R134a. Yes you can get it ant Walmart. Is it telling you that you are low? I would not add more than 1 can with a low refrigerant message.

 

Hi,i just bought an R-134a REFRIGERANT TRIGGER DISPENSER with a built in pressure gauge at Walmart yesterday---$14.77 plus tax.
The pressure gauge is nice to have to make sure you don`t overfill.
I also bought a couple cans of the refrigerant with STOP LEAK---the stop leak really works on small leaks.

 

DO NOT use stop leak in an A/C system.

Those gauges are rather useless. You need both high and low side readings.

 

where can i get this stuff in Canada
it's not really needed. i just want to know.

 

Need to fill my '98 eldo, same message. I've been looking at the gauge sets and there appears to be a big difference in price. Anyone have any recommendations on a/c gauges?

 

Like anything, you get what you pay for. You can get a cheap set from Harbor Freight that will probably do the job, but it is made offshore and has metric threads so replacement hoses and such will be hard to get. Mine is Master Cool. RobinAir is another good brand. Both have varying models and prices. Get one with a sight guage. If you have never used one, read up first and NEVER open the red high pressure side unless you are pulling a vacuum.

 

I just got a set from Harbor Freight and they are all standard thread and it has a sight glass. I also got the air operated vacuum pump. For as many times I will be using this, it is perfect and works just fine.

 

Thanks for the help. Much appreciated!

 

From what I understand, those air operated vacuum pumps will not draw anywhere near enough vacuum to do the job.

 

Went out and got a Master Cool gauge set with site glass and quick disconnects, ($80.00 @ autozone). From the instructions and what I've seen from the forum, I believe what follows should be the procedure to recharge the system.

Verify ambient temperature is above 65 degrees F.

1. Safety - safety glasses, long sleeves and gloves, (exposure to refrigerant can cause frostbite).

2. Attach hoses to manifold ass'y, (hi, lo, and fill).

3. Remove caps from service ports, (Low press. Larger tube from evaporator to accumulator - passenger side over fender well; High Pressure - smaller tube from evaporator along firewall towards driver's side). Verify service ports are clean.

4. Attach low press. and high press hoses to proper service ports.

5. Start car, reset low refrig code, and turn ac on high and fan on high.

6. Read gauges and compare with chart provided with gauge set.

7. If low and high press readings are both low, then system needs recharge.

8. To recharge, attach fill hose to can of R134a and slowly open low press valve, (NOT HIGH PRESS VALVE), until low press side reads 40 psi.

9. When flow stops and pressures stabilize close valves and disconnect manifold from service ports and refrigerant can. Replace service port caps.

Any comments will be appreciated. Thanks

 

Holding the can upside down will fill the system MUCH faster.

If yours has a small bleed valve in the center right below the sight glass if I recall correctly. Before you open the low side valve to add refrigerant, press the bleed valve to purge any air in the line. It should only take a brief push and you will see and feel the refrigerant come out. It will feel cold if you get any on your finger, but that small exposure will not frost bite you so don't panic. Just remember to NEVER EVER open the red high side valve during recharging.

Did you get a can tapper to connect the can to the low side hose?

 

The link below shows the set I bought.

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...24&prev=/images?q=MasterCool&start=40&ndsp=20&svnum=10&um=1&hl=en&safe=off&sa=N

The connector to attach to the can has a center pin which I assume will puncture the can seal when tightened. If not, then I guess I'll have to wait a 'REALLY long time for the system to fill.

I'll let you know how I make out. Thanks again.

 

That looks exactly like the set I have.

 

i just recently had my ac bypassed by putting a shorter belt on it and i get the low refrigerent message to just wondering if this is somehting i need to worry aobut since im not using ac will it affect any other part of my motor?

 

If you want to evacuate your system, get an old Maytag washer motor, fan belt, piece of plywood, old GM or Ford compressor (60s and/or 70s). Mount all of this on plywood. Run compressor backwards and turn it into a suction machine. Works beautifully. I have been doing this for 20 years.

 

i just recently had my ac bypassed by putting a shorter belt on it and i get the low refrigerent message to just wondering if this is somehting i need to worry aobut since im not using ac will it affect any other part of my motor?

No.

BigBird, where are you going to find a '60's compressor? I have heard that a compressor from a refrigerator will work as well. I was going to build one, but never got around to it. So far I haven't needed it anyway, much like the water pump socket I made, but I guess that's a good thing.

 

Ranger - recharged a/c on Monday. Filled to 50 psi LO and 225 psi HI. You were right I needed the can tapper. The pin I saw on the fill hose was part of the backflow preventer on the hose. A/C working well. Thanks.

 

Those pressures sound a tad on the high side unless you did it on a hot day. Did you verify the correct pressure with the FSM (they vary with ambient temperatures).

 

Used the instructions that came with the gauge set. Pressures were based on an ambient temp of 85, Monday. I'll check the FSM and bleed off if necessary. Thanks again.

 

Making sure a system is charged properly takes more than "adding refrigerant".
While it is true that if they are slightly low, topping them off will usually do the trick, but in the long run you aren't doing yourself any favors.
Most systems newer than Y2K have added tracer dye, using a UV light will take you right to the source of the leak and then you can actually get it fixed.

System pressures can vary depending on how you are set up and ambient temperature and humidity. Charging it until it is a certain psi will not ensure proper operation to say the least, and yes, 50 psi is really a bit high in almost any weather.
On an average day you want to be somewhere between 30 and 40 psi, but that doesn't tell you what is happening in the high side of the system which can operate normally in the 100-250 range depending on conditions.

Turning the can upside down does make for faster charging, but depending on where the service port is it could introduce liquid refrigerant in the suction line to the compressor and since liquids don't compress it can tear up a compressor in short order.

To pick nits... venting refrigerant to the atmosphere is a violation of EPA regulations... any kind of refrigerant, not just R-12.

This is what I use, granted I didn't pay for it... but GM says we have to have this one to work on A/C.
http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/ROB-342000.html
Notice the price tag, that is why A/C repairs aren't as "cheap" as people think they should be.
That is a really nice machine though.

 

Agreed, EPA restricts the venting of refrigerants. R-134A is stated to not harm the ozone layer. There are circumstances where venting of refrigerants is allowed...
http://www.epa.gov/ozone/title6/608/subrecsm.html

To minimize the impact on the environment everyone should attempt to minimize the venting of refrigerants.

That being said, if the EPA was concerned about consumers use of regulated materials they would restrict their use to certified technicians only.