Green spray from a/c line

[manicmechanic007]

akaNYer, Sometimes the sticker is on the receiver dryer but no worries just go with 2.2 lbs. Only replace the hose that leaks is what I'd do. I assumed your leaking hose would be a manifold assembly that bolts to the back of the compressor. Either way replace it and evac and recharge. Your orifice and other lines and hoses if not leaking are and will be ok. The compressors last indefinitely. Just because it is 25 years old is no reason to replace it. Noise on the other hand... If the car blew a bit of cold air means the compressor is working = good. The fact that it blew warm after the initial turn on just means it was low on freon and the clutch cycling time was incorrect due to the low freon. I would replace all the o rings you can easily get at. Both sides of the condenser for sure and the high side line(s) back to the evaporator. The low side o rings seldom leak

 

[manicmechanic007]

You only need about 1 or 2 ounces of oil maximum for the hose. The whole system only gets 1 can of the Ford Pag oil which is 7 ounces. So if you replace a condenser for instance you will add 2 or 3 ounces. Evaporator the same. Replacing compressors requires a formula using the drained amount as one of the figures. If you actually read the book which I have hundreds of times... You will find that the formula makes absolutely no sense (it was written by an engineer and not a technician)

 

[manicmechanic007]

It is easy to get too much oil in the system. Especially if you do not know who like me may have added an ounce or two over the years. Hard to get excess oil out. If you brought that car into my shop I would replace the leaking hose add 1 or 2 ounces of oil and evac and recharge. I would do nothing else until we re evaluate your system. Prolly work for 25 more years

 

[General karthief]

^^^he said 'prolly' ^^^

 

[revhead347]

Thanks for the info Kurt. I saw orange orifice tubes for sale online. Is the PAG OIL in the orifice tube? Isn't 30lb of r134a slot? Specs say my car only takes 34ounces of it.

Yeah, it's a metric ton of refrigerant; last you the rest of your life. At the end of the day it's going to cost you like $50 more than buying a bunch of little cans. If you use the little cans, you have to purge out the gauge lines between every can, and it really increases the chances of getting air in the system. I personally just don't waste my time with all the little cans. Those are more for topping off AC systems that are a little low. If you are buying a new high pressure line, then it's going to have a new orifice tube in it, so you don't have to worry about that. You should replace the drier canister. Any time you open up the AC system, the drier can absorb moisture from the air. Moisture in an AC system is really bad. Almost all the oil is inside the compressor itself. The best way to do it is to remove the compressor, drain the oil and replace it with a measured amount of new liquid oil.

Kurt

 

[manicmechanic007]

The book says to replace the accumulator any time the system is opened. You will not see many technicians doing this as it is expensive and usually not needed. I have replaced maybe a dozen or so in my 45 year career. You do want to be quick about it (the repair) and get the system buttoned up as soon as possible. akaNYer the oil travels in suspension with the freon. The orifice may have a few drops at any given time. The whole system has oil everywhere. The receiver dryer has a few drops as does every other part. The longer you evacuate the system the more moisture gets removed. That is why the spec is to evacuate for 4 hours minimum. You will not see many pros (technicians) doing this either. Now for instance if you have a 83 BMW with an old Frigidaire system or some other old pile system that has been apart for a while. Replace the dryer and evacuate for a long time 24-48 hours. I do that to the ones I think need it

 

[akaNYr]

Yeah, it's a metric ton of refrigerant; last you the rest of your life. At the end of the day it's going to cost you like $50 more than buying a bunch of little cans. If you use the little cans, you have to purge out the gauge lines between every can, and it really increases the chances of getting air in the system. I personally just don't waste my time with all the little cans. Those are more for topping off AC systems that are a little low. If you are buying a new high pressure line, then it's going to have a new orifice tube in it, so you don't have to worry about that. You should replace the drier canister. Any time you open up the AC system, the drier can absorb moisture from the air. Moisture in an AC system is really bad. Almost all the oil is inside the compressor itself. The best way to do it is to remove the compressor, drain the oil and replace it with a measured amount of new liquid oil.

Kurt

Do I add PAG46 to the compressor once I take the old oil out?

 

[revhead347]

Do I add PAG46 to the compressor once I take the old oil out?

Yes, you dump all the old oil out, and add PAG oil into the low side hole on the compressor.

Kurt

 

[akaNYr]

Ok the new ac line assembly will be here later today but I don't have a day off till Sunday the 29th. Sunday will rent the gauges and vacuum pump, get the r134a with PAG46 oil and UV dye. I have a 1995 Mustang GT 5.0, the engine and tranny are strong. My next question is does running the ac for 30 minutes straight cause the engine to run very hot? That's how long it takes each way to work on the highway and up a steep winding 2-3 mile hill. If it does then I need to fix my temperature gauge and gas gauge. They do a criss cross thing lately. The engine will be cold and have a full tank but when I start the car the temp needle flips past hot and the gas needle will flip to an almost empty tank. Sometimes they read true and at times they do the double cross. The temp sensor and fuel pump and filter are about 2 years old.

