Refilling my ac
- Thread starter pomag50
- Start date
You have to vacuum the lines first. And it has to hold a vacuum for 30 minutes. Some people just let the freon go through with the other end open and close that end when it starts coming through. The air is out either way.
Just dont let the EPA see you doing it the second way. lol
Just dont let the EPA see you doing it the second way. lol
Methodical
15 Year Member
Before you go thru charging the system 1st check to see if the AC cycling switch is bad. It sits on top of the accumulator on the passenger side at the firewall. Remove it and put a jumper wire across both terminals. Start the car and turn on the AC if she gets cold, the AC cycling switch is bad. If it's good then continue on reading.
Yo man don't play with this. don't do no back alley job with this you can be seriously injured. Besides vacuuming the system is more than just bleeding the air out, it also removes moisture from the system. You probably got a leak somewhere in the system. Mine was leaking at the low side and high side ports.
I'd suggest you go buy the R134a manifold gauge (about $50) from Autozone etc. and a vacuum pump that's used with an air compressor(about $50). You can vacuum the system that way and recharge your unit. When you vacuum you will know if there's a leak in the system. I have a step by step guide at home. I can post it up here later tonight. Whatever you do don't do a back alley job, you'll regret it.
You charge through the low side suction port.
Low side port is located in the line that leads to the compressor on the driver side
High side port is located in the line that goes to the condensor, passenger side near the upper radiator hose
One is around the alternator, in the front. And other is under the drivers side of the strut tower brace. You will have to take it off to get to it.
And I dont remember which side is which. But you are only supposed to fill from one side. I think its the side on the driver side.
And if you vacuum it you will be able to tell if there is a leak before you dump freon ($$) into it and lose it all to a leak.
And I dont remember which side is which. But you are only supposed to fill from one side. I think its the side on the driver side.
And if you vacuum it you will be able to tell if there is a leak before you dump freon ($$) into it and lose it all to a leak.
I used a completely different method of refilling my A/C. I bought a R134A recharge kit with the pressure guage on it from WAL-MART, it had the oil and stop leak in it. I unplugged the low pressure switch and ran a jumper wire to both connectors, unscrewed the cap on the low pressure fill port, I then started the car and with the A/C on high and started filling the system through the low pressure port with refrigerant watching the pressure guage on the refill bottle. Once I got to 45 PSI i called it good, it ended up taking about 2 cans to fill it up. I checked the pressure on it every week or so when I refilled it to make sure none of it leaked out and it has all stayed in with no issues. For about 25 bucks I have been enjoying ice cold air in my car for the last 5 months and it has been working perfectly ever since. I went a whole year after buying the car with no A/C and finally figured I would take a stab at fixing it, I'm glad I did. Good luck.
WHITE94COBRA
New Member
Dude just take it to an A/C shop, most will charge about 15 to 20 bucks to recharge it. Your in cali the little A/C shops have signs up all over 19.99 A/C recharge. If there is a leak they can tell you and possible just put a new O ring in for pretty cheap. My A/C was dead, they refilled it, fixed my low side O ring and put a new expansion valve on for $55.00. it was worth it for them to do it.
if there is a much cheaper, "back alley" way to go, id do it!
all the places around here are asking between 60-120 just to take a look at it. I would love to find someplace cheaper but I don't think there is anyone in the city. I am going to just try and fill it up the way red95gtconvert did. If that fails then i will go farther.
Methodical
15 Year Member
Check the AC cycling switch first before attempting the charge. It could just be the switch. It won't cost you nothing but about 10 minutes, if that.
ok so i went to the store and got the freon and started to put it in. I notice immediately that the pressure was around 50 psi. that is pretty high so i stopped and listened the compressor kicked on and then instantly kicked off. it continued to do that for a while. Before i added a little freon it did not do that. I am thinking that i need to bleed the lines. yes or is it something else?
i also have a feeling that the ac clutch may have gone out or there is a bad leak somewhere. I am just about to the point of just taking it somehwere. i don't want to f around and mess it up worse. i spose i could replace the sensor though thats not that hard to do.
Good question. lol
Im sure someone who knows will chime in. Ive never messed with the A/C on my Mustang, just my truck when I changed out the entire thing.
Im sure someone who knows will chime in. Ive never messed with the A/C on my Mustang, just my truck when I changed out the entire thing.
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