@EricTheCarGuy Here again in 2024, thank you for the famous A/C video on TH-cam! I use this video as a refresher course before i start doing Refills on customers cars here in Yucaipa California! This is my 7th year that i keep coming back to reference your helpful tips & tricks! Thank you....
You and me both! I appreciate that he made a detailed video about what to do. Seems like most videos out there are either "hey here is how you add freon with this can from the auto parts store with a gauge already on it!" ... or ... "A/C work is super complex and only trained professionals should ever perform any work on an A/C system."
I might add that our 05 Accord Hybrid just had an issue with poor cooling. I diagnosed as low refrigerant and took it to Honda for a full check out. They agreed with diagnosis, but, also changed the two Schrader valves under warranty.. So after 15 years, Honda is still standing behind their product... and the A/C works great again. Thanks Eric, Thanks Honda.
I tried doing this last year and I wasn’t sure what I was doing. I watched this and understood my gauges better. I just got another 10°s cooler in my Jeep. 80° day and I’m at 49-50° out the vents. Perfect, thank you Eric, saved me a lot of money.
Eric, I have always appreciated your channel, I am a semi professional myself… We own a small car dealership and I do all of our work… I loved this video because it literally answered all of my questions in a relatively short time, and I didn’t feel like anything was left out or unnecessarily mentioned. Even your notes at the very end… I had that happen with a stuck Schrader valve, blipped it and it was fine. You covering details like that is why this is a great channel!
I love the content, as well as how the video is constructed: A+! No annoying background music, no offensive language, steady video shooting, very well explained, and you can talk in complete sentences. You don't talk "below" me, and you don't talk "above" me. This is all true for most of what is here on youtube, but certainly not all. Very good job, and you saved me time and money!
Hi Eric, Nice video on A.C. top off but I noticed one glitch--- perhaps. I have been in the HVAC business for >30 years and remember my first boss who taught me telling me about liquid vs gas recharge. Whether it is a cheap can or the big jug the valve pick-up stem is on top just below the valve. When the container is right side up you get a "gas" and when upside down you get a "liquid" freon coming out. For speeding up a full recharge on an empty and evacuated system with the jug on a scale, you can start with liquid until 75% full and finish with gas. For topping off a system, you want to keep the can right side up and use only a gas which the compressor can compress. If you shoot in liquid and it gets on top the compressor piston it explodes, throws a rod, cracks the piston, cracks the valves, or cracks the compressor casing. I know--it happened to me when a used car I bought was cooling poorly and the seller offered to top it off with R-12. He had the can upside down as we watched the pressures and temperatures improve. I told him he should have the can right side up but he said, "I think I know a little bit more than you about recharging AC systems Tom". He was 20 years my senior so there was no convincing him. Right after he said that there was a loud "bang" and the compressor spun freely with no compression. He had broken the rod and cracked the compressor case in multiple places. He then realized what I was trying to tell him. I always use gas with the can right side up and go much slower on the low side pressure when adding it. It is way safer and much more fool proof for a newbie keeping the can right side up. I also like to watch the sight glass on the vehicle until it is full with no bubbles for a sign the system is full. Other than those nit picks, you nailed it!!!! Tom
What should the running pressures be on the R134a refrigerant in a vehicle? Vapor line 40 psi and Liquid line 200 to 220 psi? I read that the static pressure should be 90 to 100 psi.
Would like to say, 6yrs ago u saved me 2k on fixing my ac system on an 09 accord, Thank you!. 6yrs later...here I am again. Glad to see u doing alright 👍
I have looked at many of your videos and this one before, but the last time that I looked at this video, about three years ago, I missed a few important things that you described. I can't describe how much I appreciate you sharing these things with me. It's been ruff, and people like you have made it possible for me to survive. I truly apologize for not taking better notes in the past. This is a reminder why ChrisFix mentioned you in one of his videos. Three years ago, I was successful in installing a new AC system on my previous vehicle and adding a charge to my lady friend's car three years ago. Her vehicle's AC is still running cold. I did use gauges and a pump that I purchased from Harbor Freight. I would recommend to oil the O-rings with PAG oil, and DO NOT over-tighten the connectors, or they will leak.
I watched your videos in the past, and returned for 2 separate vehicles for today for a refresher. Like the other person said, great video content with no bologna. Your a natural at teaching, great job Eric
Blipping the Schrader valve was a great tip. The last A/C system I rebuilt had a leak in the Schrader valve. I replaced both valves which fixed the problem but blipping them might have saved me more work and some lost refrigerant.
Every time I go to get repair information, you have a video. I have used your information more than you know. I want to give a big thank you. I have been watching for years and thought you would like some nice comments and a big thank you.
This is a great video on how to use the manifold gauge set. I learned alot! I would add that it's important to get your factory service manual and see what the high/low pressures are supposed to be at a given RPM and temperature. For example the FSM says on my Ram to check the gauges at 1000 RPM. Also the high and low pressure chart is way different from the generic suggestions found online
Thank you eric!!! Got my AC back to cold. Im out of work right now, and sure did save my sweaty bacon by you showing us how to do this ourselves!! great video!
I found this video very useful. Thanks for taking the time Eric. Most of the guys criticizing the vid and strongly advising against DIY ac work are shop mechanics or HVAC guys. Obviously it would be a conflict of interest for you to encourage us to do our own work when you can charge us an arm and a leg to do it for us. On a personal note, I replaced the ac compressor, accumulator, and orfice tube on my car about 5 years ago and the AC still blows ice cold. Thus, I highly recommend doing your own work and avoiding high shop costs whenever possible. Of course, this doesn't mean try rebuilding your own transmission yourself lol.
Hey Eric, I've found the best way to remove gauge lines is: 1/ Turn cylinder valve off but leave line connected 2/ Turn off discharge line but leave connected. 3/Open suction valve to draw in refrigerant from both discharge AND service line. 4/ When system equalizes turn off all valves and remove. You put the excess refrigerant back into the system and not the environment! Regards, The Guru of Cool Australia
Hi Trevor, I have no experience with car AC systems but, can you tell me why nobody push the air out of the blue line before filling the system? Thanks!
Once again Awesome video. I have been following your channel for more than a year and truly appreciate the knowledge your willing to share with us garage mechanics. I have saved myself and family unnecessary spending by doing the job myself.
I did a complete o-ring, and seal replacement on my large dodge conversion van b1500 2000.....with rear ac, had to pull a vacuum on the system, cause the place I took it to for head gaskets did a wonderful job on the engine, almost completely rebuilt it, clean out everything, very good job, but they never recharged the AC system, guess they forgot, well I did it all, replaced everything in the front, including rad, all lines everypart of the AC system, just did the rear, and lines today, recharged it, and got that sucker down to 41°F.....super chilly now, and I used your video to help with part of the recharge, thank you.
Man, thanks for this. I have a nearly 8 year old car with AC that performs well enough until the peak summer months. I have a manifold gauge set and a couple of small cans of refrigerant, but finding this clear of a how-to for just adding a small amount, as opposed to charging an empty system, has been difficult.
I always purge the low and high side hoses after I hook them to the system to get rid of any air that may be in them before adding any refrigerant to system.
Does that mean you basically connect the low and high sides to the vehicle and then at the gauge ends of the low and high, you open the valves to let some pressure push the air out and then close the valves? Or are you meaning purge somehow from the charging ends of the hoses where refrigerant is added, allowing it to escape the vehicle side before fully seating the low and high sides to the connection ports? Thanks
@@Roboticdoughbull3k After hooking hoses to car, I crack open the low and high side hose at the a/c gauge manifold to purge a small amount of gas which pushes out air in hose.
@@JT-qf4it I gotcha now, I figured but just wanted to check. I got a set last year and am about to start helping out the family vehicle fleet, little things like that are good to know. Much appreciated, thank you!
I'd connect the high side the purge from high to charge hose. Then hook up charge hose or put back on holder. Then purge high to low. Then hook up low side. Then you're purging possible contaminants and air from the manifold itself.
In addition to the purging, I usually hook up the high side hose to the car before turning on the AC so it's not under high pressure, and hook up the low side with it running, so the valve is at the lowest pressure. After it's all done and when disconnecting the hoses, remove the low side first while the compressor is running, and remove the high side last after shutting down the car, and allowing the pressure to equalize and drop back down. That helps reduce the bit of refrigerant loss from opening the connections under pressure.
