A truck's refrigeration system relies on a correct amount of refrigerant in order to keep the process working and the 1998 Chevy S-10 is no different. Without enough refrigerant, the compressor will not be able to produce high enough system pressure to adequately move the refrigerant through the system with the ultimate goal of removing the heat. If the air conditioner of a truck isn't blowing cold enough air, the problem may be a low level of refrigerant. In this case, the truck's refrigeration system must be charged.
Locate the low side AC valve. This will be on the front end of the truck right by the radiator. It is usually a blue cap. In order to ensure it is the low side valve, feel the temperature. The low side valve should be colder than the high side valve assuming the truck has been running. Another way to test it is to hook up the A/C adaptor. The adaptor will only fit the low side valve
Check the battery power of your smart adapter and ensure it is functioning correctly. Hook up the assembly to the valve and start your truck. The adaptor will diagnose the pressure in your system. If it is low, then it needs to be charged. If the pressure is high, a licensed professional will need to remove refrigerant.
Shake your can of R-134a refrigerant vigorously to ensure that it is homogeneous. Connect the can to the A/C assembly and turn it upside down to ensure refrigerant is flowing out.
Check the truck's vents to see if the air conditioning is blowing cold once the can is empty. If it isn't, have the smart adaptor diagnose the system again. If you don't have a smart adaptor, simply charge the system with another bottle of refrigerant.
