A/C maintenance

Just asking if anyone's had to use the 'maintain-it-yourself' refrigerant kits, you know the little cans youget from WalMart or AutoZone, to add refrigerant to the RIv's A/c.

My A/C works fine, but given age ('98, build date 11/97) and mileage (176,000) I figure it's time to think about this - or not?

So if you used one of those buggers successfully, how? Where is the port to connect to, and did it work for you? Please post experience and directions (or at least good guidance) not what-if or speculation .

Thanks

Albertj

If it works fine I wouldn't do anything to it. I have used them but the best way is to use a manifold gauge set, that way you will have readings and know if you really need anything or not. I have a set for both R-12 and R-134a. Too much is not a good thing for an A/C system, also.
I had an '86 LeSabre and after 145,000 miles four relatively small fender benders and a fifth larger one that bent every wheel on it, it would still blow 32* out of the vents!

I dont know... maybe i didnt use it right but i used one on my 87 cutlass and it worked great for like a week and then slowly got worse... got it recharged by mechanic and its been solid since.

i dont like them...unless i can pull a vacumn on the hole system first...i dont think its worth adding refrigerant.....but that requires a vac pump or a machine...

i only use them to top off the freeon or add oil to the seals. get one of the kits for higher mileage and make sure it comes with a gauge so you know if it needs adding to or not.

there is only one place the plug will fit. make sure the car is running and the heat is all the way on hi and hot. then read the pressure, screw in a can and fill till it is right psi.
but with winter coming up, i wouldnt worry about it until spring time.

Don't waste your time or money on the AC refill kits. If you've got a compressor seal leak you will need to replace the compressor. Cost me $220 for a reman compressor from Rock Auto and $40 for labor. After I spent over $100 on a leak testing kit and coolant. Why did I spend that much? Because ignorant people were telling me the mechanic would charge me $800.

Run your defroster once a week during the winter to keep the compressor seal lubricated, and as long as it works, don't worry about it.

Fortunately - no seal leak at all, A/c runs frosty cold. It's just that with all the maintenance I've done/paid for over the years the A/C is really the only major system I have not touched. Your posts tell me (1) if it ain't broke don't touch it (2) unlike the rear air shocks or the crank sensor, we really don't know how long this thing will run before needing maintenance (3) if I'm just o/c (obsessive/compulsive) there is only one port that the auto store kit will fit onto anyway, and be sure to get one wiht a gauge so I can top it off to spec if needed (4) if I actually have to top it off it is probably time to get a compressor from RockAuto and R&R the compressor and maybe the soft hoses.

Thanks very much!

Albertj

Glad to help, but honestly, I wouldn't mess with the store stuff even to top it off. The guage on those things won't tell you much of nothing. My mechanic had a setup that measured pressure on both the hi and lo side ports, and he used both to diagnose the problem. If you know an honest mechanic, it's not worth the few bucks you'll save by doing it yourself.

If you don't know an honest mechanic - time to start looking!

I grilled a few different shops about A/C. They all came back with the same answer - there's nothing you can do for maintenance on modern systems. The only thing to die is the compressor, and when it goes you replace it. They say there isn't anything that will make it last longer.

I have a sunroof, so I use my 'Vent' setting and windows down often, figuring the less I use the A/C the longer it might last? I hope. I love the sunroof though.

deekster, I think your compressor will last longer the more you use it, not less. More use will keep the seal lubricated, letting it sit will cause it to lose lubrication and leak. The seal seems to be what kills our compressors. Too bad it can't be easily replaced.

Hmm.... if you run the climate control on 'auto' withthe temperature set, the compressor runs most of the time. Whic apparently is not a bad thing.

Albertj

I've run mine on auto 99.9% of the time over the past 4 1/2 years (120k miles). No A/C problems so far.

The thing I don't like about auto is the fan keeps going down to 2. I'm a 'moving air' kind of guy and I like to keep it on floor/mid and the fan at 3. Also I put it on floor/Def with fan on 5 when I park it at night, so when I remote start it in the morning it starts defrosting the windshield before the engine is fully warmed up.

I only use Vent a lot in the summer months if it's below 90 or so out. Otherwise it's open windows for me