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Joined: Dec 2000
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Hard-core CEG'er
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Hard-core CEG'er
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<--- off to Walmart to get himself a recharge kit. Great info. Maybe our gracious host will store this as a how-to ?
Bless our servicemen & women overseas.
L.Cpl Ian Malone, 1st Battalion Irish Guards, R.I.P.
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Joined: Mar 2001
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Hard-core CEG'er
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Hard-core CEG'er
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It doesn't hurt to get a can of Refrigerant oil and add that as well.
Make sure it is Synthetic Oil for R134a Refrigerant.
It is usually a very small can, a little bigger than your palm.
It will inject the right amount of oil for your AC system.
Do this FIRST, before adding any refrigerant.
As your system leaks the R134a, you also lose the Synthetic Oil
that lubricates the internal parts of the AC Compressor.
Pete...
2004 Mercury Marauder 300A
Black Clearcoat/Dark Charcoal LEATHER
DOB 10/31/2003
DOP 1/2/2004
www.mercurymarauder.net
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Veteran CEG\'er
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I've got to ask, I bet you could tell us how to do it with a set of gauges? I read and over heard HVAC guys talking that 134A does as much harm to the ozone as R-12 only differently??? IE hey I've got gotta couple 100lb's of 12 how much$$$$  TNX Paul
Paul
98 Mystique LS 2ea (07/97)(08/98)
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Joined: Mar 2001
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Hard-core CEG'er
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Hard-core CEG'er
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Originally posted by F111D F:
I've got to ask, I bet you could tell us how to do it with a set of gauges?
I read and over heard HVAC guys talking that 134A does as much harm to the ozone as R-12 only differently??? IE hey I've got gotta couple 100lb's of 12 how much$$$$
TNX
Paul
Ah.....
To do this with Gauges requires a bit more precision.
You need to know what your current weather characteristics are...
Temperature & Humidity
Then you need to refer to a chart, which is in the FORD Service Manual.
It tells you what the HI and LOW pressure ranges should be for an AC system
that is in working order, by temperature and humidity levels.
Most shops do it this way, but their gauge cluster is attached to a 30lb bottle of R134a.
And R134a doesn't attach itself to the Ozone like R-12 does.
R134a is an inert gas called Halogen.
It has properties very similiar to Carbon Dioxide.
That is why you see it also used in many Fire Extinguishing devices.
Halogen is an element found naturally on earth.
Halogen, in a gaseous state, can be used just like R-12, but it works at a slightly higher pressure.
Halogen is also a smaller molecule than R-12, so the hoses and plumbling used for this type of system,
are more expensive than the R-12 system, because they cannot be as porous as the R-12 plumbing
or else they would not be able to contain the Halogen gas.
Just like any balloon, other than a Latex Balloon, can't hold Helium for more than 24 hours.
R-12 is a CHLOROFLUOROCARBON. A molecule made of of several elements.
It is very reactive to the Ozone, and because of this,
has been outlawed for release into the atmosphere,
and our R-12 CFC Recycling program began, to reclaim this gas,
rather than dispense it into the atmosphere.
R-12 is no longer manufactured in North America,
and hasn't been manufactured in North America
for the more than 10 years now.
Pete...
2004 Mercury Marauder 300A
Black Clearcoat/Dark Charcoal LEATHER
DOB 10/31/2003
DOP 1/2/2004
www.mercurymarauder.net
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 222
CEG\'er
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CEG\'er
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Remember - you asked:
Excerpted from the Ford Service CD.
The actual amount of R134a is specified on an underhood decal.
Manifold Gauge Set Connection
R-134a High Side Quick Disconnect or equivalent
176-R0037
R-134a Low Side Quick Disconnect or equivalent
176-R0036
R-134a Manifold Gauge Set or equivalent
176-R032A
WARNING:
Use extreme care and observe all safety precautions related to the use of refrigerants.
Note:
Hoses should have shutoff devices or check valves within 305 mm (12 in) of the hose end to minimize the introduction of non-condensable gases (air) into the recovery station, as well as to minimize the amount of refrigerant released when the hoses are disconnected.
Note:
Follow the equipment manufacturers procedures and instructions.
1. Turn both valves on R-134a Manifold Gauge Set all the way to the left to close the low- and high-pressure hoses to the center manifold and center hose.
2. Remove the A/C charging valve caps from the low- and high-pressure gauge port valves.
3. Connect R-134a Manifold Gauge Set low-pressure hose and R-134a Low Side Quick disconnect to the low-pressure gauge port valve.
4. Connect R-134a Manifold Gauge Set high-pressure hose and R-134a High Side Quick Disconnect to the high-pressure gauge port valve.
5. Connect the center hose to the vacuum pump or the R-134a tank.
To charge:
Keep the refrigerant cylinder in the upright position.
Connect the center hose of the manifold gauge set to a refrigerant cylinder. If a charging station is used, follow the instructions of the manufacturer.
5. CAUTION:
Do not open the high-pressure valve while the engine is running.
