How to drain the A/C system myself

red94fiveo

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Apr 12, 2003

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Wichita, KS

Jan 19, 2004

#1

• Jan 19, 2004

• #1

Ok, I decided I am going to delete my A/C system. Unfortunately I decided this after I started taking my car apart for the headswap. So now I can't drive my car to a shop or anything and have them drain the system, but I really want to get the A/C removed while the car is somewhat taken apart and I have access to everything. So this is my question, is there any way I can drain the A/C system myself in a somewhat safe fashion?

BTW- How harmful is R134a, I remember it being not terribly toxic, is that right or not? That being said, I still will treat it with caution.

 

sauce5201

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Mar 10, 2003

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Des Plaines IL

Jan 19, 2004

#2

• Jan 19, 2004

• #2

well you need a recovery tank and a vacuum pump and a set of gauges, I dont know if you have all this stuff but that is the proper equipment to evacuate the system. if you have all this, all you have to do is hook up the blue line of the Gauges to the low side of the system. The low side is located on the drivers side and the high side is by the condencer. then hook up the vacuum pump to the yellow line and to the tank. then open up the blue line with the Pump running and the valve to the tank open and watch the pressure drop to 0 on the low and 90 psi on the high. Then open up the red line and wait about 40 min for all the pressure to drop. The system should be evacuated.


That is the proper way to do it but with out the proper tools it will be hard to empty the system.

 

Zero Signal

Active Member

Feb 24, 2003

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Tucson, AZ

Jan 19, 2004

#3

• Jan 19, 2004

• #3

Sooooo. . . .what happens if you just stick a screw driver in the valve and have a fan blow the vapor into the neighbor's yard?

 

red94fiveo

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Apr 12, 2003

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Wichita, KS

Jan 19, 2004

#4

• Jan 19, 2004

• #4

sauce5201 said:

well you need a recovery tank and a vacuum pump and a set of gauges, I dont know if you have all this stuff but that is the proper equipment to evacuate the system. if you have all this, all you have to do is hook up the blue line of the Gauges to the low side of the system. The low side is located on the drivers side and the high side is by the condencer. then hook up the vacuum pump to the yellow line and to the tank. then open up the blue line with the Pump running and the valve to the tank open and watch the pressure drop to 0 on the low and 90 psi on the high. Then open up the red line and wait about 40 min for all the pressure to drop. The system should be evacuated.


That is the proper way to do it but with out the proper tools it will be hard to empty the system.

Click to expand...

No I don't have the tools. I guess I was hoping for something more along the lines of cut some hoses and don't breathe in any of the gas.

 

sauce5201

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Mar 10, 2003

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Des Plaines IL

Jan 19, 2004

#5

• Jan 19, 2004

• #5

well if you want take a screw driver and empy in to the air, but make shure no one see you, or big finds form the EPA. i think up to 500,000

 

Rootus

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Feb 8, 2003

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Portland, Oregon

Jan 20, 2004

#6

• Jan 20, 2004

• #6

Shouldn't be that big of a fine, R-134a is "safer" than R-12 .

 

GTPhreak

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Mar 16, 2000

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Rowlett, TEXAS

Jan 20, 2004

#7

• Jan 20, 2004

• #7

sauce5201 said:

well if you want take a screw driver and empy in to the air, but make shure no one see you, or big finds form the EPA. i think up to 500,000

Click to expand...

thats r12...r134a is "cfc free"...but still do it in the confines of your dark enclosed garage so noone sees

 

yellow5.0cobra

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Jul 25, 2002

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In the garage, On the floor.

Jan 20, 2004

#8

• Jan 20, 2004

• #8

Then they wonder why the ice caps are melting.

Main question you need to answer is, WHY do you want to DELETE the A/C?

You can just run a shorter belt if you want the lost 2-3hp.

Remember the HOT days of summer, that should remind you not to do it.

I deleted my A/C because of a good reason, I went twin turbo.

My vote for you is to KEEP the A/C, it isnt really bothering you is it?

And if you are REALLY going to delete the system, please DONT CUT any of the hoses off, there are many of us here that DO need these items(the lines and A/C condensor) and wouldnt mind paying some money for them!

Go buy a $8 A/C line disconnect tool at any autoparts store.

Pete

 

sauce5201

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Mar 10, 2003

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Des Plaines IL

Jan 20, 2004

#9

• Jan 20, 2004

• #9

GTPhreak said:

thats r12...r134a is "cfc free"...but still do it in the confines of your dark enclosed garage so noone sees

Click to expand...

But 134a is a green house gas, it raises the temp of the the ozone

 

moneypit94

Active Member

May 23, 2003

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Macomb, IL

Jan 20, 2004

#10

• Jan 20, 2004

• #10

I heard something like if someone turns you in they get part of that money or something from the fines.. If all crimes were treated that way i would think twice before i did something illegal... (ex. speeding, parking violations, etc)

 

red94fiveo

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Apr 12, 2003

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Wichita, KS

Jan 20, 2004

#11

• Jan 20, 2004

• #11

yellow5.0cobra said:

Then they wonder why the ice caps are melting.

