A/C Recharge Question

BgBlDodge

BgBlDodge

Hates hippies
Joined
May 7, 2007
Messages
16,647
So it's been about 6 years/137k miles since my A/C system has been touched so I decided to check the pressure in it. I've noticed lately that my compressor doesn't cycle. It just clicks on and stays on. So I plugged the gauge in to the low side and it didn't even register. Whoops. LOL So I put a 14oz can in and it brought it up to ~30psi. Compressor still ain't cycling. I'm gonna give it a day or so to let everything work it's way around and what not and probably add another can. Yall think that's alright?
 
my system took two cans to get correct op press. I'm guessing that you followed the destructions on the can where it reccomends that it be below 65*F so the pressure will read correctly? It took mine about 5 min to bleed the contents of 1 can. But the A/C works great and I've had no problems.
 
It took me a while to empty that can just to bring the pressure up a little. I'm gonna put another can in it tomorrow.

And it won't reach 65* here again until november. LOL
 
If you had no pressure in the system, you need to draw a vacuum on the whole system for 30-45mins to pull out the contaminants and boil out any moisture.

Your final pressure should be ambient temp *2 on the high side (roughly)

So if it's 80* out, you should be around 160psi on the high side.
 
I can't check the high side since I don't have the gauges for that. Just the one for the low side. And I'm sure there was pressure, just very little. The gauge reads in weird intervals.
 
BgBl, I added a can to mine last summer and it really helped out. My pressure was around 40 pre can and about 55 after I added the can.

Made a huge difference on the wife's Montero Sport.
 
30 on the low side is right. Freon pressures are temperature sensitive. In this heat the compressor will likely not cycle because the ambient temperature is high enough to keep the pressure up. Before you add anymore check the high side pressure anymore tha around 250-275 is asking for trouble. My main concern would be airflow across the condenser in front of the truck. If it has plenty of airflow and the high side is 200 or so then I would add another can.
 
It should have plenty of air flow. Maybe not though. I know I remember hearing it cycle last summer but last summer wasn't this hot either. I'll see if I can't take it somewhere and have them test the high side pressure since I don't have that gauge. Thanks yall.
 
Ohhhhhhh about 3 months ago. I probably need to go and clean the radiator and everything else out. I haven't done that since I was spewing oil everywhere. I do have a front end replacement bumper on the truck.
 
Hey man you still workin on ur ac or did you bring it into a shop? Im draggin a buddy of mine to diesels of aggieland and he has a good set of guages if you wanna use them
 
The high side should be ambient *2 plus 10% and the low side should be 10 to 30 and no higher than 30.
 
I checked it today when the ambient air was the in 80's and it was reading 35 on the cold side so I'm gonna leave it alone.
 
Yeah you would need to get a manifold set and see what the high side temp is. RobinAir is a good brand for them.

The low side will give you a rough idea, but it's the high side that's important.
 
Well if I feel rich I'll pick up a set but I just blew $120 at o'reilly's on fluids so I'm broke right now. LOL Thanks for the help.
 
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