Great video, used it as a guideline. It would be great to add a link to a chart for the pressures vs temp vs humidity. Charged one car today. Works fantastic, getting 40F driving, 230 High, 48 low
@5:19, so a newbie hooks up a pressure can and see's 80 psi, they are going to think there is too much refrigerant in the system, that they overcharged it because when they look at the side of the can it's going to say low side 32 psi, high side 150 psi when the temperature ambient is 85deg. I think the important thing to stress at this point is that in order for an accurate reading to take place on the low and the high side is that the compressor must be running, the clutch should be engaged and you should physically see the compressor clutch assembly spinning and one line coming from the compressor will be hot and one will be cold, maybe even developing frost. If it's not, STOP, nothing here will make sense. There might be a low side pressure switch that is stopping the compressor clutch from engaging or some other electrical failure. I've seen those power probes that can force the compressor to run by stimulating the + (red/hot) of the of the compressor clutch assembly to help troubleshoot is it a refrigerant/compressor/clutch issue or is it an electrical issue.
@@colebennett6424 the official way is to use a recovery machine to remove the refrigerant. The diy way is to release it to the atmosphere. Just make sure you're monitoring the pressure so you don't go overboard and have to add back again afterwards. 😭
I purchased an AC refill kit. The instructions sucked. I watched your video and it all makes sense now. This is by far the best AC video out there. You should be the educational video for all those DIY AC recharge kits.
I appreciate your step by step explanation how it should end up or look like to what might go wrong along the way and what to expect keep up the good work excellent diy 🇺🇸
Over the years I have trusted, respected and used much the info you've put out regarding Honda's. Got to question putting liquid refrigerant on the gas side? Even if for only a couple of seconds...isn't that a bad practice?
Thanks so much for your pioneering videos. You were the only detailed trustworthy source for these videos many years ago. Due to your knowledge I started down the road of doing my own auto work. And saving big money from staying away from Tuffy. Thanks
This is the correct video for my purpose. Awesome. A simple trick for video of analog gauges: you can get some masking tape and cut some small masks to go on the clear cover, to make the gauge reading and show limits a bit easier. You don't want the numbers/indicators covered, but by applying a couple of small pieces in a "V" shape, you can reduce some of the visual clutter and reflection, and make it easier to concentrate on the range you're interested in.
Hi Eric, ANOTHER great and helpful video. I have been doing most of my car stuff myself for the last 40 years or so. If I get into a jam or need to know how to do something I seek you out. Many great videos. I have been doing my own AC charging and repair for about 10 years now and with great results. Usually I evacuate the system and charge it up after giving it time to see if there are any leaks. Basically I start from scratch. My moms old Infiniti I30 always had great AC, usually around 38 at best on the highway. I'm using 2 types of thermometers as sort of a control, one digital and one analog. Lately, I noticed the car was hanging out around 50 degrees. So instead of evacuating the system and start from scratch, I always wondered how do you know just how much to add without starting from scratch. Your video explained this well. However, I do have a question on this video. You stated you "charge" the system with the 30 pound container of R134a upside down, for liquid. I was always told that doing this can mess up the compressor and was told the can should be right side up for gas. Can you please let me know the facts on this? I also use the proper gauges and the 30 pound can along with a good scale. THANKS AGAIN!! Have a good weekend and be safe.
If you're charging slowly enough and in small quantities at a time, the liquid will have time to boil into gas before it can adversely impact your compressor because well, the pressure is low enough to boil it. If you're starting from scratch (and the engine is off), you can also charge liquid on the low side (use a scale to know how much you're putting in!), but that tends to work best on fixed orifice tube systems, not on TXVs, because a fixed orifice tube system will tend to equalize much better when the compressor is off. Either way, check the specs for the system and don't overcharge it. I've also graduated to a 4-hose manifold with valves on all of them, so that I don't have to disconnect the tank to pull a vacuum, and I wish I'd done it a long time ago...
Good job. Well done, sir. I dont claim to know what Im doing. People seem to have this unearned confidence in me but I find that I usually know just enough to get myself into trouble. Nothing bad happened, thanks!
Always helpful. I just recommend people do their research to get the basics down. Understanding what Freon does and having the right tools makes all the difference in the world
A "rule of thumb" is to multiply the ambient temp (Fahrenheit) by 2.5 to determine what the high pressure side should be. If it was 95 degrees the high side should be running about 235 psi. Not exact but certainly better than just shooting something in there while only measuring the low side.
@@Matthias53787 charts are the right way to do it. A rule of thumb is just a rough idea. Example: on a customers AC i am looking for around 70 psi low side on an r-22 system. Thats a rule of thumb. But it can be higher or lower depending on other factors. It gives me a starting point
If you get the Harbor Freight gauge set, the little knobs on the quick connect adapters are reverse threads, tighten them to open, loosen them to close. They cleverly hid this fact in the manual, and on the knobs themselves. For those of us who just assume, we may be outsmarted for a bit until we figure it out. FYI I LOVE my HF gauge set, they are sealed very well, they can hold pressure for a long time, disconnected and turned off, meaning the seals are good and high quality, with the 20 percent off, you can get them new for a little over 50 bucks out the door. Worth it :)
I'm a professional and I hate working on AC...HVAc in total but especially AC. Lol, I have fixed it, I absolutely can and have, but I also absolutely hate it. Been working on cars for 40 years so I don't think that's ever going to get better lol. Always a thumbs up EC, just helping to keep the channel up.
You work like a professional tech Eric. You charge AC systems exactly like I do. I'm sometimes criticized for turning the tank upside down and charging with liquid refrigerant. I've be charging systems like this the same as you do all my life without one single problem. I'm a recertified ASE master L-1 tech with over 45 years in the business. I own a repair shop in the Houston heights. Good information. You make great car repair video's.
A message for all of the "ASE certified master techs" watching a video about how to top off refrigerant, the orientation of the bottle is completely irrelevant. The state of the refrigerant is determined by a few things first pressure second temperature. If you think the orientation of the bottle changes the state of the refrigerant from gas to liquid you have a fundamental misunderstanding of how substances change state and you should avoid telling actual professionals how to do their job because you've made yourself look like a moron in the process. Also consider that the hoses travel UP AND THEN DOWN, this still doesn't matter at all in reality but even in the scope of your ignorant view would still debunk what you're saying. "I copy pasted this so it's not really directed at you but it confirms what you're saying about the orientation of the bottle being irrelevant"
The orientation of the bottle is CRITICAL unless it is 100% full of liquid. As liquid is removed then its level goes down and above it you have a combination of gas and a vacuum, which is not what you want to pull into your system. Liquids are always heavier than their gas counterpart and gravity always sucks. The reason the height of the bottle doesn't matter is because the system pulls the liquid freon from its container (or freon gas, in your case). The same thing is true with filling a lighter with Butane. To get the butane liquid to flow you have to turn the bottle upside down. Propane is different because you actually want to pull out only the gas and not the liquid.
@@kylekoster3432 The orientation of the bottle is CRITICAL unless it is 100% full of liquid. As liquid is removed then its level goes down and above it you have a combination of gas and a vacuum, which is not what you want to pull into your system. Liquids are always heavier than their gas counterpart and gravity always sucks. The reason the height of the bottle doesn't matter is because the system pulls the liquid freon from its container (or freon gas, in your case). The same thing is true with filling a lighter with Butane. To get the butane liquid to flow you have to turn the bottle upside down. Propane is different because you actually want to pull out only the gas and not the liquid.
Thank you for making this video Eric, love this video ...your very detailed and thorough and I appreciate that because I don't know what I'm doing 100 percent so this really helped me.
Thank you Eric for very good video including the tip on seating the schroeder valves at end of job. As an fyi to your viewers, these gauges can be rented for free from some of the auto part chain stores. I completely replaced system last year. Not blowing cold now. I'm thinking slow leak from schoeder.
Want to acknowledge you for this timeless tutorial on this process - have referred to this a couple of time and it is spot on!! Your willingness to share your expert knowledge is so very much appreciated!!
Eric, I always enjoy your videos and approach. I'm surprised you are charging the system with the refrigerant bottle upside down. I am a retired auto tech, GM trained and was always taught to charge as a gas (right side up) vs liquid (upside down) I know it works obviously from your video, but you're feeding the compressor a liquid charge. Compressors pump refrigerant in a gaseous state. Just my 2 cents.
Everyone is belaboring this point, but it can be summed up like this: It can be done either way, but unless you think you know exactly the pros and cons, always charge with the can right side up, charging with a gas. Never charge with the can upside down, trying to charge with a liquid.The only reason to charge upside down is to make faster work of it, and if you're just trying to get the job done on your own car you don't mind taking a few extra minutes. If you see your A/C guy charging upside down, he's reckless. Move on to another guy.
