newbie A/C question
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newbie A/C question
My A/C is not blowing cold at all and I am sure all I have to do is recharge/fill the a/c. can anyone explain this procedure to me. thanks
#2
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well, first, you gotta determine if it's R12 or R134a. The fittings are different, and you will not easily be able to find R12. Not to mention it costs an arm and a leg.
Second, you should put some A/C gauges on it to see if there's any refrigerant left, and if your compressor is working or not.
But, if you just want to vacuum it down, and refill it, you either need an A/C shop to do it, or a vacuum pump, hoses, fittings, etc. Then just vacuum it down to remove all freon, moisture, contaminats, etc. Then fill it with the appropriate amount.
Second, you should put some A/C gauges on it to see if there's any refrigerant left, and if your compressor is working or not.
But, if you just want to vacuum it down, and refill it, you either need an A/C shop to do it, or a vacuum pump, hoses, fittings, etc. Then just vacuum it down to remove all freon, moisture, contaminats, etc. Then fill it with the appropriate amount.
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Guys, this is not a job for amateurs. fd3annen it's highly likely you have a serious leak in your system, or a compressor malfunction. Even if you don't, just recharging the system with a shot of refrigerant is not the way to go. You want to evacuate the system first to get all the air and moisture out otherwise your system won't be cooling at full capacity. For this you need the right equipment and expertise. Be smart and take it to a professional.
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thanks
Guys, this is not a job for amateurs. fd3annen it's highly likely you have a serious leak in your system, or a compressor malfunction. Even if you don't, just recharging the system with a shot of refrigerant is not the way to go. You want to evacuate the system first to get all the air and moisture out otherwise your system won't be cooling at full capacity. For this you need the right equipment and expertise. Be smart and take it to a professional.
#9
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Any A/C specialist will do. There's nothing special about the system in the F/D that anyone who works on air conditioning won't be able to handle it. This is a case in which the Mazda dealership isn't necessarily a bad idea. But your city also will have shops that deal primarily in auto A/C.
Whoever looks at the system may suggest doing a leak test if they think that's the problem. It's possible you may have a hose that will need to be replaced. That and an evacuation / recharge will probably do it. If it's something more serious....the compressor...evaporator...or condenser you may want to shop around for the repair and price compare. It wouldn't be surprising to find a significant difference in price among the various shops for the same repair.
Ask them to diagnosis the problem first and give you an estimate before they proceed with the repair, if one is needed. If a recharge is all that's required they should have that price posted, or they should tell you it up front. It won't be too expensive.
Whoever looks at the system may suggest doing a leak test if they think that's the problem. It's possible you may have a hose that will need to be replaced. That and an evacuation / recharge will probably do it. If it's something more serious....the compressor...evaporator...or condenser you may want to shop around for the repair and price compare. It wouldn't be surprising to find a significant difference in price among the various shops for the same repair.
Ask them to diagnosis the problem first and give you an estimate before they proceed with the repair, if one is needed. If a recharge is all that's required they should have that price posted, or they should tell you it up front. It won't be too expensive.
#10
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Plan on spending a few hundred dollars at a minimum. Just to recharge an empty system with R12 will cost that much. But, more than likely, you have more problems that just a recharge. At the very least you have a leak in the system. Could be a bad hose, bad orings, ......etc.
I have replaced orings, compressor, expansion valve, and drier on two different generations of RX7, and have had good luck with both. I do all the labor, and then I take it to an A/C shop, have them flush it, pull a vacuum, and then recharge it. I last did my FD and it cost me around $800 by the time I was done.
Anytime you open up the system, you should replace the drier, and then you might as well replace the expansion valve (high failure item), and replace the orings.
It's a lot of work, but can be done, but I would leave the rest to a professional. Just be prepared to spend more money than you think.
I have replaced orings, compressor, expansion valve, and drier on two different generations of RX7, and have had good luck with both. I do all the labor, and then I take it to an A/C shop, have them flush it, pull a vacuum, and then recharge it. I last did my FD and it cost me around $800 by the time I was done.
Anytime you open up the system, you should replace the drier, and then you might as well replace the expansion valve (high failure item), and replace the orings.
It's a lot of work, but can be done, but I would leave the rest to a professional. Just be prepared to spend more money than you think.
#12
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As I say, it pays to shop around.
#13
HC is too high
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Diagnosis and repair of your A/C system is not that tough especially if you have r134a. R12 repair can be costly due the the price of refrigerant and the need to hire a licensed mechanic. It is possible to use r134a in an R12 system. It won't cool quite as well and you need to fully vaccuum out the R12 first. This is a really good option if you consider just how much cheaper it is. You can borrow all of the required tools at Autozone for free! I have done r134 repair and recharge several times including on the FD. It's not that tough.
#16
Form follows function
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For recommendations on alternative refrigerants, check my posts in other threads including the ones I wrote a couple of weeks ago here: https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/charging-c-651033/
I hope this helps.
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On my '95 on a 90+ degree day with the A/C in recirculation mode on fan speed 3 my vent temp runs 40-42 degrees. That's not too shabby. My other car may beat it by 2 degrees sometimes, but the FD's system seems to work well enough. 134a can cool a car just as well as R12, it's just that the system has to be designed to compensate. On the '95, for instance, they put an extra fin on the condenser. If somebody has vent temp readings for their '93 or '94 it'd be interesting to compare.
#20
Form follows function
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You can substantially improve the cooling of any R134 system by replacing the R134 refrigerant with an HC (such as ES-12, HC-12, etc.) as I pointed out in another thread (link is above, in my last post). The HC is a drop in--meaning that it is compatible with the materials and oil used in the R134 system and it will yield the cooling power of an R12 based system with no other changes (assuming the system is in good condition). It is also cheap, about $6 a can and you will need two of them for an FD. It really is a win-win situation as there are numerous advantages to running it.
#21
Form follows function
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On my '95 on a 90+ degree day with the A/C in recirculation mode on fan speed 3 my vent temp runs 40-42 degrees. That's not too shabby. My other car may beat it by 2 degrees sometimes, but the FD's system seems to work well enough. 134a can cool a car just as well as R12, it's just that the system has to be designed to compensate. On the '95, for instance, they put an extra fin on the condenser. If somebody has vent temp readings for their '93 or '94 it'd be interesting to compare.
I'll say it again here: If you're not happy with R134 performance, consider replacing the refrigerant with HC-12 or equivalent; you will not regret it.
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