I Changed My A/c Lines, Should I Refill Myself, Or Take It In?
04-25-2008, 12:16 PM
#1
http://www.hyundaiaftermarket.org/images/vendor1.png
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,237
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What do you guys think? I could easily buy some R-134a and charge it up myself for under 50 bucks, unless it takes a few cans. But I had to fully change the lines when I had my RD2 front end smashed up, and all the refrigerant came out when I pulled the lines obviously. I did this before when I did my first auto to manual swap on my RD1. My blower never seemed to get as strong of voltage and blow as hard as it should have, but I'm thinking that was just electrical from swapping all the wiring harnesses and shtuff.
But I stopped by two spots today, one mom and pop shop, the other pep boys. Pep Boys of course was looking at me like a noob, and said they "will do a full charge up, not just top it off like most small garages" and they want 160 bucks. The small shop said they must vacuum the lines, then fill the system with R-134a (think freon). The quoted 90 for labor, and 25 bucks per lbs. so they quoted 140 bucks.
For a guy like me, who's hand built all my cars from frames up, its like pulling teeth to pay some jackass who thinks I'm just another dumb whiteboy ripe for the money pickin. So I want your advice guys. After a motor swap, should you refill yourself, or pay someone? I know my compressor was making my car run really hot, and sometimes overheat if I was sitting still before the accident, so paying somebody runs the risk that I'll find out I still have issues with that. I have a Koyo Radiator now, and the car never runs hot at all anymore like it used to though. Now regardless of if I do have a bad compressor or not, I have a perfectly good compressor on my black car, that's been fully gutted of all other A/C components both inside the car and out. The only remaining components from the whole A/C system is the compressor, as the condensor and hardlines found their way on my RD2 already to fix the smashed up pieces. All of the blower components under the dash are gone, and I have a TON of room under there now. I can easily pop off the compressor from the RD1 (I have to anyway to remove the weight) and install it on the RD2 if the current one proves to have issues.
My mind is pretty much made up, but damnit if I have access to all of you guys and NEVER run anything past you like this. You guys helped me get the problems I had last week diagnosed in about an hour or two last week, and it felt great to get to use the forums for what they're intended for (as opposed to strictly sales and business). So tell me what you think, and if you know, tell me how many cans of R-134a I should pick up, since I'm guessing one can wont refill a completely drained system.
Thanks everyone smile.gif
But I stopped by two spots today, one mom and pop shop, the other pep boys. Pep Boys of course was looking at me like a noob, and said they "will do a full charge up, not just top it off like most small garages" and they want 160 bucks. The small shop said they must vacuum the lines, then fill the system with R-134a (think freon). The quoted 90 for labor, and 25 bucks per lbs. so they quoted 140 bucks.
For a guy like me, who's hand built all my cars from frames up, its like pulling teeth to pay some jackass who thinks I'm just another dumb whiteboy ripe for the money pickin. So I want your advice guys. After a motor swap, should you refill yourself, or pay someone? I know my compressor was making my car run really hot, and sometimes overheat if I was sitting still before the accident, so paying somebody runs the risk that I'll find out I still have issues with that. I have a Koyo Radiator now, and the car never runs hot at all anymore like it used to though. Now regardless of if I do have a bad compressor or not, I have a perfectly good compressor on my black car, that's been fully gutted of all other A/C components both inside the car and out. The only remaining components from the whole A/C system is the compressor, as the condensor and hardlines found their way on my RD2 already to fix the smashed up pieces. All of the blower components under the dash are gone, and I have a TON of room under there now. I can easily pop off the compressor from the RD1 (I have to anyway to remove the weight) and install it on the RD2 if the current one proves to have issues.
My mind is pretty much made up, but damnit if I have access to all of you guys and NEVER run anything past you like this. You guys helped me get the problems I had last week diagnosed in about an hour or two last week, and it felt great to get to use the forums for what they're intended for (as opposed to strictly sales and business). So tell me what you think, and if you know, tell me how many cans of R-134a I should pick up, since I'm guessing one can wont refill a completely drained system.
Thanks everyone smile.gif
04-25-2008, 02:58 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Kingsland, GA
Posts: 276
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It's not hard, just make sure you replace the orifice tube (if Tiburons have one... which I don't know) and clean out the lines, evaporator, and condensor VERY well. If your compressor took a dump, it probably left alot of crap in there. It's called black death. Use some brake cleaner and compressed air. Even though you may have replaced the lines already, there is still some residual crap from manufacturing inside the lines. The reciever/drier needs to be replaced as well. It's hygroscopic, so if it's left to atmosphere for more than 24 hours, it's worthless.
Use the correct oil, and the correct amount of oil as well. That's probably as crucial as putting the right amount of refrigerant in your system. And you'll need to draw a vacuum in the system to insure that you have removed all moisture. Moisture in the lines will absolutely kill a compressor, and fast. Probably ~28"Hg for about an hour, at least. Then, after charging the system with the proper amount of oil and refrigerant, you should check the pressures. High side is about 200 psi (A/C on max) and low should drop to about 30 psi. A good rule of thumb is that the high side pressure should equal about 120F above ambient temperature, and the low side will about match evaporator temperature. So at 80F, the high side temperature is 200 psi
Requires 5.13 ounces of FD46XG PAG oil. (PAG oil is pretty common) And you'll need 24-25.8 ounces of refrigerant.
