Debating doing own AC recharge via Low-side port

[rationull]

Originally Posted By: TechnoLoGs
Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
If your AC compressor is not short cycling (kicking off, then back on every few seconds), it's not low enough on refrigerant to worry about. Save your money for other repairs!


Actually.. If you want to know the God's honest truth?? And I can video prove this.. When I have the hood open and the car is running.. it DOES kick on every few seconds, as you say. DOES.

That being the case, what does that mean?

And yes, I can video document, if need be.. That loud "click" .. I actually DID hear, but thought it normal. My house A/C just did the same thing, and lights dimmed.

And, again, this car is likely on its first and original charge from 18 years ago. gets NICE and cold, but.. Takes awhile to build. And I still have not figured out "Normal" vs "MAX" A/C, except that Normal feels weaker, and MAX is required for comfort.

How does this change things? STILL do NOT buy the tall black AC Pro can I saw in store today, with gauge and nozzle already on can?


How frequently is it cycling, though? That could be normal -- maybe someone with knowledge of these cars specifically can chime in on that. I've had cars where the compressor ran full time by design and cars that cycle pretty frequently once everything's been running for a while.

 

[TechnoLoGs]

Originally Posted By: rationull
Originally Posted By: TechnoLoGs
Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
If your AC compressor is not short cycling (kicking off, then back on every few seconds), it's not low enough on refrigerant to worry about. Save your money for other repairs!


Actually.. If you want to know the God's honest truth?? And I can video prove this.. When I have the hood open and the car is running.. it DOES kick on every few seconds, as you say. DOES.

That being the case, what does that mean?

And yes, I can video document, if need be.. That loud "click" .. I actually DID hear, but thought it normal. My house A/C just did the same thing, and lights dimmed.

And, again, this car is likely on its first and original charge from 18 years ago. gets NICE and cold, but.. Takes awhile to build. And I still have not figured out "Normal" vs "MAX" A/C, except that Normal feels weaker, and MAX is required for comfort.

How does this change things? STILL do NOT buy the tall black AC Pro can I saw in store today, with gauge and nozzle already on can?


How frequently is it cycling, though? That could be normal -- maybe someone with knowledge of these cars specifically can chime in on that. I've had cars where the compressor ran full time by design and cars that cycle pretty frequently once everything's been running for a while.


I will have to video it.. It cycles.. repeatedly, but it appears to work OK. I did not know that rapid loud "click" could be a trouble sign.

If it is very low, how does it get nice and cold???

Again, my concern is to KEEP it blowing cold.

If it doesn't need anything ? Fine. I will share the video I take tomorrow.
If it IS blowing cold, (it is) AND working well.. BUT is indicating trouble?? - Then I want that fixed, and I have an aversion to paying shop prices, IF I can do it myself. (The guy in the store said "If you hook it up and the dial goes right to the red, then it is OK, don't add any, so you dont blow the system.")
I don't want it to to run into either "It was working OK now it is not," OR "It no longer blows cold."
The above should summarize why I feel it MAY need servicing, AND if I can service it myself..

What is meant by "BY MASS?"

 

[TechnoLoGs]

Originally Posted By: ram_man
If the ac needs charged yes do it that way its not worth the money to do it the correct way when that way works fine. Not ideal but it works.nthat being said if its working leave it alone. You seem to have obsessive tendencies to fiddle with stuff. So close the hood and leave it. Its a junk car. Let it run till it dies a natural death. Or sell it. Either way fixing stuff that works is a stupid thing to do.


PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE

Not sure why everyone speaks ill of this car. Must be popular. Even eljefino said that it is cleaning up nicely, and could really serve the purpose it needs.

Wouldn't that be something if changing VSS makes it work A-O-K. Will it be a junk car then?? NO.

 

[dishdude]

If it's blowing cold, leave it alone! There is no preventative maintenance on an A/C system. It either has a leak, or it doesn't.

And the compressor is supposed to cycle every few seconds. If it didn't, the evaporator would freeze.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: TechnoLoGs
Hey, all. 95 Taurus. AC works, but I want to kerp the R134A freon level good. Been humid. It blows cold; I want to keep it that way. MAY be a little low; blows cold, but, safe to add?

