A/C Recharge

[adamstim21]

Probably a dumb question. I am going to recharge my 2006 Impala SS A/C and I don';t believe I'll use all of the freon. When I puncture the can, there is no way to prevent the freon from coming out after I use what is needed is there?

[urbex]

If you leave the hose connected onto it, you can seal it. But I'm not sure how long it'll last. Just close the screw back into the can and it'll stop coming out. I just did that last week on my car...but like I said I can't guarantee how long it'll last...

[adamstim21]

So if I use the hose to puncture it, I can also use it to close? For the time being anyway?

[urbex]

Yeah. You know what I'm talking about though? The hose that connects from the can to the line has the valve that you can open to puncture it. Just close that valve again so it goes back into the can and it'll plug the hole.

[adamstim21]

I know what you mean. Thanks a bunch. I have a can of 12oz and the capacity for my girlfriends Lumina is, I believe, only 9oz. Wasn't sure what to do about the rest of the freon without the hose attached.

[urbex]

No problem! Just make sure not to put too much in either, as that can be bad.

[cubsfan24]

The capacity of my lumina is 30 oz. Also the cheapest I found R134a was at Big Lots for $8 a can. Still expensive but a doller cheaper than wal mart. I would just get a $25 recharge kit that has a removable gauge that you can then buy the cheaper 12oz cans. Without a gauge its really a guess.

[urbex]

I did it without the gauge, and it seemed to work, but that's because I had an old can laying around and no gauge.

[GnatGoSplat]

I don't think it'll last long that way. When you close the valve back, the puncturing tip goes back into the can, but there's no seal, it's just the tip against the hole it punched. It'll probably all leak out in a few days.

[urbex]

I don't think it'll last long that way. When you close the valve back, the puncturing tip goes back into the can, but there's no seal, it's just the tip against the hole it punched. It'll probably all leak out in a few days.

 

That's kind of what I was wondering. I just checked the can I have and it still had some in it and I opened it last week. But that wouldn't surprise me if it is gone soon...

[adamstim21]

30oz? Now I don't know who to believe. Not saying I don't believe you. The guy at Autozone looked it up and it showed only 9oz capacity. Wonder if that was just to make sure I bought more freon.

[cubsfan24]

Look at the sticker on the drivers shock tower. It should have the capacity. I think the sticker says 2lbs while my shop manual says 30oz. This is for a 1.5 gen lumina. Should be similar or same for 1st gen luminas.

[adamstim21]

Here's another weird one. I just recharged my A/C on the Impala and never went over on the gauge, and now the AC won't kick on correctly. Any ideas? It goes on for a moment and then turns right off.

[urbex]

Perhaps it's too low that what you added still won't make it work? Or the compressor is locked up? I don't know though.

[GnatGoSplat]

Yeah, sounds like symptoms of a low charge. How much did you add? I added 3 cans to my wife's Cutlass. I think that was a little over, but I didn't think a little extra would hurt and I didn't think leftovers would stay in the can anyway.

[urbex]

Are you also sure that it was being added? The compressor must be running for it to add. I know when I was filling mine the compressor kicked off and it wouldn't add... Took me a minute to figure out why. So it's possible that you thought you were adding freon when in fact you weren't. You'll know it's adding because the can will get incredibly cold.

[Quaraxkad]

Don't use canned refrigerant... It saves you practically no money over a real AC specialist shop vacuum+charge, it only hurts the performance of your AC, it contaminates refrigerant recovery systems, it's impossible to put in the correct charge (by *weight*, not canned volume), and chances are your AC system isn't under proper vacuum before you fill it from a can.

[urbex]

You have to look at cost/benefit though. Most times a simple can will do a good enough job, and is a lot cheaper than going to a shop. Even if you have to add a can every year you'd still probably save money.

[AL]

Shops here charge 90 bucks to hook up the machine and add refrigerant... The can costs 11 bucks... Ill add the can

[Quaraxkad]

Shops here charge 90 bucks to hook up the machine and add refrigerant... The can costs 11 bucks... Ill add the can

 

That's insane! I could get a pure R12 charge at shops around me for only a few dollars more than that. For R134a it's more like $40. The price difference for me doesn't even come close to outweighing the drawbacks of using the canned crap.

[GnatGoSplat]

Was the system empty when you tried to fill it? Has the system been open to where air could have gotten in it?

If any air has been in it, you will need to vacuum the system. It will suck in the freon when the system is under vacuum.

I've never had a problem using the cans.

[Oilpatch197]

I don't think it'll last long that way. When you close the valve back, the puncturing tip goes back into the can, but there's no seal, it's just the tip against the hole it punched. It'll probably all leak out in a few days.

 

I did this, and it did leak out.... It's kinda the same with propane torches that uses those prefilled bottles, they say you should always stored the bottle disconnected from the torch head because it will seep or leak out.

 

I never understood why refrigerants were stored in those dinky cans, and still are. At least the small propane bottles have valves that shut when you remove the torch head.

 

Now at least the last two years they have been selling refrigerants in the "tire inflater" style cans. Problem is I have no way to hook it up to my manifold gauges! (because the gauges that come with those bottles are very inaccurate)

 

With the dinky cans I got a adapter that allows me to use my nice 134a manifold gauge set to get a good reading on the pressure.

Edited July 23, 2011 by Oilpatch197