Use the correct oil, and the correct amount of oil as well. That's probably as crucial as putting the right amount of refrigerant in your system. And you'll need to draw a vacuum in the system to insure that you have removed all moisture. Moisture in the lines will absolutely kill a compressor, and fast. Probably ~28"Hg for about an hour, at least. Then, after charging the system with the proper amount of oil and refrigerant, you should check the pressures. High side is about 200 psi (A/C on max) and low should drop to about 30 psi. A good rule of thumb is that the high side pressure should equal about 120F above ambient temperature, and the low side will about match evaporator temperature. So at 80F, the high side temperature is 200 psi
Requires 5.13 ounces of FD46XG PAG oil. (PAG oil is pretty common) And you'll need 24-25.8 ounces of refrigerant.
04-25-2008, 03:20 PM
#5
http://www.hyundaiaftermarket.org/images/vendor1.png
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,237
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
THAT is what I wanted to know. I'm more than confident in my ability to change it, I just want to make sure I do it right. Now what should I use for creating vacuum? I dont have any special sucking machine, lol, or at least not one for cars, hehe. I had the lines just chillin for a long time outside, and they weren't connected to anything. The dryer (cylinder thing right?) was attached to the condenser sitting in my garage for a while. What MUST I replace, and what can I get away with not replacing? Keep in mind I typically take off my shirt and just ride in my beater with the windows down in a fully gutted car without any A/C or even a blower motor. I rode around all last summer like that in 100+ degree california summer air with only a radiator fan ghetto rigged to blow hot ass air at me (and anything that got sucked into the blades).
I'm not exactly picky, but I figure since this car has no window motor on the drivers side right now, and there's a 16 inch 2x2 bolted in under the glass to keep it up, I wont be able to do my norm like on my other car with the windows down, and I just dont want to sufficate if I have the windows up. I'm basically saying, can I hope to get ANYTHING out of just a refill if I just buy a can or two of R-134a? I dont care if its up to par with factory spec or proper mechanic practices. smile.gif
I really want to do this myself, even if I have to buy some new tools and oil. If I'm gonna pay one way or another, I might as well learn something new. So where do I oil, and where do I fill up at. I can check the HMA service stuff, but you seem to know a bit about this smile.gif Thanks bro!
I'm not exactly picky, but I figure since this car has no window motor on the drivers side right now, and there's a 16 inch 2x2 bolted in under the glass to keep it up, I wont be able to do my norm like on my other car with the windows down, and I just dont want to sufficate if I have the windows up. I'm basically saying, can I hope to get ANYTHING out of just a refill if I just buy a can or two of R-134a? I dont care if its up to par with factory spec or proper mechanic practices. smile.gif
I really want to do this myself, even if I have to buy some new tools and oil. If I'm gonna pay one way or another, I might as well learn something new. So where do I oil, and where do I fill up at. I can check the HMA service stuff, but you seem to know a bit about this smile.gif Thanks bro!
04-26-2008, 06:00 AM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Kingsland, GA
Posts: 276
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, the only way to draw a system vacuum that I know of is a refrigerant machine. Unfortunately (since you don't have one available to you) like tib 500 said, it also does a leak check. The must replace items are already mentioned. You have to replace the orifice tube (should be stuck in one of the evaporator pipes, if there is one). It's like a little filter screen, and if it's clogged, your AC won't work. I suppose you could get by without replacing the drier, but the longevity of the system will severely suffer. You definitely need to flush the system with some brake cleaner and compressed air to get rid of residual schrapnel that could damage your new compressor.
If you're going to go backyard style, you could possibly go without the vacuum, but I've never done it before. Add oil directly to the compressor, and shoot the rest that won't go in the lines. Just dump it in there somewhere. It all gets mixed up and distributed. Turn the compressor with a wrench about 30 times before starting the car. Otherwise, it could hydrolock with oil and tear stuff up. Make sure you've replaced all the o-rings on the fittings to ensure a good seal. You don't want those cans of R134-a to blow out as soon as they go in. And get some kind of pressure gauge that monitors one side of the AC. Most charge kits come with one free.
If you're going to go backyard style, you could possibly go without the vacuum, but I've never done it before. Add oil directly to the compressor, and shoot the rest that won't go in the lines. Just dump it in there somewhere. It all gets mixed up and distributed. Turn the compressor with a wrench about 30 times before starting the car. Otherwise, it could hydrolock with oil and tear stuff up. Make sure you've replaced all the o-rings on the fittings to ensure a good seal. You don't want those cans of R134-a to blow out as soon as they go in. And get some kind of pressure gauge that monitors one side of the AC. Most charge kits come with one free.