how to recover r134a???

ocbaud · Nov 3, 2006

i'm replacing my heater core. i'm at the part where i need to disconnect the a/c lines at the firewall, but i need to know how to remove all the r134a from the system.

the car is undrivable parked in my garage right now, what do i need to buy to get this stuff out????

oh, and what size disconnect tool do i need to remove the a/c lines at the firewall???

sgarlic · Nov 3, 2006

I don't think I've heard of a place that sells a consumer grade r134a recovering tank, but I guess I've probably never looked.

Anyways, you can get the quick disconnect tool at any auto parts store. I also don't know the size offhand.

How come you're replacing the heater core on a 5 year old car? It leaking already??

MBDiagMan · Nov 3, 2006

It's not just a matter of having a recovery tank. It requires that you evacuate the system and this is part of the process of recovering the refrigerant.

This is typically done with a recovery/recycle machine. If you wish to recover the refrigerant, there are surely many shops in your area that will recover it for you. At least in the Southern areas of the US, most all shops have a recovery machine. Tucson is one of the big auto a/c areas, so there is probably one within a baseballs throw of where you sit at this moment.

ocbaud · Nov 3, 2006

MBDiagMan said:
It's not just a matter of having a recovery tank. It requires that you evacuate the system and this is part of the process of recovering the refrigerant.

This is typically done with a recovery/recycle machine. If you wish to recover the refrigerant, there are surely many shops in your area that will recover it for you. At least in the Southern areas of the US, most all shops have a recovery machine. Tucson is one of the big auto a/c areas, so there is probably one within a baseballs throw of where you sit at this moment.

well the problem is, i cant have a shop do it, the whole dash is out of the car and its not drivable right now, the only way to make it drivable is to replace the heatercore, but before i can get to it, i have to disconnect the a/c lines at the firewall.

honestly, i dont care if i "recycle it" i just want it out of my system so that i can disconnect the lines and not have it be all pressurized.

Mike97gt · Nov 3, 2006

ocbaud said:
well the problem is, i cant have a shop do it, the whole dash is out of the car and its not drivable right now, the only way to make it drivable is to replace the heatercore, but before i can get to it, i have to disconnect the a/c lines at the firewall.

honestly, i dont care if i "recycle it" i just want it out of my system so that i can disconnect the lines and not have it be all pressurized.

Well... only thing you can do now is release the stuff by depressing the pin on one of the a/c fittings. You really should have had the stuff removed before you took the car apart.

Rickyll7 · Nov 3, 2006

yea, that stuff is terrible for the environment, or is that r22, oh well. it probably isnt good for the environment. just releive the pressure as said above and dont get too much of that crap on you or breath it in. you dont want to get cancer 20 years from now because you were messy.

03ghoststang · Nov 3, 2006

svttech76 said:
Well... only thing you can do now is release the stuff by depressing the pin on one of the a/c fittings. You really should have had the stuff removed before you took the car apart.

i agree with svttech on this just vent it out and replace whats needed and then just take it to a shop and have it refilled

jegg · Nov 3, 2006

svttech76 said:
Well... only thing you can do now is release the stuff by depressing the pin on one of the a/c fittings. You really should have had the stuff removed before you took the car apart.

If someone knows that you released the refrigerant into the environment they can turn you in and receive a $10000 reward. R134A is considered Ozone friendly but still is against the law to release into the environment. I would have an EPA certified technician comeout and recover the refrigerant for you. You dont need to bring your car to the shop. Just have someone come out and do it for you.

Dan_Soprano · Nov 3, 2006

jegg said:
If someone knows that you released the refrigerant into the environment they can turn you in and receive a $10000 reward.

uh oh.........

jegg · Nov 3, 2006

ocbaud said:
i'm replacing my heater core. i'm at the part where i need to disconnect the a/c lines at the firewall, but i need to know how to remove all the r134a from the system.

the car is undrivable parked in my garage right now, what do i need to buy to get this stuff out????

oh, and what size disconnect tool do i need to remove the a/c lines at the firewall???

All the equipment you would need to PROPERLY recover the refrigerant would run you more than having someone come out and do it for you. I'm currently in the process of getting EPA certified so trust me on this one.

MBDiagMan · Nov 3, 2006

Yes, there are plenty of portable recovery units around. Just call some of your local shops.

