Air Conditioner Freon Topoff

RABID_MP5

Member
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2002 Protege5
Hard to believe summer's about here. 85 today so I tried out the A/C. Barely worked. So shot in some freon.(Never needed any before) I once overfilled on an RX-7, blowing out a pop valve and always fear doing that again. I added maybe 2/3 of a can until I got 45 degrees at the output vent. I measured 30ish on the low side with a really cheap gauge. So if it holds OK I think I'm good for the summer.
Anybody got any tips for the best way to fill it without overfilling?
PS on my 626 it always was fine, but by checking the pressure I caused the valve to start leaking. So if it isn't broke ....
 
You can just pour freon in it? I thought 'recharging' your A/C was something you had to have a professional do. Where do you put the freon in at?
 
Yeah you can DIY it. Walmart or any auto parts store has the freon and tools. But if it goes totally empty it can be a good idea to get it evacuated with a vacuum pump and maybe replace the receiver/dryer - normally a pro deal. But with miles the compressor seal tends to leak some, so it's easy to top up. Wear safety glasses as liquid freon can freeze on contact if it splashes.
 
Freon is illegal in automotive use (and maybe illegal period now, I forget). How and where did you get freon from??? Lol freon... I don't think you have been able to use that for AT LEAST a decade. I believe you have to get your whole system redone into a modern format that uses r134a. You can get r134a refreshing cans at any automotive parts store, walmart, etc... On my 1990 rx-7 I just removed my A/C system :D Anyways, if your system is too far gone, you're better off going to a professional to flush it all out and refresh your whole system. I don't think I've ever had good working A/C tho so I just rock windows down in the sum sum summa time. Good luck mane.
 
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yeah R12 was supplanted by 134 in 1993-94 for ozone impacts. So 'refrigerant' I guess. The newer valves are different too. I bought a 92 626 used that had a warning label on the filler valve. R12 was $$ so they had put butane in it.
 
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yeah R12 was supplanted by 134 in 1993-94 for ozone impacts. So 'refrigerant' I guess. The newer valves are different too. I bought a 92 626 used that had a warning label on the filler valve. R12 was $$ so they had put butane in it.

Thats interesting, butane does get f'in cold lol. Ya old school freon systems won't work with r134a I'm pretty sure. Thats why I just scrapped my A/C on my rx-7. Just sucked when the front bracket on my driver side window broke lol. took me like 6 weeks to finally get a new one. Had to shimmy that window up and down that whole summer haha. Let alone the few times that friends thought they were being nice and went to put my windows up before it rained only to knock the window completely off track. ahh sweet sweet memories. it was worth it for the rwd tho (yes)
 
Back to the original question, along with those cans of R134a, most come with an attached gauge that give you the overall pressure of your system, and tell you when the pressure is getting damagingly high. If not, you can but the gauge separately as well - it is usually integrated with a filler tube that connects to the cans of R134a.
 
If you are needing to add freon then you have a leak in your system and it needs to be fixed. you can buy die kits that will eject the die in the system out of the spot its leaking. but its something a professional would have to do because it takes those freon gauges to do. In all honesty just adding freon to your system without gauges or anything is not a good idea. before i add freon i always recover the old and then add all new freon.
 
Older systems that run on r12 work with r134a. Plus if you have a leak in ur r12 or are just letting it into the air and you get caught, then you can be charged for over 10000
 
If you are needing to add freon then you have a leak in your system and it needs to be fixed. you can buy die kits that will eject the die in the system out of the spot its leaking. but its something a professional would have to do because it takes those freon gauges to do. In all honesty just adding freon to your system without gauges or anything is not a good idea. before i add freon i always recover the old and then add all new freon.

That's a good point. I just figured if he's fine with refilling it once a year, then there's no real harm in letting a small leak get by. Maybe someone can correct me on this? :)
 
Technically this is true. The 134 still attacks the ozone layer, just not near as much as R12. I think the typical case is that the main compressor seal starts leaking due to age & wear. (Or could be at any joint) Some refill stuff has seal treatments in it that may help a little. They also have oil in them to replace that which has also leaked out. But on a $ basis you're probably talking a few bucks versus a compressor rebuild/replacement. So unless you are real green or demand perfection it's easier to buy time and just add a reasonable amount when needed.
 
"Freon" is a Brand name....
Please use it as such.

Refrigerant's are named by there Number and type.
 
"Freon" is a Brand name....
Please use it as such.

Refrigerant's are named by there Number and type.

Pingpong tables, kleenex, and many other things are called by the brand name of the item. Freon is a term that everyone knows that it is. You dont have to get all technical crazy on us. (sun)
 
"Freon" is a Brand name....
Please use it as such.

Refrigerant's are named by there Number and type.

x2

its R12 and R143a (only 2 that were ever approved for automobile use)

not "freon"

You must be MACS certified (which i am)to buy refrigerant in bulk (30lb tank of virgin) of both 134a and 12

for the DIY'er, 134a is available in 1lb cans but is usually never actually 1 full lb of virgin refrigerant. There is usually a die and oil added which can do more harm than good (the oil that is) too much oil in the system can cause damage as well as too little can. there for, just adding a can of generic 134a with random amounts of other s*** in it can work for a little while but do more harm in the long run as there is usually more oil in a "1lb" can of generic refrigerant that is needed for some entire systems (that are dry)

mobile A/C work is best to be done by a shop where systems can be serviced, evacuated and recharged efficiently

If you insist on servicing your own A/c, invest the money in a Gauge set to observe your high and lowside pressure and recharge with it

remember, after about 10 minutes of exposure to the atmosphere(system failure or opening of the system with out evacuation afterwards) the desicant in the reciever drier or accumulator drier will become saturated and will NEED to be replaced


do it right the first time and pay to have it done right with the proper equiptment
after you screw up your own A/C systems you can join the many others who went down the road before you and either
a: pissed and moaned at the shop you finally went to because they told you to bend over and raped you to have it fixed
or
b: removed the A/c all together
 
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and while there are fines for thoes who vent refrigerant into the atmosphere, the epa is not going to come after you for servicing it yourself and not knowing better but fines are strictly in forced on us who know better, know the consequences, and service systems illegally and turn a profit on servicing them without following federal procedure

and another tip for the diy'er: STAY AWAY FROM STOP LEAK(no)
 
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