Whats the correct r-134a charge for my car?

[ChevyGuy3100]

Hey guys. I hooked my 1999 Malibu V6 up to the recovery machine becuase the A/C wasnt doing the best. It had 1.54 lbs in it. Now the sticker under the hood says charge with 1.35lbs of R-134a. But EVERY website says to charge it to 28oz which is 1.75lbs... Right? It only gets the temp down to 49*F and thats on a 78-80* day. And on hot days like last week, it only gets to 55*. I want it to be really cold like my moms Taurus, or my sisters Toyota Highlander. Measuring with the same thermometer, theres gets down to 35*F. I tried charging back to 1.75lbs but it made no difference at all. Do you guys have any ideas? Id great appreciate ANY input

 

[CT8]

Are the blend doors working properly.

 

[ChevyGuy3100]

Yes. Because with the a/c off and the knob all the way on cold, it just blows the outside air, no heat. I guess thats one way of testing it haha.

 

[wander2039]

What's your pressures? Just fixed the Focus AC and it took 21 and was between 35-40 low and around 225 high. Only blows 40ish on the highway and on 3 out of 4 fan wise. All cars are different but both of mine are the same. Never down to 35! Could have a clogged orffice tube.

 

[Warstud]

I'd just leave it.... summer is almost over.

 

[Chris142]

Whats your pressures? I cant get you the spec as we are clowed on weekends.is there a sticker on your strut telling you the proper charge

 

[clinebarger]

My sources are calling for 1.35 lbs.

If the condenser hasn't been pulled & cleaned already......I guarantee it has 5 pounds of dirt/grass/bugs/& debris built up!
If you live around Pine trees.....You have a 10 pounds of pine needles in your condenser, LOL.

 

[Chris142]

Put in what the sticker says it takes. Adding more wont make in colder

 

[The_Eric]

Originally Posted By: clinebarger
My sources are calling for 1.35 lbs.

If the condenser hasn't been pulled & cleaned already......I guarantee it has 5 pounds of dirt/grass/bugs/& debris built up!
If you live around Pine trees.....You have a 10 pounds of pine needles in your condenser, LOL.


Originally Posted By: Chris142
Put in what the sticker says it takes. Adding more wont make in colder



What these two said!

 

[ChevyGuy3100]

Thank you guys! The stiker is actually on the metal part above the radiator, ad it says 1.35lbs. But its strange to me why everything else says 1.75lbs. Even Mitchell On Demand on my computer calls for 1.75lbs. Im also not sure what the pressures are, Ill hook gauges up later on. I will try replacing the orifice tube and maybe the reciever/dryer??? Its not that expensive so if it doesnt help its not like I lost a lot.

 

[bdcardinal]

I have seen a lot of incorrect info in Mitchell On Demand and AllData.

 

[oilpsi2high]

Always go by the sticker under the hood.

 

[FL-400S]

My 02 blows pretty cold, though the last 2 days when I drove it, it seemed to not be as cold as before. Ill fish out my $7 meat thermometer and leave it in the vent for a couple of days. I think mine was cooling below 40 even when its hot out. My windows are tinted pretty good though.

Do you know about the AC controller panel? Are you sure its on recirc? These things get habitually corroded and I have to take it apart and clean the electrodes with a pencil eraser every year or so, or the recirc will constantly kick off to fresh air. Maybe a vacuum line behind your panel is broken?

 

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: Eric Smith
What's your pressures? Just fixed the Focus AC and it took 21 and was between 35-40 low and around 225 high. Only blows 40ish on the highway and on 3 out of 4 fan wise. All cars are different but both of mine are the same. Never down to 35! Could have a clogged orffice tube.

This^^^^ The evaporator has to be freezing to get temps that low...

Make sure you are using max, recirc etc, otherwise you're trying to cool the outside air...

 

[GiveMeAVowel]

Most properly operating A/C systems today give vent temps of about 48-41 F depending on the ambient temps and humidity.

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: ChevyGuy3100
Thank you guys! The stiker is actually on the metal part above the radiator, ad it says 1.35lbs. But its strange to me why everything else says 1.75lbs. Even Mitchell On Demand on my computer calls for 1.75lbs. Im also not sure what the pressures are, Ill hook gauges up later on. I will try replacing the orifice tube and maybe the reciever/dryer??? Its not that expensive so if it doesnt help its not like I lost a lot.
A manufacturer might issue a TSB or recall that specifies a different amount of refrigerant.

That is the only situation I can think of, if the sticker on the car has a different spec than the sticker in the service manual.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Working as designed. What can you expect out of a small ac unit with all the heat load a vehicle has to manage?

 

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted By: Warstud
I'd just leave it.... summer is almost over.


+1 for the above comment. I have been driving my car that does not have working A/C for 3-4 weeks now.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: artificialist
Originally Posted By: ChevyGuy3100
Thank you guys! The stiker is actually on the metal part above the radiator, ad it says 1.35lbs. But its strange to me why everything else says 1.75lbs. Even Mitchell On Demand on my computer calls for 1.75lbs. Im also not sure what the pressures are, Ill hook gauges up later on. I will try replacing the orifice tube and maybe the reciever/dryer??? Its not that expensive so if it doesnt help its not like I lost a lot.
A manufacturer might issue a TSB or recall that specifies a different amount of refrigerant.

That is the only situation I can think of, if the sticker on the car has a different spec than the sticker in the service manual.


I ran into this with one car, at the sticker amount it wouldn't get below 42f at the center vent no matter what and pressures showed a slightly low charge. An additional 9oz corrected the pressures and dropped vent temp down to 36f even at 100f ambient.