Start the engine and turn on the air conditioning.
6. Open the low-pressure valve on the manifold gauge set to allow the refrigerant to enter the system. Continue to add refrigerant until the proper amount is drawn into the system. Consult the vehicle specification label.
7. Close the low-pressure valve.
8. Check the A/C system for proper operation.
9. Stop the engine.
10. Disconnect the manifold gauge set.
Red '98 SVT E0 3098/6535
DMD
other stuff
and a Bullitt fuel door
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Posts: 1,228
Hard-core CEG\'er
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Quote:
It doesn't hurt to get a can of Refrigerant oil and add that as well.
Make sure it is Synthetic Oil for R134a Refrigerant.
It is usually a very small can, a little bigger than your palm.
It will inject the right amount of oil for your AC system.
Do this FIRST, before adding any refrigerant.
Roadrunner is right that you lose oil, but too much oil will significantly lower the performance of the A/C also.
The only right way of recharging oil and refirgerant is to remove it all (Reclaim the refirgerant) and charge the system with the right amount of both oil and refrigerant.
Overcharging with refrigerant can cause compressor damage and burst hoses.
I am not saying you can't recharge the system, only that there are risks (both damage to the car and personal health risks)if you are not clear on what you are doing.
For instance, if you accidently connected to the high side instead of low (Different connectors, so it is unlikely, put it has happened) the refrigerant can can explode in your hands. Damage from the explosion plus freeze burns can permanently damage you, possibly blind you.
Wear safety glasses and use insulated, inpervious gloves as a minimum. I just had a technician severely burn his hands (Freeze burn looks and hurts just like a heat burn) when the schrader valve on the charging port stuck open when he removed the charging hose. He had leather gloves on and his skin was frozen right through the gloves. He has been out of work for a month and a half now. This is a Trained refrigerant technician. He should of known better, but I want you to be careful and not suffer either.
The process is simple, but consequences of mistakes can be severe.
Good luck.
My name is Richard. I was a Contouraholic.
NOW: '02 Mazda B3000 Dual Sport, Black
BEFORE: '99 Contour SE Sport
Duratec ATX Spruce Green
PIAA 510's, Foglight MOD, K&N Drop-in
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 222
CEG\'er
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CEG\'er
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Contouraholic is right on with his safety cautions!
The hazard is reduced when working with 12oz cans of refrigerant, but you still should take appropriate precautions.
AL
Red '98 SVT E0 3098/6535
DMD
other stuff
and a Bullitt fuel door
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 67
CEG\'er
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CEG\'er
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Unless you fix the reason your R-134a is low, you are just waisting your time and money. They sell the do it yourself kits that include a sealer for small leaks. This might work if you have an O-ring leaking, but chances are you have a hose that has a hole rubbed in it or one that is rotted. Good luck 
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Joined: Feb 2001
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Mine leaks very slow. When I bought the car it was three years old and needed a 12 oz recharge. 2 1/2 years later, I added another because the A/C wasn't quite up to snuff, a major issue here in FL in the summer. I figure a can every 2-3 years isn't worth chasing the leak.
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Posts: 888
Veteran CEG\'er
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i got a 96 contour, 2.5 V-6 engine.. one week ago the daughter brought the car home and said that the a/c is not working... sure enough: the high pressure service port was kinda wet with oil from the a/c system and the coolant was coming out the service port... i finally got around to locate one(a service valve at the ford dealer they had to order it.. and a cap.. the valve was $18 and the cap was
$2.50.... i then went to auto zone and bought one of those cheap charging hoses for $19, the one with the single gauge on it... i then got two cans of R-134-A and charged it up...
it was completely empty.. I have a vacuum pump to evacuate R-12 or R-22, but it does not have the service valve for the R-134 on it... i replaced the bad service port and then attached one can of freon to the hose and shot some through... i let enough run through to flush out any moisture that might have gotten in there.... well 15 minutes later the car is putting out very cold air again...
took it for a test drive and it worked fine..... now i just have to wait to see if there is any more leaks(minor ones as for one hour it worked pretty good..... at least i can take it someplace not and not be told that it need a new compressor.. i know the comp. works... might have a slight leak someplace due the the high pressure on the system...
WHY???? remember the recall on the under hood electrical harness being brittle and the insulation falling off: well this is what happened to the wires to the High pressure shut off.... the part that stops the compressor from running when the pressure gets up the 450 lbs. so the thing dont blow a hose or something...... i just hate to bring the car to the dealer to get them to fix/replace the wiring harness..... last time i had a recall they messed up the dashboard and the car was in the shop for a week and we had to rent a car for that time period.... OH, these warranties... i tried to get ford to pay for the A/C as it was related to the electrical problem, but they would not bite on that one....... i was just lucky enough to have had experience with the old A/C units and had most of the knowledge to enderstand how the a/c works.............
total cost was about $60 to fix it.. a dealer would have charged me about $200 or more if they would just done the same thing and never tried to tell me that the compressor was bad......
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