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  #1  
Old 04-27-2016, 06:04 PM
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Air Conditioning Recharge not a DIY

So, It's getting hot here in the south.

And the AC in the X5 has not been keeping up.

I decided to recharge, but instead of buying a little can of refrigerant to destroy my system with, I decided I wanted to do it the right way by checking to see if the current system holds pressure, vacuuming the system to remove air/water and old refrigerant, then adding oil, sealant, dye, and new refrigerant back into the system.

Can't do it. There are too many obstacles to this supposed DIY job. If you have a different experience, please let know.

First, I will assume that you agree that the job should be done correctly and within the EPA rules (not releasing the old gas into the atmosphere).

Problems...
  • I cannot find a good manifold set to do the job with. I've tried two manifold sets, they both leak. The first from the hoses, the second from the block. OK, I "only" paid $59 for the Manifold, but really is it too much to ask that they don't leak? After all that is critical to their use. I see other kits available for $49 - $250 but they all look like they are manufactured by the same folks.
  • I cannot get a small tank to vacuum the old gas into and even if I did, there is no place to take the gas. A Small tank is about $80. But then what. I called around and the AC shops tell me they cannot take the gas because they don't know where it came from/what it is.
  • I can get a shop to evacuate the system for me, but for what they charge for this service, I might as well get them to recharge too. The shops that are willing to evacuate my system for me, charge the same amount as they would to do a evac, test, and refill. About $99.
  • There are no recycling shops to take the old 134A. In my town, I can easily recycle old motor oil, but although you are not permitted to "otherwise" dispose of these items, nobody private or government will accept:
    • Antifreeze
    • R134A, R12, or any other refrigerant.
    • Pressure treated wood.

For all the trouble, I have come to the conclusion that this is one job that is not worth the trouble. Tomorrow, I will go have the system professionally sucked out and refilled. Hopefully they will find that the system is still tight and all the components are good. Otherwise I will have to pay the $99 to get it tested, Replace whatever is broken, then pay another $99 again to evac and refill.

Bummer.
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  #2  
Old 04-27-2016, 08:18 PM
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You could job out the evac and refill, and do the work yourself?

If you are DIY I would also look at the condenser dessicant pack and the expansion valve. Both very easy to get to.

A way to flush would be good if the inspection shows gunk in the valve and drier area. A vacuum would not pull that stuff out. Unless you decide to just replace the condenser assembly if there is evidence of internal contamination.
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  #3  
Old 04-29-2016, 11:01 AM
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I rebuilt the entire A/C system in a 99 Firebird once, but I immediately drove it to a shop with the A/C belt off and had them vacuum, recharge and test it. I came to the same conclusion as you...that part is best done by people with the equipment and infrastructure to deal with refrigerant. I wasn't worried about contamination because I replaced everything, down to the little seals.

I just paid the 99 once, at the end.
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Old 04-29-2016, 12:04 PM
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AC is done. I took it over to Meineke, 45 minutes later I drove away with a cold car. All of the AC tools I purchased go back.
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Old 04-29-2016, 05:05 PM
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  #6  
Old 04-29-2016, 05:58 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blktoptrvl View Post
So, It's getting hot here in the south.

And the AC in the X5 has not been keeping up.

I decided to recharge, but instead of buying a little can of refrigerant to destroy my system with, I decided I wanted to do it the right way by checking to see if the current system holds pressure, vacuuming the system to remove air/water and old refrigerant, then adding oil, sealant, dye, and new refrigerant back into the system.

Can't do it. There are too many obstacles to this supposed DIY job. If you have a different experience, please let know.

First, I will assume that you agree that the job should be done correctly and within the EPA rules (not releasing the old gas into the atmosphere).