Agree with all you stated but wish to add a bit more. You can not compress a liquid, this is the basics of hydraulics. So why send a liquid in to an air compressor. Chances ate increased of causing premature failure of your compressor. It may work, as Erik has demonstrated. But its not how the compressor ordinarily works. Check out any air conditioning theory of operation. Gas is compressed into a gas. Both sides are gas. High side obviously more pressure than the low side but no liquid near the compressor ever, until beyond the centers of the evaporator or condenser heat exchangers . I am amazed this hasn't caused more troubles for you Erik.
I did a video on how to top off your ac system about the same time as this one, well I was shooting it and posted it a little later. I did a beginners version using only the can and gauge you get at the auto parts store. The video was inspired by an older lady at the auto parts store asking where to take the refrigerant that she just bought to have it put in her vehicle. I thought to myself "I wonder how many people actually buy these cans and then pay someone to put it in" I really like making videos that show people that they can actually work on their own cars and save some money. Great video! I can only hope that my channel will get even 10% as successful as yours.
Depending on the type of AC system you have, these cans with the built in gauge are worthless.. you can get them to work ok on a fixed oriface tube system.. but a newer system with a TX valve that gauge wont be accurate as the TX Valve throttles the refrigerant on the low side depending on the amount of superheat on the vapor line going to the compressor.. It is very easy to overcharge a TXV system with these can setups since the pressure doesn't change much if at all on the low side. These systems are monitored on the high pressure side when charging.
I really appreciate you doing this video. Most channels only show AC charges when it is empty, where they pull a vacuum and weigh the amount that goes back in. I was unsure what you did if you already had some refrigerant in a working system.
Eric you educated me in a complex system. Your video made a whole lot of sense now. I only wish I had found and viewed it before I took my van to the dealership
Eric, you are to be applauded on your method of teaching. You explain things in a clear concise manner without adding in needless dribble. I was all set to bring my truck to an A/C shop because I feared the outcome if I tried it myself. I have a gauge set with the adaptors but had never done anything on a vehicle's A/C system, having used it only when doing heat pumps in conjunction with a micron gauge. After watching your video, there is no doubt in my mind that I can top off my system. Also, as you so well pointed out, the small cans contain not only refrigerant, but oils and dye's as well, and I've seen videos that said adding too much oil to a system can damage the compressor. It sounds like we should just be buying a can of refrigerant without the oils and dyes. Do they sell small cans of 134a only, without oils and dyes? Great video!
Heya Eric - Youve sure come along well and progressed nicely with your instructionals. This is prob. the best "How to" yet. Thank you for the great job ! Dave.
This video has been much more helpful than others. But I have one question, when reading the psi levels to correct them, should you go off of the levels when you're idle or when you're revving?
I always go with idle as a base. They should correlate with rpm. If you’re at 30 psi low side and 170 high at idle you’re fine. There are other factors such as ambient temperature to factor in
Very helpful and informative about charging and setting the A/C system. For that reason, I just subscribed to your channel. Thanks and keep up the good work Eric!
Thanks Eric for all your helpful videos. Really appreciate how you describe each component, its best practices, and tips to address common issues (like blipping the shrader valves to clear any debris; after charging, allowing the AC system to draw in residual 134a in the charge hose).
We hit 100 here today and my A/C system just wasn't keeping up. THANK YOU Eric for teaching me how to use my manifold and gauge set. It's 87 out now that the sun is down and my temp laser is reading 46 deg at the vent.
Thanks, I fixed the leak and filled the AC in my one car but topping off is different. Appreciate the video. You can borrow gauges and even a vacuum pump from Auto Zone.
Good to see you, Eric! I got a 12 oz. can of 134a for $4.97 + tax from the Walmart last year when my system started blowing warm air (after 14 years). I hooked it into the low side, opened the can and after 5 minutes the system is back to being super cold. I figured taking a chance on a $4.97 can of refrigerant was a good risk. A/C Pro is a ripoff.
Love your videos, Eric. Wanted to add some important notes to your video that might be helpful. 1. A/C Pro's "Sealant Leak" destroys expensive A/C machines like RobinAir, etc. This is why we use a sealant leak detector before we start our evacuation and recharge on any A/C service. If sealant leak is detected, we deny the customer. 2. If the customer or shop has it available, after our sealant test, we use nitrogen to pressure test the system for leaks. Sometimes the expensive A/C machines claim that the system has passed the vacuum test, when it really didn't. A nitrogen pressure test covers that base. 3. It probably depends state to state, but I know where I lived (Idaho and Utah,) you need a Mac's Certification to legally buy refrigerant. Thanks for your videos!
Good to know about the Sealant Leak damage potential. As far as leak test, a vacuum is never the way to test for leaks, only nitrogen positive pressure. 134a is available to anyone here off the shelf at most stores in small quantities.
R134a is (still) legal for sale to anyone in small quantities per federal guidelines, but states can be more restrictive, although the EPA is trying hard to change that. On the premise that they will eventually do so, getting an EPA 609 certification is pretty easy, and can be done with an online (open book) test for $20-$25. I'd like to know more about the sealant leak detector, I've never heard of such, and I'm currently (casually) shopping for my first recovery machine, so it would be helpful to know what to look for, as I'd hate to have it ruined by someone else's gunk!
I bought a brass can piercer. So I can use the small, 12 Ounce cans with my gauges. I've seen some Schrader Valves loosen slightly. Tire valve core tool works great at tightening. Also, My mother had a 99 Dodge van. Had to replace the Schrader Valve. I bought the tool for doing it. Works great. Without loosing much freon
THANK YOU for being so thorough! You singlehandedly saved me SO much headache! I’m trying to maintain the thought that my wife has that I am THE jack of all trades, when (in reality) I’m trying not to pay service charges!
A nicely detailed and very comprehensive video! There's a lot of misinformation out there, so it's nice to see something honest and accurate for a change!
This is an extremely helpful tutorial, and probably timeless until the electric, self-driving flying cars are ubiquitous. The tips / best practices he provides, if nothing else, highlight key steps in the procedure. Given the constraints of this medium, I understand his choice not to provide the equivalent of a table of target pressures v ambient temp. So, I would urge viewers to find that information elsewhere, as I will. The apparent main point of contention, judging from a brief scan of the comments, regarding tilting the source refrigerant can upside down, is certainly thought provoking. Retail refrigerant cans do warn against turning upside down, beyond the 12 to 3 tilting, and liquids are effectively incompressible. However, not having done any actual testing, if I were to rationalize the validity of this procedure, I would do it this way: even if the refrigerant were introduced as a liquid, it is going into the low pressure side where it will / should shift phase to vapor prior to reaching the compressor. But, I'm not a mechanic, and won't be looking up phase diagrams prior to hitting the comment button; so, caveat emptor...
Excellent. This is the information I was looking for. Most other videos only explain in regards to how to do the complete recharge with the vacuum pump and measuring the amount of refrigerant using a scale.
Clearly and intelligently spoken video. Helped me with doing just this procedure. I cannot remember if you said to have the AC running on max while doing all of this. But that much is obvious I guess.
You made many excellent points, Eric. Here in Canada, freon is not sold to consumers or even mechanics without proof of AC certification. I believe that's done to protect our global atmosphere. The only coolant available from retail stores are propane derivatives, which will contaminate a 134a system with a different coolant. I don't know if that makes a difference but it may cause recycling issues when one goes to legally evacuate the system.
It's also illegal to "top off" the AC system to fix the problem, it needs to be evacuated and the leak must be fixed before it's refilled with 134A. This is why every one here cringes when their AC stops working because you're guaranteed to spend hundreds just to fix it. And those refrigerant substitutes may even make the problem worse by contaminating your whole A/C system or damage the compressor.
Any body know the different between 134 R refrigerant from Walmart, about $5.00 a can and other more specific from the auto parts, do they work the same ?
the $5 cans are the ones you want. they are pure HFC-134a and do not have the oil and additives in it. In the case of AC, cheaper cans are the better ones.
Love your videos. Thank you for sharing. I have a question regarding purging the air from the charging hose. Shouldn't we bleed all 3 lines? There is air in all of them.
This style, revving up the engine, is interesting. I did it myself, with good result. Working alone, placed the gauge on the windshield. I get the impression the more typical "use the chart at idle" technique is less accurate. Kudos.
Yep, the key words I was looking for. Car does not cool like it used to, BUT still comes out decent- therefore I will apply this method to top off. Thank you for this.
