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Login to post Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » Anyone ever use an A/C Recharge kit?

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June 19, 2010 12:38 p.m. ignorant SuperDork

If the system has been dead a while... Replace the dessicant can, expansion valve and compressor. When the system died in my ranger, I left it stay dead for about 2-3 years before I tackled it. Jensenman helped me a great deal. I replaced the dessicant dryer and expansion valve, but didn't do the compressor.

4 weeks after I fixed the system, the compressor spit a seal. Infact, you could actually hear the leak from the front shaft seal if the shaft was in the right spot. You could turn the clutch and get the leak to change rate.
June 19, 2010 12:58 p.m. 3Door4G Reader

Sorry to thread-jack, but I've also got a Civic with a recharge problem.

I took mine to a shop. They said they didn't see anything wrong with it. Gave it a recharge.

It worked fine. For a bit. Now it blows cold for a little while and then warms up after about 15 minutes.

Any ideas?
June 19, 2010 1:29 p.m. DILYSI Dave SuperDork

3Door4G wrote:

Sorry to thread-jack, but I've also got a Civic with a recharge problem.

I took mine to a shop. They said they didn't see anything wrong with it. Gave it a recharge.

It worked fine. For a bit. Now it blows cold for a little while and then warms up after about 15 minutes.

Any ideas?

AC clutch.

Remove clutch. Remove shim. Replace clutch. Enjoy AC.
June 19, 2010 3:51 p.m. wbjones Dork

96DXCivic wrote:

I haven't found that fuel mileage suffers too much from the A/C being on.

guess it depends on how much hp you've got... "Myth Busters" did a show several yrs ago with , I think , Mustang GT's on some one's test track in the SW.. (5 mi oval IIRC) and they found no more than ( and remember this is my 60 yo memory ) 1 - 1 1/2 mpg difference...

with ~ 1/3 the hp , my Integra will loose ~ 4 mpg ... on the dyno (stock + K&E filter) there was a little more than 10 hp drop with AC on vs AC off..
June 19, 2010 3:55 p.m. 96DXCivic Dork

I have a stock Honda Civic DX. And the fuel mileage around town seems to drop about 1 or 2 mpg around town. That is just my experience.
June 19, 2010 4:21 p.m. kevinSC1 New Reader

A hint I was given to help get all the freon out of the can - set it in very hot water for a few minutes before use, and hold it upside down when filling.
June 20, 2010 7:08 a.m. Woody SuperDork

Keith wrote:

My 1990 Miata needed a recharge. But it's an R12 car, and you need a license to buy that stuff. So I took it to a local trusted garage. I'm not really up on AC anyhow.

Is R12 impossible to find now?
June 20, 2010 8:44 a.m. 3Door4G Reader

DILYSI Dave wrote:

AC clutch.

Remove clutch. Remove shim. Replace clutch. Enjoy AC.

I'm going to investigate a little further, before I do that. After I posted yesterday, I drove for 40 minutes on the highway and It worked just fine the whole time.

I'm scratching my head now.

Can an AC clutch fail sporadically?
June 20, 2010 3:02 p.m. novaderrik Reader

i have a couple of the Walmart recharge kits- the first one didn't have a gauge, so i bought one that did. but i don't need to use them any more since i paid $30 for a Matco R134 manifold kit at a garage sale a couple of years ago.

i don't know what the gauges are supposed to read or really how to use them properly, but it has been useful to get a couple of cars blowing cold and it looks really cool hanging on the wall..

as for the gas mileage thing- i noticed that i gained a couple of miles per gallon in my 94 Caprice when i charged the AC up and started driving with the windows closed. i also noticed that my 97 Cavalier didn't really lose any mileage last summer when i used the AC compared to driving with the vents blowing on 'hi' and the windows cracked. i need to figure out where that thing leaks so i can get the AC blowing cold again.. or i could buy a gallon of Rustoleum paint and a roller to paint it white instead of the purple so it soaks up less heat from the sun...
June 20, 2010 9:24 p.m. cxhb Reader

Drove the car about 45 minutes on the highway today (the DD is officially gone), with a/c on, recirc on, and fan on hi. I put my hand up the the vents and i can tell the a/c definitely feels like its "working" just not as well as I think it should. I still sweat like crazy.

Windows will be tinted some time this week as I think the constant sunlight isnt helping anything.

The a/c will also be recharged hopefully by wednesday as I have a good friend willing to do it at work. Will let you guys know whats up.
June 21, 2010 8:21 a.m. miatame Reader

I was skeptical about the Auto Parts Store recharge kits but figured why not. My Jeep XJ has a slow leak. I had it professionally recharged about a year ago and this spring it started getting warmer and warmer. So I bought the kit with the large bottle and reusable gauge. I think it was about $26 at Autozone. To my surprise once I hooked it up to the quick release fitting (I think the fitting will only fit on the low pressure side...on a Jeep at least) and the can started emptying and my AC started blowing cold!

Wonderful thing and super easy to do.
June 21, 2010 4:31 p.m. SupraWes Dork

Woody wrote:

Is R12 impossible to find now?

Nope just gotta have a certification to buy it. If you want cans you gotta scrounge for em at swap meets or e-bay. You can buy large containers of it from a parts store with a certificate.
June 21, 2010 4:51 p.m. m4ff3w SuperDork

SupraWes wrote:

Woody wrote:

Is R12 impossible to find now?

Nope just gotta have a certification to buy it. If you want cans you gotta scrounge for em at swap meets or e-bay. You can buy large containers of it from a parts store with a certificate.

Oreilly's carrys 12oz cans, at least here in TX.
June 21, 2010 5:02 p.m. carguy123 SuperDork

Maybe it's a Civic thang cause it definitely isn't a Honda thang.

My S2000, the Ridgeline I drove for a while nor the Odyssey (minvan thingy) had AC issues. We have to keep the S2000's AC turned down low except when it's 105 outside and you've just gotten in it.

Nor does the AC seem to make a difference with gas mileage.

Now if you've got an AC system low in freon or other issues that won't cut off that might affect gas mileage.
June 21, 2010 5:05 p.m. carguy123 SuperDork

Oreilly's carrys 12oz cans, at least here in TX.

You cannot buy R12 in Texas in any size can without a permit.

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