something that a backyard mechanic can handle or something I should save up to get fixed at a dealership?

autodr

• 260 Answers
• Posted on Nov 16, 2008

SOURCE: Olds silhouette heater blows cold air

as long as the engine temperature is normal, i would suspect a clogged heater core, the dex-cool antifreeze is notorious for building up deposits in cooling system. have heater core flushed first to see if it makes any difference

SOURCE: 2002 olsmobile alero w/ 3.4 litre engine overheating

replace thermostat . before putting in a new one.remove both hoses on radiator .flush out radiator then your block where thermostat go .remove the hose to water pump. use garden hose .dont turn it on too high. just enough to get the rust and gunk out of block.flush at the top where thermostat go.watch the water . from your water pump. it look dirty .keep flushing until you see clear water and a good flow not a tiny flow .make sure your water is too high. also change coolant sensor. this should help i had the same problem.

SOURCE: driver side air conditioning will not cool

are you not getting any air or hot air???
Here is a laundry list from my memory as to what may be causing causing the problem.
1. Low freon:car will act like this when it needs a freon recharge. Such did not solve my problem, however.
2. Stuck door. There is supposedly a "door" (for want of a better term) inside the heating/cooling system that regulates temperature and/or cabin airflow. The door opens and closes according to the temperature and and dual climate settings selected. If this door gets stuck, it causes hot to blow out drivers side and cool on the passenger side.
3. temperature sensor improperly reset. if the battery gets disconnected and reconnected improperly, it will cause a malfunction in the sensor responible for delivering the proper temp through the a/c system. Disconnect the battery and reconnect with negative terminal first; check all fuses that reference climate control, a/c , heater, etc in manual, remove for 15 seconds, reinsert or replace if necessary.
4. Computer malfunction. The problem may stem from the climate control interface itself (i.e. the thing with all of the temperature knobs and buttons). Replacing this is supposed to fix the problem.

BEFORE TRYING ANY PROCEDURE PLEASE CHECK THE RESPECTIVE PART

Harvey N Tawatao

• 3854 Answers
• Posted on Nov 08, 2009

SOURCE: My 2000 Olds Silhouette leaks coolant.

First is to check to see if it's your intake gasket, pull the dip stick and look at the condition of the oil. Look for excessive sludge and milking, look under the oil cap and look in to the valve cover, also pull the PVC valve and look at the condition. Check to see if there is sludge and milking, if there is then you have antifreeze leaking in to you engine crank case which is very bad. The antifreeze is corrosive to the engine bearing and will soon cost you a new engine if there is no indication of antifreeze in your crank case, then it's a leak somewhere else through out your cooling system. If you see the leak from the out side then that's good, it may just be a bad hose clamp that needs to be tightened. If your not sure and want to buy some time, add about 3 table spoon of common kitchen Black Pepper. The black pepper will work it's way throughout the cooling system and will plug up the leak for now and the great thing about pepper is that it will not leave any residue when you flush out the system, not like the radiator stop leaks out in the market. Good luck and keep me posted, it could be the heater hose to the heater core.

Testimonial: "No, I did not notice any antifreeze in the oil. I was aware of this possibility due to past experience on a different vehicle many years ago."

SOURCE: I have a 2000 Olds Silhouette that keeps running

That engine is FAMOUS for the intake manifold gaskets to leak. Does it run hot all the time or only when its low on coolant. When its hot and the fans are on, is the air coming through the radiator HOT? it should be, if its not HOT or LUKE WARM, the radiator isnt flowing coolant. Make sure the water pump isnt leaking. The thermostat is a pain to replace, so make shure its bad before replacing it. Does it run hot sitting still or going down the highway? If it cools on the road, check the cooling fans. They only work when the a/c is on OR till the engine is approx 230f or so.