If I was you, I would have evacuated the system with a vacuum pump motor for a minimum 1/2 hour before even trying to charge the system at all. That was standard procedure for back when I always used to work on A/C at a previous job at a shop I used to work at. The vacuum helps to suck the freon in, and also serves to create super low absolute pressure so as to boil out any moisture that may be in the system (during that time you have the vacuum pump on it). Also, if it wont take the full 1 lb 12oz (I think that's what Contour takes?), then make sure you start it up and run it while filling from the low side, so the lowside pressure drop will help to draw the rest of the freon in, as it converts most of it into liquid by pressurizing it into the high side. Did you do all that?
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Hey Josch,
Um.. I was talknig to a guy at work that said he did his wife's car without any vaccuum.. and is still going strong after 1.5 yrs. Yeah I did connect the filler tube to the low side to see if anything was coming out .. and nothing did .. the green UV crap did spill out a bit when i discon .. and what a b.... it was getting one of the condensor connections undone .. I needed to remove that U-tube that sits in front of the condensor to buy a little room. Little chinsey plastic pep boys tool cant be good for too many reuses ...
I do have a mity-vac (hand vaccuum) .. but that isnothing like a vac pump and 20 min.... but i'll let it suck some anyway .. though it's prob almost as good as doing nothing.. my little 12v compressor may have ability to go in vaccuum mode, if thats the case then im in business.
16+12 =28 oz .. or just 2 of those 14 oz cans with the oil already mixed in .. does this mean i wouldnt have to add the 20cc of oil it recommends when you replace any AC part (ie compressor, accumulator, etc).
I will definitely be running the motor to fill the thing up as any DIY'er does .. I think you need big equipment to do it without the compressor running... or woeuldnt u need to anyway ?
Well.. I think i do want the ac more for humidity removal just as much as for cooling .. after motor has been on 15 min.. and the system is up to 180-205 all that heat radiates into the cockpit so you get like a 10 or 20 deg. increase from ambient without having any air flow... and then after 30 min the 'cool' vent blows warm air as the whole engine compartment has been thermally radiated from the engine. If only the engine (and radiator) were in the rear you could almost do without AC.