In these 3 years following you, you always help me to save money and for me proudly I did it myself tyank to you, The a/c is awesome now, I detect i have a leak in the compressor shaft, but they do jot sell the seal, denso ppf g40, 700$ at the" stealership ". For now florida summer i can take it
I’ve watched so many ac videos and this has to be the best one I’ve seen. I started my ac work today. Put on a new compressor and when I started adding refrigerant, it took one 12 ounce can and about 8-10 ounces out of the second can then just stopped taking any at all. My system calls for 26 ounces. I have about 18-22 in there. Blows cold air but not cold enough and I can just tell it needs more refrigerant. Hopefully I can solve this issue somehow with the knowledge from this video. :)
@@jean-pierredejon5696 I still haven’t figured this out yet. I’ve replaced every single part except for the evap core. Which tells me I need a new one but I just don’t feel like fooling with all that. I have a Jeep and I would have to literally take apart the whole dash just to get to the damn thing
I've seen documentation that says only add oil when you've changed a component in the AC system. That amount can vary, so check by what your make and model say it should be. Most newer cars do not have more than 4oz of refrigerant oil in the whole system.
That's the most mysterious aspect of AC system work. They never worked out any way to read the amount of oil in the system, so the only way is to empty out the whole system and drain it out before adding back the prescribed amount of oil for the system. Aside from that it's just assumptions and additions when components are replaced, as stated.
Perfect video Eric...too many HVAC guys telling the Auto A/C guys how improper we are doing it. This is how it should be done. Shop owner 36 year master tech!
Questions.. I changed my compressor, expansion valve, all O-rings, flushed my system and refilled my system with the correct amounts of oil and R134a. There were no leaks, all seems well with 2 exceptions. It takes a few minutes before it starts cooling and once it cools it seems like it isn't cold enough. I made sure the exact amount of R134a & Oil went back in the system. 1) Should I add a little more R134a? 2) Would the new expansion valve cause it to delay cooling maybe due to it opening slowly or something?
Also, the 2-3 minute delay only happens after the car has been off overnight. If I am out using the car during the day, let it sit for an hour or two and then start it again, the cooling happens right away as normal..
@@Conald_isAfalseProphet Year, make, model, engine size of vehicle? Orifice tube or expansion block, or metered line? When you say cooling...what is the duct temp in center vent, max cool and recirculate. What were your final high and low side readings on the manifold guages...and what was the ambient temperature...ie temp in the shade. When you finished the repairs and added the oil, did you evacuate the system...minimum of at least one hour?
@@majwor3763 Thanks for the response. - 2010 Nissan Altima 2.5 SL - I made all repairs, flushed, changed drier, closed the system, evacuated for an hour, it held at negative 27 for 12 hours. I then bled the yellow line before opening the low side to begin adding freeon. - Expansion block / valve. - Didn't check the vent temp, will have to check later, but it was obviously not as cool as it should be. - Low side was at 36 PSI, High side was 145 PSI. - Temp was 80 Degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity was 80% as I'm in south Florida. -System called for 0.55 + .025 kg which translates to 575 grams from my calculations. I added exactly that. 1 thing to add.. the 3 minute delay only happens after the car has been off overnight. If I am out using the car during the day, let it sit for an hour or two and then start it again, the cooling happens right away as normal..
@@Conald_isAfalseProphet When you say 27"hg...was that the best that your pump could pull a vacuum or did it leak down to that from 30"hg...most good pumps can pull 29.5 - 30". You want it to pull as high a vacuum so any moisture is able to boil off. Its important to know what the center duct temperature actually is. Go to a grocery store and get a meat thermometer. You would want it around 40-45 degrees F. Low side pressure is good...High side is low...should be around 180-200 degrees F. Both cooling fans {if it has 2) should be running when the compressor is on. According to what you are saying...your system holds approx. 22ounces which is about 2 cans is the US. I am wondering if either there is some kind of restriction...or the charge is still too low. Take your guages and rehook them and see what the static charge is and if they are the same pressure on the low and high side.(A/C NOT engaged) Should be around at least 90psi but more like 125psi. After that crank the engine and turn on the A/C...max blower and recirculate. Use you hands afeel the A/C lines. THe low side lines should be really cold to the touch and even sweating. Put your hand on the condensor (looks like a radiator...located in front of the radiator) feel from one side to the other...it should be hot to the touch all the way acroos and up and down after the system has been running for about 15 min. If its just warm then there is and issue. Anthing after the compressor on the high side should be VERY warm and or hot to the touch till it pass through the expansion valve. once it goes through the evaporator...any low side line should be really cool/cold to the touch. I would try to add one more can...slowly to get the high side pressure up. As you are doing that take your garden hose (with a nozzle) spray across the condensor all the way across side to side...and up and down. The fans will spray water every where...dont worry about it. This will change your guage readings and fool the expansion valve. The compressor may cycle off and the high side readings will come down. Once the condensor dries out the compressor should kick back on...the low side readings will drop and the high side should start to rise. This is a way to get sluggish system working thats being a pain. May have to do this a few times. The high needs to get to around 200 psi, while the low side stays around 35-45 psi. Also see if holding the throttle down around 1800-2000 rpms gets that high side up! These are some things you can try. Hope this heps.
I just did this on my '07 Grand Cherokee. I've owned it since '09 and the A/C was never serviced. This summer it was not cooling. I got a Yellow Jacket Manifold and hose set and recharged it carefully making sure not to add too much freon. I stopped when the center vent outlet temp got to 38*F. That is the challenge with doing it this way, you do not want to add too much. Now it works great. I think both shrader valves might have been leaking slightly which seems like a pretty common problem.
You can't. The couplings are designed to seal as soon as you disconnect them. No air gets in. That's why they were reading pressure before I even hooked them up.
It IS possible to do, but I see what you mean by not needing to do it as long as both knobs remain closed at all times while the gauges are stored. However, the first time the gauges are used (new), the hoses should be bled with refrigerant to fill them. this would have to be done prior to attaching them to a car for the first time and would have to be done by bleeding them at the couplings while the charge tank is attached and open.
@EricTheCarGuy Here again in 2024, thank you for the famous A/C video on TH-cam! I use this video as a refresher course before i start doing Refills on customers cars here in Yucaipa California! This is my 7th year that i keep coming back to reference your helpful tips & tricks! Thank you....
You and me both! I appreciate that he made a detailed video about what to do. Seems like most videos out there are either "hey here is how you add freon with this can from the auto parts store with a gauge already on it!" ... or ... "A/C work is super complex and only trained professionals should ever perform any work on an A/C system."
quick question when using the manifold gauges and you are ready to recharge refrigerant does the high side pressure needs to be open or closed?
@@artgonzalez9706 I keep my High Side pressure knob Closed
I might add that our 05 Accord Hybrid just had an issue with poor cooling. I diagnosed as low refrigerant and took it to Honda for a full check out. They agreed with diagnosis, but, also changed the two Schrader valves under warranty.. So after 15 years, Honda is still standing behind their product... and the A/C works great again. Thanks Eric, Thanks Honda.
I tried doing this last year and I wasn’t sure what I was doing. I watched this and understood my gauges better. I just got another 10°s cooler in my Jeep. 80° day and I’m at 49-50° out the vents. Perfect, thank you Eric, saved me a lot of money.
Eric,
I have always appreciated your channel, I am a semi professional myself… We own a small car dealership and I do all of our work… I loved this video because it literally answered all of my questions in a relatively short time, and I didn’t feel like anything was left out or unnecessarily mentioned. Even your notes at the very end… I had that happen with a stuck Schrader valve, blipped it and it was fine. You covering details like that is why this is a great channel!
I love the content, as well as how the video is constructed: A+! No annoying background music, no offensive language, steady video shooting, very well explained, and you can talk in complete sentences. You don't talk "below" me, and you don't talk "above" me. This is all true for most of what is here on youtube, but certainly not all. Very good job, and you saved me time and money!
Literally the only real video of this on TH-cam.
Hi Eric,
Nice video on A.C. top off but I noticed one glitch--- perhaps. I have been in the HVAC business for >30 years and remember my first boss who taught me telling me about liquid vs gas recharge. Whether it is a cheap can or the big jug the valve pick-up stem is on top just below the valve. When the container is right side up you get a "gas" and when upside down you get a "liquid" freon coming out. For speeding up a full recharge on an empty and evacuated system with the jug on a scale, you can start with liquid until 75% full and finish with gas. For topping off a system, you want to keep the can right side up and use only a gas which the compressor can compress. If you shoot in liquid and it gets on top the compressor piston it explodes, throws a rod, cracks the piston, cracks the valves, or cracks the compressor casing. I know--it happened to me when a used car I bought was cooling poorly and the seller offered to top it off with R-12. He had the can upside down as we watched the pressures and temperatures improve. I told him he should have the can right side up but he said, "I think I know a little bit more than you about recharging AC systems Tom". He was 20 years my senior so there was no convincing him. Right after he said that there was a loud "bang" and the compressor spun freely with no compression. He had broken the rod and cracked the compressor case in multiple places. He then realized what I was trying to tell him. I always use gas with the can right side up and go much slower on the low side pressure when adding it. It is way safer and much more fool proof for a newbie keeping the can right side up. I also like to watch the sight glass on the vehicle until it is full with no bubbles for a sign the system is full. Other than those nit picks, you nailed it!!!! Tom
What should the running pressures be on the R134a refrigerant in a vehicle? Vapor line 40 psi and Liquid line 200 to 220 psi? I read that the static pressure should be 90 to 100 psi.
