After sorting out my overheating issues with an entire new cooling system, my temp gauge didn't budge past 1/4 even with the 122 degree heat index we had today!! (96 degrees, 75+% humidity....


This made me realize though that my some 30 year old AC system isn't exactly what it used to be, or even functional, at that. Everything seems to be hooked up, the air coming out of the vents does seem to be a few degrees cooler than the outside air... does it just need a recharge? How do I go about this? I'm looking for a cheap temporary fix as opposed to the "proper" replace-the-whole-system fix (I'll save it for winter.)

I searched the 1st gen forum but really only found discussions and arguments about different types of refrigerant and their compatibilities. Is it safe to assume that my system's all empty as is and can I just refill it with the new stuff?

 

you need to detemine if the compressor is engaging. If not it may simply because the system is low on freon. If it is it may just be a little low therefore not getting the tempture exchange

 

how do I check, specifically?

I'm stupid beyond the basics of engines.

 

sorry should have said compressor clutch ... put the ac on open the hood and watch the compressor if you head a clack and the center of the pulley spins the clutch has engaged

 

You can go to an AC shop and they will still have R12 to put in it and they will
charge you about 60 bucks and check for leaks. If you have leaks (likely) then they
may refuise to fill it but I doubt it. You'll just be back for a refill in the future.

You can convert over to 134A easily enough but you'll want to have the old r12
and oil evacuated. A shop will also do this for you. Then you just need to put the
required amount of 134A and oil in (less 20% if I remember right).

If you want to address any leaks then you will need to at least get some orings
(viton is best) and go thru the connections and replace the old ones.\

These are just the cliff notes on doing this. Theres details I'm skipping because I'm
not a HVAC guy. I would say for under 100 bucks you can fix it up easily.

 

^^^ might as well change your ac dryer unit, is only like 15 bucks in autozone and is easy to change. i did mine in like 10 minutes

 

Check that your compressor clutch engages as previously mentioned. Make sure the Black wire coming from the rear of the compressor pulley is plugged in. If the wire is connected and the clutch doesn't engage, find the pressure switch. It will be on the AC hard line on the right side of the engine, near the fire wall or on the receiver/drier under the 2" rubber plug in the metal cover in front of the radiator. It has two wires with spade connectors. Unplug these wires and connect them together. Check the AC clutch again. Hopefully it engages now. If so you can plug the wires back into the pressure switch. This means the Freon pressure is too low to trigger the switch. You can buy a quick charge kit here.
http://www.autorefrigerants.com/

I am using ES12A in mine.
http://autorefrigerants.com/co00033.htm

Once you have the kit, connect to the fitting closest to the left fender, turn your AC on, tap a can and fill until the site glass on top of the receiver/drier is clear (no bubbles). Should make it run cold until it leaks out again

 

I plan to get my A/C going soon as well. Mine doesn't have anything in it at all. My compressor was bad but is not replaced with a good one. I'm figuring I sould replace all the o-rings and also the drier.

Is their Quick-charge kit all I need to get it going? Does it come with a gauge so I know how much I need to put in?

I've never recharged an A/C system before.

 

The quick charge $39.95 or the master charge $29.95 (no stop leak) kit should be enough. No gauge with the kits. They do sell gauge kits on their site somewhere. Is your compressor seized? If the system has really been emptied or left unsealed then I would think the rec/drier and o-rings at least should be replaced. Is there pressure when you push in the schrader valve on the low pressure port? I'm not an expert. I'm just relating my experiences with 6 RX-7s and a Cosmo. I've never done anything to the original AC in the Cosmo except what I described above. 86K miles. I add about 1/2 a can per year. In 3 RX-7s I did this and the AC cooled again for a while. They lasted between 3 months and two years. The other three cooled, but they only lasted a day or so. Leaks were too big. What I detailed above is just a cheap, quick fix. It's a gamble. Might work. Might not. Eventually you will have to fix it properly.

 

My compressor bearing was making some really bad noise. When I swapped out the compressor there wasn't anything left in the system. It was like this when I got the car. I figured I'd replace the o-rings and drier before I charged the system. How do I know when the system is full without a gauge?