Recharging the A/C
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 474
Likes: 3
From: Chandler Arizona
Recharging the A/C
My a/c blows cold air from the passenger side and warm air on the drivers side. I was told by fellow members that I am likely just low on refrigerant and need a recharge. Has anybody here done this? Is the low pressure port the one closest to the nose of the car or the dash of the car? Any pointers you can provide would be great.
I was thinking of using this to add freon. Has anybody tried it?
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductD...tnumber=MAC134
I was thinking of using this to add freon. Has anybody tried it?
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductD...tnumber=MAC134
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,159
Likes: 2
From: Stillwater, OK
I did this just a week ago because of the warm - driver/cold - pass ac problem.
The port is on the passenger side of the car, next to the battery box. Look for a black cap.
I bought a tall can of R134a with Oil from O'Reileys. The can has a hose and guage mounted already on it. I checked the line and the guage read "low" almost "filled" I just turned the ac on full blast, shook the can really good and hooked it up and sprayed the refigerant in SLOWLY untill the guage reads filled. Now my AC is ice cold on both sides of the car.
The port is on the passenger side of the car, next to the battery box. Look for a black cap.
I bought a tall can of R134a with Oil from O'Reileys. The can has a hose and guage mounted already on it. I checked the line and the guage read "low" almost "filled" I just turned the ac on full blast, shook the can really good and hooked it up and sprayed the refigerant in SLOWLY untill the guage reads filled. Now my AC is ice cold on both sides of the car.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 734
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
Did my a/c system this weekend too. I had swaped engines in Sept 05 and hadn't needed to recharge it until now. Mind you this is what I did for a completely empty system.
I went to a company called Harbor Freight and picked up a vacuum pump specifically made for R134A systems. The pump was under $20.00 and it creates more vacuum than just running the engine. It also removes any moisture from the system. I hooked the pump up to my air compressor and attached it to the sealed system for 5-10 minutes. Once vacuum was reached I disconnected it and added R 134A to the beginning of the "alert" level. Works well so far.
I believe I read somewhere that toxic gas will form if you don't do your ac system correctly so that is why I went and bought the pump.
I went to a company called Harbor Freight and picked up a vacuum pump specifically made for R134A systems. The pump was under $20.00 and it creates more vacuum than just running the engine. It also removes any moisture from the system. I hooked the pump up to my air compressor and attached it to the sealed system for 5-10 minutes. Once vacuum was reached I disconnected it and added R 134A to the beginning of the "alert" level. Works well so far.
I believe I read somewhere that toxic gas will form if you don't do your ac system correctly so that is why I went and bought the pump.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Failure to correctly evacuate the system will allow moisture to remain in the system and the moisture in the system will form an acid that will corrode the aluminum evaporator and condenser coils which will eventually cause pin hole leaks (read $$$$$$$ out of your wallet) to form.
The moisture in the system can also cause some of the internals to form ICE and either loose efficiency or plug up all together.
There is a desiccant Bag in the receiver dryer that can take care of some moisture but not a lot. Evacuating the system also gets rid of the NON CONDENSIBLE gasses. (basically air) which will enable the system to operate more efficiently.
BC
The moisture in the system can also cause some of the internals to form ICE and either loose efficiency or plug up all together.
There is a desiccant Bag in the receiver dryer that can take care of some moisture but not a lot. Evacuating the system also gets rid of the NON CONDENSIBLE gasses. (basically air) which will enable the system to operate more efficiently.
BC
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,159
Likes: 2
From: Stillwater, OK
Originally Posted by SivlerBulletMike
Thanks for all the info. I was not planning on evacuting the entire system, I just wanted to add a few ounces of coolant. Is this ok?
Heel & Toe
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
You must leave the vacum pump on the system for more than 5-10 minutes. 
that is the only way to remove the moisture, what is acually happening is that you are lowering the boiling point of the water or moisture so that it boils off and will be removed thru the pump. Also after you pull a deep vacum shut the pump off and watch the gauge if it comes back to "0" after pulling a deep vacum then you have a leak 
that needs to be fixed.
that is the only way to remove the moisture, what is acually happening is that you are lowering the boiling point of the water or moisture so that it boils off and will be removed thru the pump. Also after you pull a deep vacum shut the pump off and watch the gauge if it comes back to "0" after pulling a deep vacum then you have a leak that needs to be fixed.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,073
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From: East Lansing, Mi
Originally Posted by Bill Curlee
Adding a small amount of freon will not hurt anything as long as you dont over fill the system.
BC
BC
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Well,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,if the system was opened up, they should have replaced the receiver dryer and replaced the orifice restrict tube. Then they should have vacuumed out the system and recharged it.
If you discharge the system (without losing any oil) and only open it for a few minutes to say (replace the pressure sensor in the suction line),, just sealing the system back up and recharging it more than likely wont hurt anything. If the system was opened for a long time or you had to replace a compressor, rubber hoses, evaporator ect ect... you really need to replace the receiver dryer and vacuum it out! Replacing big parts also requires adding refrigerant oil to the system.
You can cheat sometimes and get away with it but,,, sometimes you cant!!!!! It's that pay me a little now or a LOT later thing!
If you discharge the system (without losing any oil) and only open it for a few minutes to say (replace the pressure sensor in the suction line),, just sealing the system back up and recharging it more than likely wont hurt anything. If the system was opened for a long time or you had to replace a compressor, rubber hoses, evaporator ect ect... you really need to replace the receiver dryer and vacuum it out! Replacing big parts also requires adding refrigerant oil to the system.
You can cheat sometimes and get away with it but,,, sometimes you cant!!!!! It's that pay me a little now or a LOT later thing!
