Recharging AC
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Recharging AC Can I just buy one of those cans and fill it up or does it need to be completely vented first? My AC just cannot keep up. It's about 95* outside right now and the air is barely above lukewarm. Very dissapointing.
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Just put one can of R134a in. Get one with a standard re-usable pressure gauge and a brass connector if possible. It should read like 25-35psi, 35 when it's very hot out. If it is working a little you probably only need one 12oz can. If you can't get all the liquid out of the can turn it upside down for a few second at a time till it is empty.
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Originally Posted by Greggy
Just put one can of R134a in. Get one with a standard re-usable pressure gauge and a brass connector if possible. It should read like 25-35psi, 35 when it's very hot out. If it is working a little you probably only need one 12oz can. If you can't get all the liquid out of the can turn it upside down for a few second at a time till it is empty.
I remember always filling it upside down in the old r-12 days. Don't know why it would be any different now. If it was dangerous to fill the system that way I would think there would be warnings all over the can about it.
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Well I bought a big can of Arctic Freeze and emptied the whole thing into the system but it didn't look like the PSI changed... it may have even dropped a hair. I believe it was about 35 PSI and it's 90+ out right now.
I did exactly what it said... hook it up to the low side and shake it frequently as I'm filling it. I even turned it upside down and emptied it out completely.
If my system is completely full and yet the air still isn't cold, is it just the car? Should I not expect a great A/C system out of an F-Body? Perhaps my hopes are just too high.
I'm considering buying a little replacement can and seeing if that makes a difference.
I did exactly what it said... hook it up to the low side and shake it frequently as I'm filling it. I even turned it upside down and emptied it out completely.
If my system is completely full and yet the air still isn't cold, is it just the car? Should I not expect a great A/C system out of an F-Body? Perhaps my hopes are just too high.
I'm considering buying a little replacement can and seeing if that makes a difference.
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I just recharged mine yesterday. The instructions specifically said to turn the can upsidedown to recharge it. They also said that on a hot day, like 80*+, the internal pressure should be 50-55psi.
Buy a can of R134 with the green dye in it. THey are only about a dollar more than a regular can. It will let you know if you have a leak.
EDIT: after I recharged the system, I wrapped the AC lines and the canister with header wrap. I think it made the AC about 10* colder.
Buy a can of R134 with the green dye in it. THey are only about a dollar more than a regular can. It will let you know if you have a leak.
EDIT: after I recharged the system, I wrapped the AC lines and the canister with header wrap. I think it made the AC about 10* colder.
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Interesting. My can did not tell me to hold it upside down. I will probably try that tomorrow on a small can.
And the can also said that max PSI (even on a smoking hot day) should be 45 PSI.
And the can also said that max PSI (even on a smoking hot day) should be 45 PSI.
You also need to know what the high side is doing... the a/c compressor itself may not be making enough pressure. The pressure change is what makes the a/c cold. Thats why the can gets cold when your charging the system.
I'm saying that the pressure gauge on the can only tells you the low side.... The ECM may be asking for 100% and the compressor may not be producing but 60%...
Knowing what the pressure is on one side doesn't tell much... if the low side is 35psi and the high side is 35psi and the a/c compressure clutch is locked in then the compressure is bad. If the low side is 35 and the high side is 300psi, then you have either a restriction at the expansion valve, hose, or the electric cooling fans probably are not working....
Knowing what both the Low side pressure and the High side pressures are at, gives you a better understanding on what is happening. (Allows you to diagnose)
Thats why there are two fittings, High & Low.
A cheap set of a/c gauges would help... not sure where you could get a cheap set though. Maybe a pawn shop.
If you get a set and use them make sure you do not open the high side when charging the system. The CAN could explode!!
Knowing what the pressure is on one side doesn't tell much... if the low side is 35psi and the high side is 35psi and the a/c compressure clutch is locked in then the compressure is bad. If the low side is 35 and the high side is 300psi, then you have either a restriction at the expansion valve, hose, or the electric cooling fans probably are not working....
Knowing what both the Low side pressure and the High side pressures are at, gives you a better understanding on what is happening. (Allows you to diagnose)
Thats why there are two fittings, High & Low.
A cheap set of a/c gauges would help... not sure where you could get a cheap set though. Maybe a pawn shop.
If you get a set and use them make sure you do not open the high side when charging the system. The CAN could explode!!
something is wrong, its not the car my camaro in 100+ wheather gets like an ice box inside. Take it to an ac shop and be done with it. You will spend more on gauges and r134 then what it will cost you to have them test it and recharge it. Also you will find out what is actually wrong. might be cheap might be expensive but you will know for sure.
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i bought my gauge set from the zone for 25 high and low then i would charge people like 10 bucks to charge the a/c or diagnose problems. that 25 bucks was the best money i've ever spent during the summer. so far this summer i've changed 5 a/c compressors, accumlators, and expansion valves for over 1500 if you.
but if you don't want to do what i did then go to a shop they will let you know whats going on.
but if you don't want to do what i did then go to a shop they will let you know whats going on.
yea..also dont add anymore if its already charged sufficiently. Overcharging will cause an A/C system not to cool just as fast as an undercharged system will. It's definately just your car...i dont know where you live..but I'm currently goin to school in Orlando, FL...its pretty damn hot..and really humid..and my car has no problem getting the interior nice and cold..of course i do have 5% tint all the way around with 35% on the windshield..This made a huge difference in my A/C performance..once the interior gets cold i can keep the blower on its lowest setting and it will just maintain that temperature in the car..
Have you sucked all the air out of the system?
Also know that most a/c systems are designed only cool the air 25-30 degrees, what temp. is your center duct reading with a/c on high and 2000 rpm for a minute?
I wouldn't see why adding freon in a liquid form would cause any problems unless you're adding it into a hot system. After all the freon changes states in an a/c system anyway.
Also know that most a/c systems are designed only cool the air 25-30 degrees, what temp. is your center duct reading with a/c on high and 2000 rpm for a minute?
I wouldn't see why adding freon in a liquid form would cause any problems unless you're adding it into a hot system. After all the freon changes states in an a/c system anyway.
Last edited by MikAbtII; Jun 30, 2007 at 05:50 PM.
The only way that charging as a liquid can be dangerous is if the low side service port is after the evaporator on the suction line. If this was the case, you would be adding liquid refrigerant directly before the compressor...the compressor would than try to compress a liquid...and we all know that a liquid cannot be compressed.
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How exactly do I suck all the air out of the system? I was under the assumption that an average person could not do that and it would take a special machine to do it.
I guess I'm not worried quite as much now. The only reason I was even using the A/C was because I was worried that my window motor was just going to stop working (it was doing the overheating thing) but I replaced it yesterday so I should be good.
I guess I'm not worried quite as much now. The only reason I was even using the A/C was because I was worried that my window motor was just going to stop working (it was doing the overheating thing) but I replaced it yesterday so I should be good.
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