Problems...
  • I cannot find a good manifold set to do the job with. I've tried two manifold sets, they both leak. The first from the hoses, the second from the block. OK, I "only" paid $59 for the Manifold, but really is it too much to ask that they don't leak? After all that is critical to their use. I see other kits available for $49 - $250 but they all look like they are manufactured by the same folks.
  • I cannot get a small tank to vacuum the old gas into and even if I did, there is no place to take the gas. A Small tank is about $80. But then what. I called around and the AC shops tell me they cannot take the gas because they don't know where it came from/what it is.
  • I can get a shop to evacuate the system for me, but for what they charge for this service, I might as well get them to recharge too. The shops that are willing to evacuate my system for me, charge the same amount as they would to do a evac, test, and refill. About $99.
  • There are no recycling shops to take the old 134A. In my town, I can easily recycle old motor oil, but although you are not permitted to "otherwise" dispose of these items, nobody private or government will accept:
    • Antifreeze
    • R134A, R12, or any other refrigerant.
    • Pressure treated wood.

For all the trouble, I have come to the conclusion that this is one job that is not worth the trouble. Tomorrow, I will go have the system professionally sucked out and refilled. Hopefully they will find that the system is still tight and all the components are good. Otherwise I will have to pay the $99 to get it tested, Replace whatever is broken, then pay another $99 again to evac and refill.

Bummer.
Realize that if the system was tight and good you would not have to be re-filling the AC. You have a leak and now you just have to find it and fix it.
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Old 04-29-2016, 06:27 PM
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Glad you got it worked out.

Please don't try the sealant. Very likely it will gum up the works and many places will refuse to touch the system once they hear or discover it has sealant in there.

For anyone that wants to know, you put the refrigerant into a "recovery tank". Buy one off Amazon or your local Craigslist. In addition to the gauge set, you need a recovery machine (eBay or Craigslist), a scale and a decent vacuum pump made for AC work. You can take the Vehicle refrigerant EPA exam online and get your lifetime EPA card for about $25.
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  #8  
Old 04-29-2016, 06:29 PM
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And my county has a no-questions asked household haz waste drop off. I love that...
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  #9  
Old 04-30-2016, 10:49 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blktoptrvl View Post
So, It's getting hot here in the south.

And the AC in the X5 has not been keeping up.

I decided to recharge, but instead of buying a little can of refrigerant to destroy my system with, I decided I wanted to do it the right way by checking to see if the current system holds pressure, vacuuming the system to remove air/water and old refrigerant, then adding oil, sealant, dye, and new refrigerant back into the system.

Can't do it. There are too many obstacles to this supposed DIY job. If you have a different experience, please let know.

First, I will assume that you agree that the job should be done correctly and within the EPA rules (not releasing the old gas into the atmosphere).

Problems...
  • I cannot find a good manifold set to do the job with. I've tried two manifold sets, they both leak. The first from the hoses, the second from the block. OK, I "only" paid $59 for the Manifold, but really is it too much to ask that they don't leak? After all that is critical to their use. I see other kits available for $49 - $250 but they all look like they are manufactured by the same folks.
  • I cannot get a small tank to vacuum the old gas into and even if I did, there is no place to take the gas. A Small tank is about $80. But then what. I called around and the AC shops tell me they cannot take the gas because they don't know where it came from/what it is.
  • I can get a shop to evacuate the system for me, but for what they charge for this service, I might as well get them to recharge too. The shops that are willing to evacuate my system for me, charge the same amount as they would to do a evac, test, and refill. About $99.
  • There are no recycling shops to take the old 134A. In my town, I can easily recycle old motor oil, but although you are not permitted to "otherwise" dispose of these items, nobody private or government will accept:
    • Antifreeze
    • R134A, R12, or any other refrigerant.
    • Pressure treated wood.

For all the trouble, I have come to the conclusion that this is one job that is not worth the trouble. Tomorrow, I will go have the system professionally sucked out and refilled. Hopefully they will find that the system is still tight and all the components are good. Otherwise I will have to pay the $99 to get it tested, Replace whatever is broken, then pay another $99 again to evac and refill.

Bummer.
Just get one of these if you want to DIY AC system.

Mastercool 69788 A Automatic R134a Recovery Recycle and Recharge Machine | eBay
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  #10  
Old 04-30-2016, 12:00 PM
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I know you are joking about the $2700 machine. But that's not the only way - you can get a reasonable used recovery machine for $150-$250, without all the automatic features.

Like this -

Promax Model MiniMax Refrigerant Recovery Machine | eBay
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Last edited by David.X5; 04-30-2016 at 12:26 PM.
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