@@coolramoneyou can google r134 gauge readings or something like that and there is low side and high side ranges given multiple outdoor temperatures.
Would like to say, 6yrs ago u saved me 2k on fixing my ac system on an 09 accord, Thank you!. 6yrs later...here I am again. Glad to see u doing alright 👍
I have looked at many of your videos and this one before, but the last time that I looked at this video, about three years ago, I missed a few important things that you described. I can't describe how much I appreciate you sharing these things with me. It's been ruff, and people like you have made it possible for me to survive. I truly apologize for not taking better notes in the past. This is a reminder why ChrisFix mentioned you in one of his videos.
Three years ago, I was successful in installing a new AC system on my previous vehicle and adding a charge to my lady friend's car three years ago. Her vehicle's AC is still running cold. I did use gauges and a pump that I purchased from Harbor Freight. I would recommend to oil the O-rings with PAG oil, and DO NOT over-tighten the connectors, or they will leak.
I have the gauges, but harbor freight instructions were not very thorough. You did a very good job of explaining how the process works. Thank you!
I watched your videos in the past, and returned for 2 separate vehicles for today for a refresher. Like the other person said, great video content with no bologna. Your a natural at teaching, great job Eric
Blipping the Schrader valve was a great tip. The last A/C system I rebuilt had a leak in the Schrader valve. I replaced both valves which fixed the problem but blipping them might have saved me more work and some lost refrigerant.
This is one of the best videos on auto ac explained in an easy to understand manner which also includes very important details. Nicely done.
Every time I go to get repair information, you have a video. I have used your information more than you know. I want to give a big thank you. I have been watching for years and thought you would like some nice comments and a big thank you.
This is a great video on how to use the manifold gauge set. I learned alot! I would add that it's important to get your factory service manual and see what the high/low pressures are supposed to be at a given RPM and temperature.
For example the FSM says on my Ram to check the gauges at 1000 RPM. Also the high and low pressure chart is way different from the generic suggestions found online
Thank you eric!!! Got my AC back to cold. Im out of work right now, and sure did save my sweaty bacon by you showing us how to do this ourselves!! great video!
I found this video very useful. Thanks for taking the time Eric. Most of the guys criticizing the vid and strongly advising against DIY ac work are shop mechanics or HVAC guys. Obviously it would be a conflict of interest for you to encourage us to do our own work when you can charge us an arm and a leg to do it for us. On a personal note, I replaced the ac compressor, accumulator, and orfice tube on my car about 5 years ago and the AC still blows ice cold. Thus, I highly recommend doing your own work and avoiding high shop costs whenever possible. Of course, this doesn't mean try rebuilding your own transmission yourself lol.
This is one of the only video's I've found that gets Straight to the Point!
No Bias, just the Real Advice. Thank's Eric!
Eric, i've watched 20 or so of these AC videos, yours by far is the most informative and helpful. Nice Job, and thank you!
Great video, thank you for including all of the detailed steps which aren't common sense to many of us
Hey Eric,
I've found the best way to remove gauge lines is:
1/ Turn cylinder valve off but leave line connected
2/ Turn off discharge line but leave connected.
3/Open suction valve to draw in refrigerant from both discharge AND service line.
4/ When system equalizes turn off all valves and remove. You put the excess refrigerant back into the system and not the environment!
Regards,
The Guru of Cool
Australia
Hi Trevor, I have no experience with car AC systems but, can you tell me why nobody push the air out of the blue line before filling the system? Thanks!
@@MsLincos You should. Very important. I'm guessing Eric forgot to mention/show that. I'm sure he knows.
This is the best Auto AC channel I have seen on YT! I just bought me new gauges to take the guess work out of adding freon 134A
Once again Awesome video. I have been following your channel for more than a year and truly appreciate the knowledge your willing to share with us garage mechanics. I have saved myself and family unnecessary spending by doing the job myself.
I've been doing this for 27 years maybe less but yes you hit the nail on the head that's the way you do it exactly well explained
I did a complete o-ring, and seal replacement on my large dodge conversion van b1500 2000.....with rear ac, had to pull a vacuum on the system, cause the place I took it to for head gaskets did a wonderful job on the engine, almost completely rebuilt it, clean out everything, very good job, but they never recharged the AC system, guess they forgot, well I did it all, replaced everything in the front, including rad, all lines everypart of the AC system, just did the rear, and lines today, recharged it, and got that sucker down to 41°F.....super chilly now, and I used your video to help with part of the recharge, thank you.
Old Scotty Kilmer says to only put in Refrigerant gas because the Liquid could hurt the compressor. Thoughts? Great video besides.
I don't typically listen to Kilmer, but I always add refrigerant by weight and add as a gas, not a liquid.
I've watched so many ac instructional vids and this one is one of the most well explained instructions. Thanks Eric!
Man, thanks for this. I have a nearly 8 year old car with AC that performs well enough until the peak summer months. I have a manifold gauge set and a couple of small cans of refrigerant, but finding this clear of a how-to for just adding a small amount, as opposed to charging an empty system, has been difficult.
So far, the best explanation on charging with any refrigerant.
Absolutely A+, Thank you Eric, so well explained! You made it simple and easy. Exemplary video, compared to other's efforts!
I always purge the low and high side hoses after I hook them to the system to get rid of any air that may be in them before adding any refrigerant to system.
Does that mean you basically connect the low and high sides to the vehicle and then at the gauge ends of the low and high, you open the valves to let some pressure push the air out and then close the valves? Or are you meaning purge somehow from the charging ends of the hoses where refrigerant is added, allowing it to escape the vehicle side before fully seating the low and high sides to the connection ports? Thanks
@@Roboticdoughbull3k After hooking hoses to car, I crack open the low and high side hose at the a/c gauge manifold to purge a small amount of gas which pushes out air in hose.
@@JT-qf4it I gotcha now, I figured but just wanted to check. I got a set last year and am about to start helping out the family vehicle fleet, little things like that are good to know. Much appreciated, thank you!
I'd connect the high side the purge from high to charge hose. Then hook up charge hose or put back on holder. Then purge high to low. Then hook up low side.
Then you're purging possible contaminants and air from the manifold itself.
In addition to the purging, I usually hook up the high side hose to the car before turning on the AC so it's not under high pressure, and hook up the low side with it running, so the valve is at the lowest pressure.
After it's all done and when disconnecting the hoses, remove the low side first while the compressor is running, and remove the high side last after shutting down the car, and allowing the pressure to equalize and drop back down. That helps reduce the bit of refrigerant loss from opening the connections under pressure.
Great video, used it as a guideline. It would be great to add a link to a chart for the pressures vs temp vs humidity. Charged one car today. Works fantastic, getting 40F driving, 230 High, 48 low
@5:19, so a newbie hooks up a pressure can and see's 80 psi, they are going to think there is too much refrigerant in the system, that they overcharged it because when they look at the side of the can it's going to say low side 32 psi, high side 150 psi when the temperature ambient is 85deg. I think the important thing to stress at this point is that in order for an accurate reading to take place on the low and the high side is that the compressor must be running, the clutch should be engaged and you should physically see the compressor clutch assembly spinning and one line coming from the compressor will be hot and one will be cold, maybe even developing frost. If it's not, STOP, nothing here will make sense. There might be a low side pressure switch that is stopping the compressor clutch from engaging or some other electrical failure. I've seen those power probes that can force the compressor to run by stimulating the + (red/hot) of the of the compressor clutch assembly to help troubleshoot is it a refrigerant/compressor/clutch issue or is it an electrical issue.
If you DO have too much refrigerant in your system, how do get rid of it?
@@colebennett6424 the official way is to use a recovery machine to remove the refrigerant. The diy way is to release it to the atmosphere. Just make sure you're monitoring the pressure so you don't go overboard and have to add back again afterwards. 😭
I purchased an AC refill kit. The instructions sucked. I watched your video and it all makes sense now. This is by far the best AC video out there. You should be the educational video for all those DIY AC recharge kits.
