Stupid A/C Question. Will The System Re-Charge
07-12-2010, 10:39 PM
#1
Stupid A/C Question. Will The System Re-Charge Being that my car is not a DD and I hardly use my air, all the refrigerant leaked out.. Went to test my air out the other day and was blowing warm air 
Do you think that if I recharge it, that the system will hold? Hopefully the seals are not dry rotted?
Do you think that if I recharge it, that the system will hold? Hopefully the seals are not dry rotted?
07-12-2010, 10:55 PM
#5
If you open the system(like pull the lines off the compressor or off the accumelater) air gets into the system. If you recharge it without pulling a vacuum on the system, it wont cool good. you can get a vacuum pump at harbor freight for like 15 bucks.
07-13-2010, 06:59 AM
#8
Whatever you do just don't go crazy and get a "super seal" bottle if your 134a keeps leaking out. I could put a can of refrigerant in my car ever week until I decided to try a can of super seal. From what I can tell it hasn't leaked out, but after about a month it's back to blowing warmer... but this time I think it's because this crap has started to seal up the inner parts of my A/C system. If only I had done a little more research before I added it I would have discovered that they were called "death kits."
I'll probably need to change every damn piece of my A/C, to include the stuff under the dash, if I want it to work perfectly again where all I most likely needed to change prior to that death can was just my compressor + refrigerant.
I'll probably need to change every damn piece of my A/C, to include the stuff under the dash, if I want it to work perfectly again where all I most likely needed to change prior to that death can was just my compressor + refrigerant.
07-13-2010, 08:14 AM
#9
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try rechargeing it but dont put to much in it. also if u havent used yr ac in a long time could hurt the seals because they havent been lubed up. that is y its good to run the ac every now adn then even in the winter. if it still leaks i would buy a oring kit from auto part store for like $6 and replace all the oring theres not that many. there like 6. also wont hurt to replace the $2 orfice tube. then just go to a auto shop and have them run a vaccum and recharge it for you. unless u want to do it yourself i know autozone rents out a vacum
07-13-2010, 03:53 PM
#11
TORCHD
In your case the system has remained sealed so as long as there is not a large leak that let in air you do not have to vacuum it down, if there is zero freon and zero pressure left in the system you will first need to pull a vacuum on the system, see if it holds vacuum before charging, if so then charge it.
So first thing, push one of the schrader vavles in and see if any freon sprays out, do this quickly, you just want to bump the schrader valve. I dont remember if the camaro has the rubber ball in the high side service valve like most GM's or not but it is easy to damage and they are bad enough about failing all by themselves, so its a good idea to do this on the low side service valve (the one with the blue cap, its also smaller in diameter than the high side service port)
If it sprays out a little then you can get away with charging it, how long it will last is anyones guess, letting it sit up does not help the seals so that may be the issue.
ON WHAT TYPE OF FREON, as stated do not put that fix a leak crap in the a/c or anything for that matter, just get straight freon or freon with dye NOTHING ELSE.
Other A/C info, if the system has been open (hole, disconnected line etc..) then you must pull a vacuum, any air in the system makes the high side pressure skyrocket and the a/c wont cool well. Also if its been open you need to replace the reciever-drier/accumulator, their job is to absorb moisture in the desiccant bag inside them so they will absorb moisture from the air and be no good.
When you charge the system, you want to see around 30 PSI on the low side when at a good charge level and the a/c has been running long enough to get the car cooled down. The hotter it is inside the car the higher the low side pressure will be. So the better pressure to focus on while charging is the high side, start by adding little by little until you work up to around 220 PSI or so, then you are getting close depending on how well your fans work and outside temperature. So let it run for a minute and see how cold it is inside the car, if you can rev the engine just a little (no more than 2k or so is necessary usually) for a brief second and the low side falls into the very low 20's range and shuts off its still low, if not then proceed.... If your fans work properly then you are going to want to charge the a/c to around 250-275 PSI on the high side at idle and around 90-100 degree temp. You dont really want to go over 300 at idle with high fans on. Last part of that, the hotter it is outside the higher the high side will be just like the low side, so charge a little then let it run for a second and put a little more in and repeat until you get the desired cooling.
Lastly its always better to start off from a fresh vacuum so you know the exact amount in the system and know that there is no air in it, but if you dont want to/have to/whatever you can get around it.
In your case the system has remained sealed so as long as there is not a large leak that let in air you do not have to vacuum it down, if there is zero freon and zero pressure left in the system you will first need to pull a vacuum on the system, see if it holds vacuum before charging, if so then charge it.
So first thing, push one of the schrader vavles in and see if any freon sprays out, do this quickly, you just want to bump the schrader valve. I dont remember if the camaro has the rubber ball in the high side service valve like most GM's or not but it is easy to damage and they are bad enough about failing all by themselves, so its a good idea to do this on the low side service valve (the one with the blue cap, its also smaller in diameter than the high side service port)
If it sprays out a little then you can get away with charging it, how long it will last is anyones guess, letting it sit up does not help the seals so that may be the issue.
ON WHAT TYPE OF FREON, as stated do not put that fix a leak crap in the a/c or anything for that matter, just get straight freon or freon with dye NOTHING ELSE.
Other A/C info, if the system has been open (hole, disconnected line etc..) then you must pull a vacuum, any air in the system makes the high side pressure skyrocket and the a/c wont cool well. Also if its been open you need to replace the reciever-drier/accumulator, their job is to absorb moisture in the desiccant bag inside them so they will absorb moisture from the air and be no good.
When you charge the system, you want to see around 30 PSI on the low side when at a good charge level and the a/c has been running long enough to get the car cooled down. The hotter it is inside the car the higher the low side pressure will be. So the better pressure to focus on while charging is the high side, start by adding little by little until you work up to around 220 PSI or so, then you are getting close depending on how well your fans work and outside temperature. So let it run for a minute and see how cold it is inside the car, if you can rev the engine just a little (no more than 2k or so is necessary usually) for a brief second and the low side falls into the very low 20's range and shuts off its still low, if not then proceed.... If your fans work properly then you are going to want to charge the a/c to around 250-275 PSI on the high side at idle and around 90-100 degree temp. You dont really want to go over 300 at idle with high fans on. Last part of that, the hotter it is outside the higher the high side will be just like the low side, so charge a little then let it run for a second and put a little more in and repeat until you get the desired cooling.
Lastly its always better to start off from a fresh vacuum so you know the exact amount in the system and know that there is no air in it, but if you dont want to/have to/whatever you can get around it.
