AC recharge
- Thread starter JBFury
- Start date
Aspen500
Well-Known Member
Charge from the low pressure port only. It's the larger line and sometimes the caps are color coded. Blue is for low pressure, red for high pressure. It's OK to run the A/C while charging if needed to get all the refrigerant in. Do NOT do this if hooked to the high pressure port! I take it it's been converted to R134a? Most of the conversion fittings have red/blue caps.
The problem is I have no idea what mods have been done to this car. The original owner (Im the 4th, 2nd and 3rd made no alterations) provided no work history with the car but there have been several aftermarket discoveries as I've toyed around with it. Any idea how I could tell?
Aspen500
Well-Known Member
From what I can see, I'd say it's got R134a in it. Another way to tell is, R12 charge ports have external threads, R134a uses a quick connector type charging port (threads for cap are internal).
When charging a system that originally had R12, only charge with R134a to about 80% specified capacity and,,,,,,there will always be bubbles in the sight glass (on top of the dryer). The R12 capacity is 42 oz so a good starting point for R134a would be around 34 ounces. I put 34 oz in my system and it cools excellent and the pressures are in a good range.
As a side note, avg price for a pound of R12 (if you can find any) is $90-$100. A pound of R134a is $5-$6 and is readily available. The new R1234yf refrigerant that came around about 5 years ago is about like R12, $90-100/lb (but you can't convert back to R134a with those).
When charging a system that originally had R12, only charge with R134a to about 80% specified capacity and,,,,,,there will always be bubbles in the sight glass (on top of the dryer). The R12 capacity is 42 oz so a good starting point for R134a would be around 34 ounces. I put 34 oz in my system and it cools excellent and the pressures are in a good range.
As a side note, avg price for a pound of R12 (if you can find any) is $90-$100. A pound of R134a is $5-$6 and is readily available. The new R1234yf refrigerant that came around about 5 years ago is about like R12, $90-100/lb (but you can't convert back to R134a with those).
You will only add refrigerant to the high side one time – and then you are either dead or missing critical body parts from the can exploding. In other words – ending in a bad day.
NEVER EVER charge an A/C from the high side!
On Chrysler's, the R-12 service ports are identical in size (and shape) and looks like this (when cap is removed):
R-134a service ports are different sized and look like this (when cap is removed):
These adapters screw onto your existing R-12 service ports and use glue ,or something, so they can not be removed.
R-134a adapter size are made to keep someone from adding refrigerant into the wrong side. Red cap is high side and blue cap is low side
I can't tell by the pictures, but would guess your car has already been converted to R-134a.
BudW
NEVER EVER charge an A/C from the high side!
On Chrysler's, the R-12 service ports are identical in size (and shape) and looks like this (when cap is removed):
R-134a service ports are different sized and look like this (when cap is removed):
These adapters screw onto your existing R-12 service ports and use glue ,or something, so they can not be removed.
R-134a adapter size are made to keep someone from adding refrigerant into the wrong side. Red cap is high side and blue cap is low side
I can't tell by the pictures, but would guess your car has already been converted to R-134a.
BudW
Mikes5thAve
Well-Known Member
I agree. That's still the stock hose and shouldn't have a fitting that big on it unless it was converted. Pop the caps off and see what's there.
AC is recharged and ice cold! Question though; coolant looks foamy in the looking glass. Service manual says this indicates low coolant and will go clear when full. Pressure gauge is plum middle of green stating full. I'm trusting the gauge and the cold air, but curious about the service manuals suggestion.
Aspen500
Well-Known Member
The service manual is referring to R12. With R134a, there will always be bubbles/foam in the sight glass since technically the system charge is "low", because there's only about 80% capacity in the system. R12 is 42 oz, where R134 you charge to about 34-36 oz. It is completely normal.
Justwondering
Well-Known Member
JBFury...
I'm thinking that you have an exceptionally clean engine bay.
Should you ever find yourself in NE Texas, please feel free to stop by and you can work your magic on my car's engine bay. I'll provide a shade umbrella and cool beverage of choice!
JW
I'm thinking that you have an exceptionally clean engine bay.
Should you ever find yourself in NE Texas, please feel free to stop by and you can work your magic on my car's engine bay. I'll provide a shade umbrella and cool beverage of choice!
JW
MoparDan
Well-Known Member
Done with a power washer and a bottle of Purple Power about 2 weeks ago. Not hard to do, just make sure you hose the whole car down before and after so nothing happens to the paint
Did you cover anything up prior to power washing? Curious because I wouldn't mind doing the same, just don't want to short anything out.
You can power wash any vehicle - but areas to watch out for are:
- Alternator bearings (very easy to force water into those sealed bearings which equals to bad bearings in no time)
- Distributor cap area (it doesn't take much water under the cap to make a car not run, or not run well).
- Into the carburetor.
- Onto hot exhaust (it can produce steam or scalding hot water that can/will burn you).
- A/C condenser/radiator/oil cooler fins (in some cases, high pressure water can/will bend the fins closed).
- High pressure water can/will get into any/all electrical connectors. Short circuits can occur to computers, but other electrical connectors will suffer from corrosion after a while.
A general rule of thumb is to use the low pressure setting on everything and high pressure setting on a part/item you know the water will not hurt (example is oil on inner fender).
BudW
- Alternator bearings (very easy to force water into those sealed bearings which equals to bad bearings in no time)
- Distributor cap area (it doesn't take much water under the cap to make a car not run, or not run well).
- Into the carburetor.
- Onto hot exhaust (it can produce steam or scalding hot water that can/will burn you).
- A/C condenser/radiator/oil cooler fins (in some cases, high pressure water can/will bend the fins closed).
- High pressure water can/will get into any/all electrical connectors. Short circuits can occur to computers, but other electrical connectors will suffer from corrosion after a while.
A general rule of thumb is to use the low pressure setting on everything and high pressure setting on a part/item you know the water will not hurt (example is oil on inner fender).
BudW
Justwondering
Well-Known Member
And use Saran Wrap or aluminum foil to cover what needs to be shielded from the water