Excellent video Eric. I used to supervise a large farming operation and we did this kind of work on a weekly basis.👍👍
I appreciate your step by step explanation how it should end up or look like to what might go wrong along the way and what to expect keep up the good work excellent diy 🇺🇸
One of the best tutorials I've seen on charging the AC system, thank you Car Guy, appreciate it.
O
Over the years I have trusted, respected and used much the info you've put out regarding Honda's. Got to question putting liquid refrigerant on the gas side? Even if for only a couple of seconds...isn't that a bad practice?
Thanks so much for your pioneering videos. You were the only detailed trustworthy source for these videos many years ago. Due to your knowledge I started down the road of doing my own auto work. And saving big money from staying away from Tuffy. Thanks
This is the correct video for my purpose. Awesome.
A simple trick for video of analog gauges: you can get some masking tape and cut some small masks to go on the clear cover, to make the gauge reading and show limits a bit easier. You don't want the numbers/indicators covered, but by applying a couple of small pieces in a "V" shape, you can reduce some of the visual clutter and reflection, and make it easier to concentrate on the range you're interested in.
This was incredible helpful and concise enough to keep me on track. Thanks for keeping it simplified and well worded!
Hi Eric, ANOTHER great and helpful video. I have been doing most of my car stuff myself for the last 40 years or so. If I get into a jam or need to know how to do something I seek you out. Many great videos. I have been doing my own AC charging and repair for about 10 years now and with great results. Usually I evacuate the system and charge it up after giving it time to see if there are any leaks. Basically I start from scratch. My moms old Infiniti I30 always had great AC, usually around 38 at best on the highway. I'm using 2 types of thermometers as sort of a control, one digital and one analog. Lately, I noticed the car was hanging out around 50 degrees. So instead of evacuating the system and start from scratch, I always wondered how do you know just how much to add without starting from scratch. Your video explained this well. However, I do have a question on this video. You stated you "charge" the system with the 30 pound container of R134a upside down, for liquid. I was always told that doing this can mess up the compressor and was told the can should be right side up for gas. Can you please let me know the facts on this? I also use the proper gauges and the 30 pound can along with a good scale. THANKS AGAIN!! Have a good weekend and be safe.
If you're charging slowly enough and in small quantities at a time, the liquid will have time to boil into gas before it can adversely impact your compressor because well, the pressure is low enough to boil it. If you're starting from scratch (and the engine is off), you can also charge liquid on the low side (use a scale to know how much you're putting in!), but that tends to work best on fixed orifice tube systems, not on TXVs, because a fixed orifice tube system will tend to equalize much better when the compressor is off. Either way, check the specs for the system and don't overcharge it.
I've also graduated to a 4-hose manifold with valves on all of them, so that I don't have to disconnect the tank to pull a vacuum, and I wish I'd done it a long time ago...
Good job. Well done, sir. I dont claim to know what Im doing. People seem to have this unearned confidence in me but I find that I usually know just enough to get myself into trouble. Nothing bad happened, thanks!
Always helpful. I just recommend people do their research to get the basics down. Understanding what Freon does and having the right tools makes all the difference in the world
Thank You! This was filmed and edited so well. Excellent instructions, and like being in a class!
A "rule of thumb" is to multiply the ambient temp (Fahrenheit) by 2.5 to determine what the high pressure side should be. If it was 95 degrees the high side should be running about 235 psi. Not exact but certainly better than just shooting something in there while only measuring the low side.
Is that basically on ALL car AC systems, or are some higher, or lower??
@@tscrain8277 all.
If that's a good rule of thumb, then why do they have charts?
@@Matthias53787 charts are the right way to do it. A rule of thumb is just a rough idea. Example: on a customers AC i am looking for around 70 psi low side on an r-22 system. Thats a rule of thumb. But it can be higher or lower depending on other factors. It gives me a starting point
This seems super useful. (Not being sarcastic)
Thanks
for showing us the “next level” of A/C work…will come in very handy in the TX
heat!
next level mama, next level
If you get the Harbor Freight gauge set, the little knobs on the quick connect adapters are reverse threads, tighten them to open, loosen them to close. They cleverly hid this fact in the manual, and on the knobs themselves. For those of us who just assume, we may be outsmarted for a bit until we figure it out. FYI I LOVE my HF gauge set, they are sealed very well, they can hold pressure for a long time, disconnected and turned off, meaning the seals are good and high quality, with the 20 percent off, you can get them new for a little over 50 bucks out the door. Worth it :)
I'm a professional and I hate working on AC...HVAc in total but especially AC. Lol, I have fixed it, I absolutely can and have, but I also absolutely hate it. Been working on cars for 40 years so I don't think that's ever going to get better lol. Always a thumbs up EC, just helping to keep the channel up.
Thanks, Eric. Just what I needed with temps regularly over 90 here in Ohio.
You work like a professional tech Eric. You charge AC systems exactly like I do. I'm sometimes criticized for turning the tank upside down and charging with liquid refrigerant. I've be charging systems like this the same as you do all my life without one single problem. I'm a recertified ASE master L-1 tech with over 45 years in the business. I own a repair shop in the Houston heights. Good information. You make great car repair video's.
A message for all of the "ASE certified master techs" watching a video about how to top off refrigerant, the orientation of the bottle is completely irrelevant. The state of the refrigerant is determined by a few things first pressure second temperature. If you think the orientation of the bottle changes the state of the refrigerant from gas to liquid you have a fundamental misunderstanding of how substances change state and you should avoid telling actual professionals how to do their job because you've made yourself look like a moron in the process. Also consider that the hoses travel UP AND THEN DOWN, this still doesn't matter at all in reality but even in the scope of your ignorant view would still debunk what you're saying.
"I copy pasted this so it's not really directed at you but it confirms what you're saying about the orientation of the bottle being irrelevant"
The orientation of the bottle is CRITICAL unless it is 100% full of liquid. As liquid is removed then its level goes down and above it you have a combination of gas and a vacuum, which is not what you want to pull into your system. Liquids are always heavier than their gas counterpart and gravity always sucks. The reason the height of the bottle doesn't matter is because the system pulls the liquid freon from its container (or freon gas, in your case). The same thing is true with filling a lighter with Butane. To get the butane liquid to flow you have to turn the bottle upside down. Propane is different because you actually want to pull out only the gas and not the liquid.
@@kylekoster3432 The orientation of the bottle is CRITICAL unless it is 100% full of liquid. As liquid is removed then its level goes down and above it you have a combination of gas and a vacuum, which is not what you want to pull into your system. Liquids are always heavier than their gas counterpart and gravity always sucks. The reason the height of the bottle doesn't matter is because the system pulls the liquid freon from its container (or freon gas, in your case). The same thing is true with filling a lighter with Butane. To get the butane liquid to flow you have to turn the bottle upside down. Propane is different because you actually want to pull out only the gas and not the liquid.
Thank you for making this video Eric, love this video ...your very detailed and thorough and I appreciate that because I don't know what I'm doing 100 percent so this really helped me.
Thank you Eric for very good video including the tip on seating the schroeder valves at end of job. As an fyi to your viewers, these gauges can be rented for free from some of the auto part chain stores. I completely replaced system last year. Not blowing cold now. I'm thinking slow leak from schoeder.
Nothing feels better than cold AC. Just got mine back up and running! Thank you!
Want to acknowledge you for this timeless tutorial on this process - have referred to this a couple of time and it is spot on!! Your willingness to share your expert knowledge is so very much appreciated!!
Eric, I always enjoy your videos and approach. I'm surprised you are charging the system with the refrigerant bottle upside down. I am a retired auto tech, GM trained and was always taught to charge as a gas (right side up) vs liquid (upside down) I know it works obviously from your video, but you're feeding the compressor a liquid charge. Compressors pump refrigerant in a gaseous state. Just my 2 cents.
Everyone is belaboring this point, but it can be summed up like this: It can be done either way, but unless you think you know exactly the pros and cons, always charge with the can right side up, charging with a gas. Never charge with the can upside down, trying to charge with a liquid.The only reason to charge upside down is to make faster work of it, and if you're just trying to get the job done on your own car you don't mind taking a few extra minutes. If you see your A/C guy charging upside down, he's reckless. Move on to another guy.
Agree with all you stated but wish to add a bit more. You can not compress a liquid, this is the basics of hydraulics. So why send a liquid in to an air compressor. Chances ate increased of causing premature failure of your compressor. It may work, as Erik has demonstrated. But its not how the compressor ordinarily works. Check out any air conditioning theory of operation. Gas is compressed into a gas. Both sides are gas. High side obviously more pressure than the low side but no liquid near the compressor ever, until beyond the centers of the evaporator or condenser heat exchangers . I am amazed this hasn't caused more troubles for you Erik.