 

[manicmechanic007]

True A/C puts out a ton of heat. Like to see you fix your gauge issue before driving the car much at all. You have some crossed wiring somewhere. A pro like me would pull the cluster and ohm out the wires back and forth to the tank sender and the temp sender. A good visual inspection first. Ford had issues with heavy floats in the tank senders. Some of he brass ones were soldered inadequately and allowed fuel to penetrate the float making it sink. I would just replace the temp sender for GP's . Rent gauges? I advise you to buy a set. This isn't going to be your last rodeo with AC. I just bought another set for 28 bucks on ebay (Ihave 3 shops I work at) bought another vac pump too.

 

[manicmechanic007]

You need no gauges if you can listen to the car and be aware while driving. If you have driven it around some and have had no overheating trouble so far, you are probably ok for a run with the a/c on. Work maybe not. Have extra time on hand in case the cooling fan or the ccrm takes a sh&^5t. Like I tell some of my clients.. You got to have a sense of humor

 

[manicmechanic007]

Run the car in your driveway for 10 minutes or so with the ac on norm. Watch and verify cooling fan operation. Cooling fan will be on big time with the ac on. I usually check the fan in both modes and make sure it comes on like normal with the ccrm. Which means the thing gets hot as hell before that happens. Then drive the car with the AC on and bake the condenser that's the retest . You should be okay I understand renting gauges I have 200k worth and 7 roll aways in tools and I still rent tools. I am going to have to buy a R1234yf ac machine next mutha f2345ka Its a conspiracy I tell you that freon is

 

[manicmechanic007]

PS All of you should get certified in AC if you are reading this. I can get you qualified to take the test in ten minutes. There are only 20 questions on the test. All of the questions ask about and are dealing with freon release into the atmosphere. The answers are all NO, no way no how do you ever let the stuff out. Even if Trump asks you to. Mutha in law, X wife Strippers All No! The answer is NO. If you can get that then you pass. The new stuff you can let out R1234yf but you wont be (its damn expensive)

 

[akaNYr]

The engine cooling fan and plug is 1 ye old. The original plug melted. Auto Zone rents the tools for 3 months at a time for free. You just pay the deposit and when you bring the tool back you get all your money back. When my engine cooling fan turns on you can hear it and feel it in the car. The engine gets a little bit louder. When I get to 150 miles I always refill my tank. The gauge will usually read a little above quarter of a tank. Don't like old sediment from the tank bottom going through my fuel system. It also helps me keep track of how many miles per gallon I get. Once a month I add Lucas fuel system cleaner or Royal purple or seafoam. I got the new ac lines and I'm heading to AutoZone now to get the tools. I'll keep you posted.

 

[akaNYr]

1) How do you “purge the hoses” so you don’t get any air in the system?
2) If I don’t drain the oil out (and put in new oil) will I damage the compressor?

 

[manicmechanic007]

What? A new compressor? A new dry compressor? You purge the gauge set by letting a bit of freon out. You hook a new can of R134a to the yellow hose and let some out thru the blue and red hoses When you are done with the purge the gauges will have freon in the hoses not air. Then you are safe to shoot oil and freon into your system. You should watch a few you tube videos so you can get familiar with the use of a set of gauges. It is easy. Some compressors come full of oil and you would need to dump some out. Otherwise you will end up with too much oil in the system. Drain the oil out? You mean pull the compressor and drain it out? There is no way to drain the oil out of an air conditioner without pulling all the parts and dumping what little oil each part has.

 

[General karthief]

Look, I don't want to talk you out of dealing with charging an ac system, it can be done but it can be harmful, you will be dealing with high pressure and chemicals,
And you sound to me like you're unsure on proceeding,
I've never charged up an ac system myself but I'd try it.

 

[akaNYr]

General karthief, ur right I am unsure of how to proceed. I got 3 different amounts on how much R134a and how much PAG46 oil goes into the system. The only thing they all agree on is if you overfill or underfill the system you can damage the compressor. I don't want to take out the compressor in my car cuz it looks like a bitch to remove. It's a bigger pain in the ass to put back in. I got 36oz of R134a an a 2oz bottle of PAG46 oil with 1oz R134a in it and I'm thinking just switching out the hoses, vacuuming out the system for 2 hours and putting all the R134a and PAG46 oil I got in the system and calling it done. I've rebuilt an engine easier then fixing this ac in my car.

 

[manicmechanic007]

akaNYr, You are overthinking this. I told you to put 2.2 lbs in it. That is what a 1995 Mustang holds according to google. Long before they had AC machines that could measure freon out of a 30 lb cylinder. We added freon and the gauge set pressures told us when it was full. Still do. If you add too much it will blow warm air. If there is not enough it will cycle too often. Look at a book from say 1985 and you will see pressure and cycle time relationship charts. It is easy add 3 cans. Depending on the ambient temperature outside you want 25 to 35 lbs on the low side gauge. The low side will fluctuate as the clutch cycles from about 24lbs to 60 with a red orifice. The high side should be 150-250 with the cooling fan on or if you put a big fan in front of the radiator (simulates road speed) 30 and 150 is what we see around here with a properly functioning system.

 

[General karthief]

Here's the thing guys, this member likely has never even been around a set of ac gauges even if some else was operating them. He could do it and have it work out fine or he could lose an eye
If he is unsure as he is stating then I would 'find a friend' that knows about it and can help. Or,
NYr could do it with step by step instructions like from the Utube that way he can make notes and stop and start a video to review.