Main question you need to answer is, WHY do you want to DELETE the A/C?

You can just run a shorter belt if you want the lost 2-3hp.

Remember the HOT days of summer, that should remind you not to do it.

I deleted my A/C because of a good reason, I went twin turbo.

My vote for you is to KEEP the A/C, it isnt really bothering you is it?

And if you are REALLY going to delete the system, please DONT CUT any of the hoses off, there are many of us here that DO need these items(the lines and A/C condensor) and wouldnt mind paying some money for them!

Go buy a $8 A/C line disconnect tool at any autoparts store.

Pete

Click to expand...

I will definetely go buy an A/C line disconnect tool, I don't knwo why I never thought about that. I would also like to keep the A/C intact, now point in destroying something that works. I don't suppose there is a machine that I could renbt from a shop that would flush the system for me?

There are a couple reasons I want to delete my A/C. The mains reasons are because I NEVER use it and also I want to clean up the engine bay a little bit. Plus the weight saving, however insignificant, doesn't hurt anything.

BTW- If you or anyone is interested in buying this stuff from me, my plan is to take it off intact, send me a PM if interested.

 

Hourang

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Apr 4, 2003

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Troy, MI

Jan 20, 2004

#12

• Jan 20, 2004

• #12

SCREW THE OZONE, drain that schit, why not im running no cats whats the difference, i think the ozone depleting is a bunch a bull crap anyway. get an a/c line disconnect tool and disconnected everything, make sure you get the a/c condensor that thing blocks the whole radiator and frees up space in the front for **** like an intercooler

 

GTPhreak

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Mar 16, 2000

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Rowlett, TEXAS

Jan 20, 2004

#13

• Jan 20, 2004

• #13

Hourang said:

i think the ozone depleting is a bunch a bull crap anyway.

Click to expand...

 

red94fiveo

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Apr 12, 2003

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Wichita, KS

Jan 20, 2004

#14

• Jan 20, 2004

• #14

Is there any way that I can remove EVERYTHING from the system at once and not disconnect anything, keeping the system sealed so I can take it somewhere?

This is becoming rather frustrating, I'm trying to do the right thing here but am about ready to say hell with it, hopefully that doesn't happen.

 

Hourang

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Apr 4, 2003

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Troy, MI

Jan 20, 2004

#15

• Jan 20, 2004

• #15

red94fiveo said:

Is there any way that I can remove EVERYTHING from the system at once and not disconnect anything, keeping the system sealed so I can take it somewhere?

This is becoming rather frustrating, I'm trying to do the right thing here but am about ready to say hell with it, hopefully that doesn't happen.

Click to expand...

theres no way. just say hell with it, let it goo, i over presurized my system when the paper clip that was keeping the compressor running fell out and the compressor shut off and the pressure burst the line, said screw that and disconnected everything. if anyone says anything say it was an accident that it leaked out

 

yellow5.0cobra

Founding Member

Jul 25, 2002

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In the garage, On the floor.

Jan 20, 2004

#16

• Jan 20, 2004

• #16

If by any chance you want to sell your car, A/C will ALWAYS help make the sale and boost the pricing.

You might say "Nah, no way, I will never sell my car".

But things DO happen.

Why not just delete it after the install if your concious about the earth.

It isnt much difficult, just unbolt the radiator and tilt it forward to take out the a/c condensor. Then each line just "snaps" out of place with the diconnect tool.

Pete

 

R

rudeone707

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May 17, 2003

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Fairfield, Ca

Jan 20, 2004

#17

• Jan 20, 2004

• #17

dip a bandana in some water, tie it around your mouth, close the garage door and stick a screw driver in the valve. you not going to use it anymore, and it wont polute the Ozone that bad so **** it.

 

fastback65chris

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Mar 26, 2002

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Wichita Kansas

Jul 13, 2004

#18

• Jul 13, 2004

• #18

I need your Compressor you want to sell it

you want to sell it

 

S

stng94

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Mar 24, 2004

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St. Pete, FL

Jul 13, 2004

#19

• Jul 13, 2004

• #19

well, speaking from experience I just replaced all of my A/c components because I blew my compressor last summer(bad bearing). However when I went to take everything apart, i just assumed it had all leaked out. Judging from all of the leak detecting dye covering my einging compart ment Anywho, I just unbolted the a/c manifold from the back of the compressor and the more gas, not alot, but enough came rushing out No biggie, I tore the rest of the crap out of there and replaced all of the hoses, manifold and compressor. Brand new AC. No more swamp a$$ for this guy

 

M

myrefrigerantmac

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Feb 21, 2019

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USA

Feb 21, 2019

#20

• Feb 21, 2019

• #20

This is possible only through a workaround wherein you place the refrigerant in the evaporator section until you are ready to reload. to remove A/C system Visit here.