@@deanstuder1775 maybe because he just add tiny amounts quickly?
This is a good point. I heard that before. I was surprised 😮 too.🤜🤛
I did a video on how to top off your ac system about the same time as this one, well I was shooting it and posted it a little later. I did a beginners version using only the can and gauge you get at the auto parts store. The video was inspired by an older lady at the auto parts store asking where to take the refrigerant that she just bought to have it put in her vehicle. I thought to myself "I wonder how many people actually buy these cans and then pay someone to put it in" I really like making videos that show people that they can actually work on their own cars and save some money. Great video! I can only hope that my channel will get even 10% as successful as yours.
I have no pressure when I connect my gauges. That means I have a break in the system?
Chris that’s means your system is empty
Depending on the type of AC system you have, these cans with the built in gauge are worthless.. you can get them to work ok on a fixed oriface tube system.. but a newer system with a TX valve that gauge wont be accurate as the TX Valve throttles the refrigerant on the low side depending on the amount of superheat on the vapor line going to the compressor.. It is very easy to overcharge a TXV system with these can setups since the pressure doesn't change much if at all on the low side. These systems are monitored on the high pressure side when charging.
I really appreciate you doing this video. Most channels only show AC charges when it is empty, where they pull a vacuum and weigh the amount that goes back in. I was unsure what you did if you already had some refrigerant in a working system.
Very thorough step-by-step instructions. You spoke clearly and easy to understand. Thanks!!
Excellent vid!
I've worked on R12 systems long ago and I needed to know what the pressures should be on R134A. Thank you.
after watching this vedio im now an AC technician .Thank you
Great video. Lots of good info, especially the tip on purging the charge hose. Makes complete sense, but I hadn't thought about that at all.
Eric you educated me in a complex system. Your video made a whole lot of sense now. I only wish I had found and viewed it before I took my van to the dealership
Eric, you are to be applauded on your method of teaching. You explain things in a clear concise manner without adding in needless dribble. I was all set to bring my truck to an A/C shop because I feared the outcome if I tried it myself. I have a gauge set with the adaptors but had never done anything on a vehicle's A/C system, having used it only when doing heat pumps in conjunction with a micron gauge. After watching your video, there is no doubt in my mind that I can top off my system. Also, as you so well pointed out, the small cans contain not only refrigerant, but oils and dye's as well, and I've seen videos that said adding too much oil to a system can damage the compressor. It sounds like we should just be buying a can of refrigerant without the oils and dyes. Do they sell small cans of 134a only, without oils and dyes? Great video!
Heya Eric - Youve sure come along well and progressed nicely with your instructionals. This is prob. the best "How to" yet. Thank you for the great job ! Dave.
This video has been much more helpful than others. But I have one question, when reading the psi levels to correct them, should you go off of the levels when you're idle or when you're revving?
I always go with idle as a base. They should correlate with rpm. If you’re at 30 psi low side and 170 high at idle you’re fine. There are other factors such as ambient temperature to factor in
Idle… ambient temperature and humidity are factors that will affect the pressure readings.
Very helpful and informative about charging and setting the A/C system. For that reason, I just subscribed to your channel. Thanks and keep up the good work Eric!
Thanks Eric for all your helpful videos. Really appreciate how you describe each component, its best practices, and tips to address common issues (like blipping the shrader valves to clear any debris; after charging, allowing the AC system to draw in residual 134a in the charge hose).
We hit 100 here today and my A/C system just wasn't keeping up.
THANK YOU Eric for teaching me how to use my manifold and gauge set.
It's 87 out now that the sun is down and my temp laser is reading 46 deg at the vent.
Great video. You can certainly tell when the "teacher" knows what he or she is teaching. Thanks!
Excellent step-by-step tutorial. Thank you, Eric.
Thanks, I fixed the leak and filled the AC in my one car but topping off is different. Appreciate the video. You can borrow gauges and even a vacuum pump from Auto Zone.
Borrowed mine from O'reilly.
I walked through all of the steps that you mentioned and the AC is now ice cold. Thank you for the detailed explanation.
Good to see you, Eric! I got a 12 oz. can of 134a for $4.97 + tax from the Walmart last year when my system started blowing warm air (after 14 years). I hooked it into the low side, opened the can and after 5 minutes the system is back to being super cold. I figured taking a chance on a $4.97 can of refrigerant was a good risk. A/C Pro is a ripoff.
Love your videos, Eric. Wanted to add some important notes to your video that might be helpful.
1. A/C Pro's "Sealant Leak" destroys expensive A/C machines like RobinAir, etc. This is why we use a sealant leak detector before we start our evacuation and recharge on any A/C service. If sealant leak is detected, we deny the customer.
2. If the customer or shop has it available, after our sealant test, we use nitrogen to pressure test the system for leaks. Sometimes the expensive A/C machines claim that the system has passed the vacuum test, when it really didn't. A nitrogen pressure test covers that base.
3. It probably depends state to state, but I know where I lived (Idaho and Utah,) you need a Mac's Certification to legally buy refrigerant.
Thanks for your videos!
Good to know about the Sealant Leak damage potential. As far as leak test, a vacuum is never the way to test for leaks, only nitrogen positive pressure. 134a is available to anyone here off the shelf at most stores in small quantities.
R134a is (still) legal for sale to anyone in small quantities per federal guidelines, but states can be more restrictive, although the EPA is trying hard to change that. On the premise that they will eventually do so, getting an EPA 609 certification is pretty easy, and can be done with an online (open book) test for $20-$25.
I'd like to know more about the sealant leak detector, I've never heard of such, and I'm currently (casually) shopping for my first recovery machine, so it would be helpful to know what to look for, as I'd hate to have it ruined by someone else's gunk!
Nice! Crystal clear demonstration/explanation..
You rock Eric. Thanks so much for your thoughtful explanation of how to do this successfully. I sure appreciate it.
I bought a brass can piercer. So I can use the small, 12 Ounce cans with my gauges. I've seen some Schrader Valves loosen slightly. Tire valve core tool works great at tightening. Also, My mother had a 99 Dodge van. Had to replace the Schrader Valve. I bought the tool for doing it. Works great. Without loosing much freon
THANK YOU for being so thorough! You singlehandedly saved me SO much headache!
I’m trying to maintain the thought that my wife has that I am THE jack of all trades, when (in reality) I’m trying not to pay service charges!
A nicely detailed and very comprehensive video! There's a lot of misinformation out there, so it's nice to see something honest and accurate for a change!
F I’ll i ut
This is an extremely helpful tutorial, and probably timeless until the electric, self-driving flying cars are ubiquitous. The tips / best practices he provides, if nothing else, highlight key steps in the procedure. Given the constraints of this medium, I understand his choice not to provide the equivalent of a table of target pressures v ambient temp. So, I would urge viewers to find that information elsewhere, as I will. The apparent main point of contention, judging from a brief scan of the comments, regarding tilting the source refrigerant can upside down, is certainly thought provoking. Retail refrigerant cans do warn against turning upside down, beyond the 12 to 3 tilting, and liquids are effectively incompressible. However, not having done any actual testing, if I were to rationalize the validity of this procedure, I would do it this way: even if the refrigerant were introduced as a liquid, it is going into the low pressure side where it will / should shift phase to vapor prior to reaching the compressor. But, I'm not a mechanic, and won't be looking up phase diagrams prior to hitting the comment button; so, caveat emptor...
I've seen about a dozen of these, yours is the best. Thank you!
Excellent. This is the information I was looking for. Most other videos only explain in regards to how to do the complete recharge with the vacuum pump and measuring the amount of refrigerant using a scale.
Clearly and intelligently spoken video. Helped me with doing just this procedure. I cannot remember if you said to have the AC running on max while doing all of this. But that much is obvious I guess.
You made many excellent points, Eric. Here in Canada, freon is not sold to consumers or even mechanics without proof of AC certification. I believe that's done to protect our global atmosphere. The only coolant available from retail stores are propane derivatives, which will contaminate a 134a system with a different coolant. I don't know if that makes a difference but it may cause recycling issues when one goes to legally evacuate the system.
It's also illegal to "top off" the AC system to fix the problem, it needs to be evacuated and the leak must be fixed before it's refilled with 134A. This is why every one here cringes when their AC stops working because you're guaranteed to spend hundreds just to fix it. And those refrigerant substitutes may even make the problem worse by contaminating your whole A/C system or damage the compressor.