Tomorrow, VSS gets tackled. Continues to fail, in time.

If I buy an AC Pro, and blue or black tall can of refrigerany with hose and nozzle, can I just attach it to.Low-side port when running and sqieeze until nozzle is in the green on its gauge?


Get a A/C temp probe gauge and put it into the vent and see what the A/C temp is vs the outside temp. That will tell you if the system is up to snuff. There are charts.

I would not suggest attempting to fill the system without the normal set of manifold gauges. They are not all that expensive. The cheap low pressure gauges are pretty junky. And only use pure freon or some with UV leak detector. No stop leak stuff. And no oil.

 

[TechnoLoGs]

O-K. I read all the responses.

Sooo.. Next thing to get is a digital laser thermometer, and measure temps at the vent, at its coldest setting?

I will also post a video of the "clicks," to see if it is normal or abnormal.

The most important thing to take away is that it DOES blow cold; What I am saying to you all is that I want to keep it that way.

 

[yonyon]

Originally Posted By: TechnoLoGs

Sooo.. Next thing to get is a digital laser thermometer, and measure temps at the vent, at its coldest setting?
That would be the wrong tool for the job. If the A/C is blowing reasonably cold it will fog the lens and give a wacky reading. A mechanical thermometer is fine. If you want something with a digital display, choose something with a remote thermistor (no cold air blowing on the battery) or a thermocouple if you suddenly find yourself with lots of money and nothing better to spend it on.
Originally Posted By: TechnoLoGs

The most important thing to take away is that it DOES blow cold; What I am saying to you all is that I want to keep it that way.

Wait for a hot day and set the AC to max with fan on high and temperature all the way down with the engine idling. Let it run for 10 minutes or so and then note the time between the compressor clutch cycling on and off. On-time should be at least 5 times off-time. On-time should also be more than 12 seconds. If you have at least that much then you have enough charge that you shouldn't mess with it without proper tools.

Also note that the radiator fan comes on when the A/C is on. Fan relay failres were pretty common and a failed fan relay will give you unsatisfactory A/C performance as well as excessive load on the compressor.

 

[exranger06]

Even IF the AC system is not working correctly, take it to a shop and let them fix it. With your track record, you're just gonna screw it up way worse than it already is. Then you're gonna post 10 different threads on how to fix it, buy a bunch of stuff to try to fix it (and spend way more money than you would have if you had just taken it to a shop in the first place), we make fun of you and say "I told you so," you continue to mess with it, make it even worse yet, we make fun of you some more, you mess it with it more and completely FUBAR it, and eventually give up and take it to a shop in the end anyway.

Seriously, repairing AC PROPERLY requires expensive tools that you definitely don't have, and you have to know what you're doing, and you definitely don't. It is NOT as easy as those diy kits would lead you to believe.

 

[chrome]

Sorry, I must have missed something...

Is TechnoloGs actually Carnoobie and GHT reincarnate?

 

[TechnoLoGs]

I do not want them to charge me an exorbitant amount of money because I am an idiot either.

And I dont feed drama, no matter how much the gang of three wants.

I need to read through some of what has been posted when I get home. I have video of its cycling or kicking on and off. it appear to do so 5 times in just over a minute.



Originally Posted By: exranger06
Even IF the AC system is not working correctly, take it to a shop and let them fix it. With your track record, you're just gonna screw it up way wqorse than it already is. Then you're gonna post 10 different threads on how to fix it, buy a bunch of stuff to try to fix it (and spend way more money than you would have if you had just taken it to a shop in the first place), we make fun of you and say "I told you so," you continue to mess with it, make it even worse yet, we make fun of you some more, you mess it with it more and completely FUBAR it, and eventually give up and take it to a shop in the end anyway.

Seriously, repairing AC PROPERLY requires expensive tools that you definitely don't have, and you have to know what you're doing, and you definitely don't. It is NOT as easy as those diy kits would lead you to believe.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: chrome
Sorry, I must have missed something...