I am 609 certified myself, and I can guarantee you that if you release it, you DO NOT want to get caught doing it. It's just not worth the risk. I have two recycling machines for just that reason. The machines cost much less than the fine.

ocbaud · Nov 3, 2006

my friend from our car club came out and helped me, he used to work on housing a/c units.

anyways, i'm halfway done with the heater core swap!

sgarlic · Nov 3, 2006

jegg said:
If someone knows that you released the refrigerant into the environment they can turn you in and receive a $10000 reward.

Oh really? Show me where that's in writing.

jegg · Nov 3, 2006

sgarlic said:
Oh really? Show me where that's in writing.

I will quote directly from the EPA Certification Exam Prepatory Manual, page 2

"The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates section 608 of the Federal Clean Air Act. Failure to comply could cost you and your company as much as $27,500 per day, per violation and there is a bounty of up to $10,000 to lure your competitors, customers and fellow workers to turn you in..."

It continues on but im not about to type the whole thing....dont believe me still? Try it, and we'll see who ends up with a new KB mongoose kit on this board .

sgarlic · Nov 3, 2006

jegg said:
I will quote directly from the EPA Certification Exam Prepatory Manual, page 2

"The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates section 608 of the Federal Clean Air Act. Failure to comply could cost you and your company s much as $27,500 per day, per violation and there is a bounty of up to $10,000 to lure your competitors, customers and fellow workers to turn you in..."

Right, but he doesn't own a company that has level 1 2 or 3 certified specialists working for it (which is what that section is referring to if you read it in its entirety,) and I doubt any of his customers (since he doesn't have any) will turn him in.

Edit: Regardless, we all know it's not good for the atmosphere.

jegg · Nov 3, 2006

sgarlic said:
Right, but he doesn't own a company that has level 1 2 or 3 certified specialists working for it (which is what that section is referring to if you read it in its entirety,) and I doubt any of his customers (since he doesn't have any) will turn him in.

Edit: Regardless, we all know it's not good for the atmosphere.

If it applies to techs why not every one else? I'm done arguing. Peace..

sgarlic · Nov 3, 2006

I'm sure it does apply to everyone else somewhere, my point is the 10,000 taddle-tale rward sounds like it is to be used against companies (presumably to keep them from illegally venting on a whole bunch of cars, versus how average joe consumer might vent illegally once or twice in his lifetime.)

DTNODYA · Nov 4, 2006

sgarlic said:
I'm sure it does apply to everyone else somewhere, my point is the 10,000 taddle-tale rward sounds like it is to be used against companies (presumably to keep them from illegally venting on a whole bunch of cars, versus how average joe consumer might vent illegally once or twice in his lifetime.)

+1

It's along the lines of painting your car in a garage (catalyzed, etc.) is in violation of some **** because you're supposed to have a paint booth, paint guns inspected to make sure the pressure at the cap is in spec, etc., but people do it all the time. So, IMO unless you are running a business then that 10,000 crap is not very likely.

HOWEVER, I am not saying it is good for the environment or safe to try and do it yourself (the AC stuff) but unless the EPA or OSHA is at your house, you ain't gonna get fined jack.

Mike97gt · Nov 4, 2006

jegg said:
If someone knows that you released the refrigerant into the environment they can turn you in and receive a $10000 reward. R134A is considered Ozone friendly but still is against the law to release into the environment. I would have an EPA certified technician comeout and recover the refrigerant for you. You dont need to bring your car to the shop. Just have someone come out and do it for you.

Well turn me in then I have had the spring coupling on a taurus break off as I refilled the system ended up spraying me in the face, My first concern was not shutting off the a/c machine that was still trying to fill the system, so I vented a lot of it into the environment.

Plus that law is aimed a professional shops not backyard mechanics, think about it where does r134 go when a a/c system fails? it goes right into the atmosphere.. I don't think the few people that work on a/c systems at home will impact the environment.

Mustang5L5 · Nov 5, 2006

ocbaud said:
the only way to make it drivable is to replace the heatercore,

If you disconnect the heat core lines at the firewall, and connect them using a "heater core bypass kit" from a local auto parts store, you can bypass the leaking core and drive the car.

how to recover r134a???

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