Any body know the different between 134 R refrigerant from Walmart, about $5.00 a can and other more specific from the auto parts, do they work the same ?
the $5 cans are the ones you want. they are pure HFC-134a and do not have the oil and additives in it. In the case of AC, cheaper cans are the better ones.
Chaddz3 got it right. And, oh yeah, it's only $5.
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Don’t forget to purge the hoses once you make a connection!
Love your videos. Thank you for sharing. I have a question regarding purging the air from the charging hose. Shouldn't we bleed all 3 lines? There is air in all of them.
I am not ⅞The
This style, revving up the engine, is interesting. I did it myself, with good result. Working alone, placed the gauge on the windshield. I get the impression the more typical "use the chart at idle" technique is less accurate. Kudos.
Yep, the key words I was looking for. Car does not cool like it used to, BUT still comes out decent- therefore I will apply this method to top off. Thank you for this.
Eric!!! I had a 1993 Acura vigor come through my dealer that would of made u jealous. 60k miles and no rust looked brand new
I remember those 5 cylinder.
Here's a chart I copied off an A/C website. As you can see, ambient temperature strongly correlates to desired high- and low-side pressures. According to this, Eric's low-side pressure should be 50-55 PSI since it's 95 degrees F outside.
Please note that the low-side pressure should never exceed 55 psi w/ the compressor running:
65°F (18°C) 25-35 psi 135-155 psi
70°F (21°C) 35-40 psi 145-160 psi
75°F (24°C) 35-40 psi 150-170 psi
80°F (27°C) 40-50 psi 175-210 psi
85°F (29°C) 45-55 psi 225-250 psi
90°F (32°C) 45-55 psi 250-270 psi
95°F (35°C) 50-55 psi 275-300 psi
100°F (38°C) 50-55 psi 315-325 psi
105°F (41°C) 50-55 psi 330-335 psi
110°F (43°C) 50-55 psi 340-345 psi
Are these values when the engine is idling?
Eric is one of the best mechanics on youtube. Thanks for the info.
In these 3 years following you, you always help me to save money and for me proudly I did it myself tyank to you,
The a/c is awesome now,
I detect i have a leak in the compressor shaft, but they do jot sell the seal, denso ppf g40,
700$ at the" stealership ".
For now florida summer i can take it
I’ve watched so many ac videos and this has to be the best one I’ve seen. I started my ac work today. Put on a new compressor and when I started adding refrigerant, it took one 12 ounce can and about 8-10 ounces out of the second can then just stopped taking any at all. My system calls for 26 ounces. I have about 18-22 in there. Blows cold air but not cold enough and I can just tell it needs more refrigerant. Hopefully I can solve this issue somehow with the knowledge from this video. :)
Make sure your high side on the manifold gauge valve is closed when filling system.
@@jean-pierredejon5696 I still haven’t figured this out yet. I’ve replaced every single part except for the evap core. Which tells me I need a new one but I just don’t feel like fooling with all that. I have a Jeep and I would have to literally take apart the whole dash just to get to the damn thing
You always make awesome and helpful videos buddy. Couldn't done it any better
Js
Is it a good idea to add refrigerant oil also everytime you recharge or top off ? How do you know when you have to
I've seen documentation that says only add oil when you've changed a component in the AC system. That amount can vary, so check by what your make and model say it should be. Most newer cars do not have more than 4oz of refrigerant oil in the whole system.
That's the most mysterious aspect of AC system work. They never worked out any way to read the amount of oil in the system, so the only way is to empty out the whole system and drain it out before adding back the prescribed amount of oil for the system. Aside from that it's just assumptions and additions when components are replaced, as stated.
Perfect video Eric...too many HVAC guys telling the Auto A/C guys how improper we are doing it. This is how it should be done. Shop owner 36 year master tech!
Questions..
I changed my compressor, expansion valve, all O-rings, flushed my system and refilled my system with the correct amounts of oil and R134a. There were no leaks, all seems well with 2 exceptions. It takes a few minutes before it starts cooling and once it cools it seems like it isn't cold enough. I made sure the exact amount of R134a & Oil went back in the system.
1) Should I add a little more R134a?
2) Would the new expansion valve cause it to delay cooling maybe due to it opening slowly or something?
Also, the 2-3 minute delay only happens after the car has been off overnight. If I am out using the car during the day, let it sit for an hour or two and then start it again, the cooling happens right away as normal..
@@Conald_isAfalseProphet Year, make, model, engine size of vehicle? Orifice tube or expansion block, or metered line? When you say cooling...what is the duct temp in center vent, max cool and recirculate. What were your final high and low side readings on the manifold guages...and what was the ambient temperature...ie temp in the shade. When you finished the repairs and added the oil, did you evacuate the system...minimum of at least one hour?
@@majwor3763 Thanks for the response.
- 2010 Nissan Altima 2.5 SL
- I made all repairs, flushed, changed drier, closed the system, evacuated for an hour, it held at negative 27 for 12 hours. I then bled the yellow line before opening the low side to begin adding freeon.
- Expansion block / valve.
- Didn't check the vent temp, will have to check later, but it was obviously not as cool as it should be.
- Low side was at 36 PSI, High side was 145 PSI.
- Temp was 80 Degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity was 80% as I'm in south Florida.
-System called for 0.55 + .025 kg which translates to 575 grams from my calculations. I added exactly that.
1 thing to add.. the 3 minute delay only happens after the car has been off overnight. If I am out using the car during the day, let it sit for an hour or two and then start it again, the cooling happens right away as normal..
@@Conald_isAfalseProphet When you say 27"hg...was that the best that your pump could pull a vacuum or did it leak down to that from 30"hg...most good pumps can pull 29.5 - 30". You want it to pull as high a vacuum so any moisture is able to boil off.
Its important to know what the center duct temperature actually is. Go to a grocery store and get a meat thermometer. You would want it around 40-45 degrees F.
Low side pressure is good...High side is low...should be around 180-200 degrees F. Both cooling fans {if it has 2) should be running when the compressor is on. According to what you are saying...your system holds approx. 22ounces which is about 2 cans is the US.
I am wondering if either there is some kind of restriction...or the charge is still too low.
Take your guages and rehook them and see what the static charge is and if they are the same pressure on the low and high side.(A/C NOT engaged) Should be around at least 90psi but more like 125psi.
After that crank the engine and turn on the A/C...max blower and recirculate. Use you hands afeel the A/C lines. THe low side lines should be really cold to the touch and even sweating. Put your hand on the condensor (looks like a radiator...located in front of the radiator) feel from one side to the other...it should be hot to the touch all the way acroos and up and down after the system has been running for about 15 min. If its just warm then there is and issue. Anthing after the compressor on the high side should be VERY warm and or hot to the touch till it pass through the expansion valve. once it goes through the evaporator...any low side line should be really cool/cold to the touch.
I would try to add one more can...slowly to get the high side pressure up. As you are doing that take your garden hose (with a nozzle) spray across the condensor all the way across side to side...and up and down. The fans will spray water every where...dont worry about it. This will change your guage readings and fool the expansion valve. The compressor may cycle off and the high side readings will come down. Once the condensor dries out the compressor should kick back on...the low side readings will drop and the high side should start to rise. This is a way to get sluggish system working thats being a pain. May have to do this a few times. The high needs to get to around 200 psi, while the low side stays around 35-45 psi. Also see if holding the throttle down around 1800-2000 rpms gets that high side up! These are some things you can try. Hope this heps.
It is such a shame that Eric left. What a guy. Internet needs people like him. Bummer.
I just did this on my '07 Grand Cherokee. I've owned it since
'09 and the A/C was never serviced. This summer it was not cooling. I got a Yellow Jacket Manifold and hose set and recharged it carefully making sure not to add too much freon. I stopped when the center vent outlet temp got to 38*F. That is the challenge with doing it this way, you do not want to add too much. Now it works great. I think both shrader valves might have been leaking slightly which seems like a pretty common problem.
You should also crack open the manifold valves to bleed the air out of the hi and low lines before you add the charge hose to the manifold.
You can't. The couplings are designed to seal as soon as you disconnect them. No air gets in. That's why they were reading pressure before I even hooked them up.
It IS possible to do, but I see what you mean by not needing to do it as long as both knobs remain closed at all times while the gauges are stored. However, the first time the gauges are used (new), the hoses should be bled with refrigerant to fill them. this would have to be done prior to attaching them to a car for the first time and would have to be done by bleeding them at the couplings while the charge tank is attached and open.
Yes, but even then you're talking about very small amounts of air that wouldn't have much of an effect on AC performance. Thanks for your comments.
Thanks for the replies. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for your vids Eric. Very small amounts of air do have an affect of the AC performance & Compressor. Keep up your great vids!