Is TechnoloGs actually Carnoobie and GHT reincarnate?


According to my Magic 8 ball "my sources say yes"

 

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
Stop fixing things that are NOT broken, fix those things that need attention and are most importantly not working.


I agree. I would think that on a 1995 car, that there would be plenty of broken things that actually need to be fixed as well.

 

[TechnoLoGs]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Originally Posted By: chrome
Sorry, I must have missed something...

Is TechnoloGs actually Carnoobie and GHT reincarnate?


According to my Magic 8 ball "my sources say yes"


Is a Magic 8-ball a toy, or a tool?

 

[TechnoLoGs]

Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
Stop fixing things that are NOT broken, fix those things that need attention and are most importantly not working.


I agree. I would think that on a 1995 car, that there would be plenty of broken things that actually need to be fixed as well.


Well this one is in pretty good shape then!

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: yonyon

Also note that the radiator fan comes on when the A/C is on. Fan relay failres were pretty common and a failed fan relay will give you unsatisfactory A/C performance as well as excessive load on the compressor.


Yeah this. With the thing running the rad fan should be blowing a mini tornado of warm air. I know you've had engine cooling issues: enough hot air should be blowing out of the car that you can feel the breeze standing by the driver's door. AC will only add heat to this breeze.

 

[TechnoLoGs]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Originally Posted By: yonyon

Also note that the radiator fan comes on when the A/C is on. Fan relay failres were pretty common and a failed fan relay will give you unsatisfactory A/C performance as well as excessive load on the compressor.


Yeah this. With the thing running the rad fan should be blowing a mini tornado of warm air. I know you've had engine cooling issues: enough hot air should be blowing out of the car that you can feel the breeze standing by the driver's door. AC will only add heat to this breeze.


Quick Q: If my engine bay was very very hot during operation, abnormally so, would this problem be a suspect?

The car runs well but I have been noticing the temperature needle very low four times, before it goes to the middle and eventually comes, with no we'll correlation between but the car is doing in regards to when it comes back down. and the engine compartment seems super hot when running.

I have taken videos of the AC when its running to help

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: TechnoLoGs
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Originally Posted By: chrome
Sorry, I must have missed something...

Is TechnoloGs actually Carnoobie and GHT reincarnate?


According to my Magic 8 ball "my sources say yes"


Is a Magic 8-ball a toy, or a tool?


Kinda like automotive Diagnostic Dice, it can be used for both.

 

[TechnoLoGs]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Originally Posted By: TechnoLoGs
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Originally Posted By: chrome
Sorry, I must have missed something...

Is TechnoloGs actually Carnoobie and GHT reincarnate?


According to my Magic 8 ball "my sources say yes"


Is a Magic 8-ball a toy, or a tool?


Kinda like automotive Diagnostic Dice, it can be used for both.
o

"Magic 8-Ball, should I buy a Volvo?"

 

[eagle23]

As some others have said, STOP!

You've over-filled the engine oil and the automatic trans by simply adding "x" first. An 18 yr old AC may not be as forgiving.

The AC seems to blow cold air. That's it's job. That the compressor goes on and off is normal. That the engine compartment seems "hot" means nothing when it's summer.

I know you're proud of the car; it seems to be doing well. But simply adding blindly some of this or that is a recipe for disaster completely of one's own making.

 

[TechnoLoGs]

Originally Posted By: eagle23


You've over-filled the engine oil and the automatic trans by simply adding "x" first. An 18 yr old AC may not be as forgiving.


WRONG

The transmissin fluid level is spot-on, as per siphoning and having new ATF put in, abd then checking it.. So, it is NOT "overfull." NOT.

Quote:

The AC seems to blow cold air. That's it's job. That the compressor goes on and off is normal. That the engine compartment seems "hot" means nothing when it's summer.


Video is coming; I agree, I have not touched it, because it would be a shame to break something that *appears* to be functioning perfectly.

Quote:
I know you're proud of the car; it seems to be doing well. But simply adding blindly some of this or that is a recipe for disaster completely of one's own making.


Thank you!