AutoZone has the special tool available as a loaner. I'll be borrowing from AutoZone a vacuum pump, manifold gauge set, flush kit in addition to the orifice tool.

Thank you for your guidance and directions!

 

Find out if the new compressor has oil in it, some do, some don't. If you replace the accumulator, and condenser, find out if they have oil in them. If you flush the lines and evaporator, you will need to add oil to them before charging. Total system oil capacity is 8 ounces of PAG150 oil only, distributed evenly throughout the system. Evacuate for a minimum of one hour before charging with refrigerant. R134a capacity is 30 ounces, do not over charge.

 

The compressor has 4oz in it. I don't think the accumulator/dryer has any. Condenser is on order but I'd be surprised if it came with oil. If the compressor only has 4 oz what is the best way to get the extra 4oz in there? Pour it into the compressor?...or a little in the accumulator and a little in the condenser?

 

Add 2 ounces to the accumulator into the fitting that comes from the evaporator. Add 1 ounce to the condenser into the fitting from the compressor line. Add 1 ounce into the evaporator where the orifice tube goes in, (before you install the orifice tube). This will be a total of 8 ounces, (including the 4 ounces that come in the compressor). These are all of the inlets to each component, when you charge with refrigerant, the oil will circulate throughout each component, and the entire system. This is assuming that you flush the entire system.

 

I'll flush the hoses individually and evaporator...everything else will be new. Why is it you stated that the evaporator takes a long time to flush? And, how long as an estimate?

I plan to evacuate the system for an hour then give it 30 minutes to see if it holds the vacuum.

Thanks again!

 

60 minutes of evacuation after it reaches negative 2 atmospheres, (29.4" Hg) then 30 minutes of hold time, that's perfect!


If you rig up shop air to the evaporator, regulate it at about 20psi, and inject flush solvent into the air stream, that will do a great job. I would continue that for 15 minutes after the solvent comes out clear. It's very much like flushing a radiator, which is essentially what the evaporator is, only it needs to be super clean.

 

Awesome...thanks!

 

Okay, I'm stumped.

I installed a new compressor, accumulator, orifice tube, condenser, hose assembly. I flushed the evaporator. I added the extra PAG150 oil so that the system has 8oz total in it and I vacuumed the system for 2 hours and it held vacuum at 29" Hg for 45 minutes. At this point I'm thinking I'm in the home stretch with the last thing to do is put in the R134a. I didn't get off to a good start because the system didn't seem to draw much of anything in it. It clearly drew something in because the manifold gauge jump up to positive pressure but with the 12oz can of refrigerant on a scale I could see it wasn't drawing much of anything in and it didn't feel lighter in weight.

The question is...why is the system not drawing in the refrigerant?

Apparently there is enough in the system for the low pressure switch to allow the compressor clutch to engage. The clutch would engage on and off back-n-forth every few minutes but the scale was showing that no addition refrigerant was being drawn into the system...in fact, the amount was negligible.

I'm disappointed, frustrated and stumped...any ideas?

I've included a pic of the manifold gauges. The low pressure side of the manifold is open and the high pressure side is closed. The high and low hoses are connected to the right locations and the schrader valves are open.

 

Did you turn the ***** at the service ports clockwise so the needles on the manifold set came up? That's what depresses the Schrader in the service ports. Before you drain and evacuate, the high side valve on the manifold set must be turned clockwise to shut it off, and the low side needs to be turned counter clockwise to open the passage between the yellow and blue hoses. The yellow line gets connected to the evacuator, then changed over to the R134a to charge it.

 

The ***** were turned clockwise to open the schrader valves on both the low and high side service ports. During evacuation, both the low and high side manifold ***** were turned counter-clockwise to open them up. After evacuation they were both closed. When the R134a was hooked up to the yellow line and opened up, the yellow line was purged of air at the connection on the manifold gauges (about 2 seconds). Then the low side manifold **** was opened to let the refrigerant in. After it was apparent that no more refrigerant was being drawn into the system the vehicle was started up and the A/C turned on full blast. Although the clutch eventually kicked in to turn the compressor on it would appear that no additional refrigerant was being drawn into the system.

Any ideas why?