bruiseratl

My air conditioner in my 2004 TL does not get as cool as fast as it used to. It could be b/c it has been extremely hot outside lately as well as I only drive back roads now instead of freeways. I'm wondering if I need to recharge my AC and if so, can I do it myself? The AC has never been recharged.

I've done some research online and it doesn't seem too difficult to do this myself. And it beats paying $140 to have someone else do it when I could do it for about $40.

Any recommendations?

1RedondoRedTL

No you can't. Unless you are an A/C certified technician and have the tools as well as freon.

bruiseratl

If I cant do it myself is it b/c of the way the Acura system is laid out? Because they sell Freon and gauges at auto part stores.

jda123

Yes you can do it. However, you might not need/want to.

The car uses R134a refrigerant, not freon (which is a brand name for a particular manufacturer's kind of R12). R134a can be self filled.

The more important question is if you really need it. You can do more damage that good if you put too much in - line, seals and compressors can break. Also, the temp will be warmer with too much refrigerant in the system.

You get optimum cool when the pressure drops the most between the high and low side. The pressure changes in a car with compressor RPM, so the sweet spot is in the RPM range of the engine between idle and highway cruising because this is what cars do most of the time. You can fill to max perform either, but the other will suffer, so keeping it near factory specs is best. This same principle is why your AC gets warm for a little bit when you floor it - there is less of a pressure drop from the high to low side, so less cool.

Get a set of manifold gauges and tell us what the high and low side pressures are at engine idle. This is a good place to start. They are about $50 at harbor freight and some auto parts stores will rent them.

1RedondoRedTL

Hmm..I thought the EPA had restrictions on who can purchase refrigerant. If your refrigerant is low, there is a reason (bad seal, schrader valve, condenser, etc). A certified shop will inject a dye to see where the leak is coming from. The EPA doesn't want people to just recharge the system without fixing the problem first. Thus releasing the refrigerant into the atmosphere.

coykiam

OP if you really want. Just search youtube or google, there are plenty of videos with step-by-step DIY R134a recharge. But I suggest you take it to an expert, better safe than sorry.

jda123

Anybody can buy R134a, but you still cannot discharge into the air. R22 and R12 need a EPA permit to purchase.

Filling is easy. Figuring out if you need to fill, or not, is not so easy. If you are leaking at a pace of 1 can per 10 years, or something really slow, then UV dye and a leak test will never find the issue. Our cars leak some miniscule amount of refrigerant every day.

I have a tractor that will leak one can per year and I cannot find the leak anywhere, so I just put about 1 can in every spring before it gets hot.

You need to know what your high and low side pressures are before you start.

bruiseratl

Thanks everyone for your responses, I think I will let the professionals do it. I would hate it if I did something that will cause bigger problems down the road.

SouthernBoy

This.

A/C systems in cars can be quite expensive to repair or replace. Why anyone would be willing to save $60 to $100 for a check and charge is beyond me. Doing this incorrectly could be costly and is not worth it unless you know what you're doing and have the proper tools. Kinda like doing your own brain surgery. Not wise.

swoosh

iTrader: (5)

WOW i didnt know any of this

I have a 05 TL and the AC was not blowing COLD air as it used to....I went to Autozone and picked up Artic Ice or something like that...

I read the instructions and recharged my AC...the AC works fine now....this was more than 7-8 months back...prolly last summer if am not mistaken....well i might have gotten lucky, but after reading this thread I would recommend you to take it to an expert....

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

It's not that difficult to throw some gas into the unit, but the question still remains, does the system have a low charge, probably, or is there another problem within the unit or even external controls. As the system is a sealed unit, there should be no leakage over time, so the problem should be found and corrected, rather than just adding gas willy-nilly. As most don't want to spend the money, so a quick charge seems to be the answer, but, one must be careful as the R-134 evaporates at -26C, so any contact will cause frost bite.

In the mid nineties when the R-12 was phased out and the new systems contained R-134, many did the conversion to R-134 and over time found that the gas would seep through the rubber lines as the new gas has a smaller molecular structure than the R-12. The R-134 lines are coated in Teflon so this doesn't occur, so if it's low, there is a leak and best to investigate. You can use an inexpensive mix of soap and water around the fittings to try and locate the leak. On the high side, small line, check the areas when system is running, on the large line when off.

Best advice from above, invest in some gauges and they will be good for a lifetime of use.

Whatever you do, don't add, or have anyone add any stop leak to the system.

vietxquangstah

iTrader: (7)

i have a 08 and noticed when i put my AC to "auto 70" or "auto 75" with the air circulating inside the car, my AC system isn't as cold as my friends 03 infiniti g35 sedan when his is set to "auto 78".

you guys say purchase gauges to make sure you need some. well while i was at autozone today, i saw this http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...er=532242_0_0_

can i use that? it comes with a PSI gauge meter with 3 different colored areas.

1. what's the factory spec that i should be aiming for?
2. while looking under the hood i noticed two blue dials by my passenger side. one is labeled H. the other is labeled L. which side do i put the refrigerant in ?

jda123

AC is easy to do, but you need tools and a little bit of knowledge. Without manifold gauges, you have no idea if you need coolant.

Sure, you can put it in using that can at Autozone, but if you overfill, then you can blow seals, lines, fitting, etc. and even damage the compressor. It is easy to add refrigerant. It is also easy to overfill and jack up your system or make the temp warmer.

If you get a set of manifold gauges, then read up on how to connect them (it is easy) and post a low side and high side reading both AT IDLE and at about 2000-2200 RPM. I will then look up the stock PSI in the service manual (or you can) and you can add if you need to using the same manifold gauges.

Comparing to another car is folly. My 2004 TL reads about 74 when I am comfortable and the other ready about 77 - it is the same temp, just different reading on the display... not all temp sensors send the same signal (especially with age), so the temp is more for reference than for science. The car should blow really cold on max cool and you should need to turn it up as you drive.

Another point of note - too much refrigerant will make a car cool worse. The cool comes from the pressure drop from the high to low side. If the low side is filled too much, then the pressure won't drop as far and the AC condenser will not get as cold.

It is like $50 to get some gauges. You can jack up way more than $50 if you don't get them.

jda123

Here is a set of manifold gauges. If you get some, make sure that they have the r134a quick connect fittings.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Autom...motiveQ5fTools

vietxquangstah

iTrader: (7)

thanks for the input, but can i ask

what is the difference between the gauge that comes with the autozone can, and the one that you linked for me from ebay?

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

Looks like the AutoZone gauge is for low side pressure only, a generic colored gauge as systems do differ.

jimmyl

One thing about driving old diesel Mercedes for so many years: you get very familiar with AC work. Now I have no more Mercedes left and 2 full cases of R12!! Will be easy enough to sell....
You simply HAVE to have manifold gauges if you want to do any level of AC work. You just have GOT to know those pressures and also keep in mind the ambient temperature at the time.
Autozone sold a simplistic yet effective DVD with their AC stuff. Youtube will have much info too, but you are at the mercy of what each particular person says.
My F150 is 14 years old, and it gets a can or two at the beginning of summer, and a can half way through. Will have to address that one of these days soon I bet. I think the compressor seals themselves are leaking.
To the OP, you have made the right decision for your knowledge level at this time. Study up, and have a go in the future. It always comes up eventually......