A/C Pro or ???

Daryl · Jun 10, 2020

I’m thinking I should recharge my A/C when I get the car back this week. Black on black leather coupe in summer; not knowing the last time it was charged; and being a bit disappointed when I first got the car and ran the A/C for a bit. So yeah, it’s time!

Can anyone speak to the effectiveness of “A/C Pro” or similar A/C recharging kits you find at AutoZone, NAPA, etc? I’ve never had to do this as both previous builds didn’t have A/C! Does the charge last? My truck is 8 years old and A/C still blows cold as ever so I’m wondering if these kits are worth it or have a shop or the dealership do it?

Thanks!

lwarrior1016 · Jun 10, 2020

Having someone with the proper tools is always better, but it’s a lot more expensive. While the kit at the parts house will shoot refrigerant in the system, it doesn’t give you much info. The gauges aren’t accurate and it doesn’t give you high side pressure. If your compressor and all is in good shape, you think it just needs a little charge, then give it a shot. But beware that over charging can cause problems too.

What are you not impressed with, is it blowing warmer than you want or is it not blowing hard enough? What is the compressor doing while idling, does it stay on or does it cycle on and off?

Daryl · Jun 10, 2020

Iwarrior,
Seemed a tad weak and how hard it blew at full force, but that was a distant second concern to how cold it was. Just didn’t seem to blow as cold as I thought it should

lwarrior1016 · Jun 10, 2020

Daryl said:
Iwarrior,
Seemed a tad weak and how hard it blew at full force, but that was a distant second concern to how cold it was. Just didn’t seem to blow as cold as I thought it should

I understand that. You’re blower motor is probably getting weak, I’m dealing with the same thing. That’ll actually change how cold the a/c gets too, because the more air you can pull across the evaporator core, the cooler it’ll make the charge. For time being, you can stick a thermometer in the vent and shoot some in the system to see how it reacts.

Daryl · Jun 10, 2020

Great feedback, thx! I’ll check into recharge vs blower motor and professional recharge and go from there

bigmike636 · Jun 10, 2020

I’m actually an HVACR technician who specializes in industrial refrigeration, so I tend to be “by the book” in regards to A/C repairs. With that said, I have personally used AC Pro on my old 1999 pick-up and it worked great. Obviously, I have a very small leak somewhere on my system because it usually takes 2-3 years before I need to “top off” the charge. If you check the standing pressure in the system and it’s still in a positive pressure, you should be ok to top it off.
If you had replaced a major component, like the compressor or the condenser, I would definitely advocate for you to utilize a shop to pull a deep vacuum on the system. But if you just have a slight leak, there’s nothing wrong with using one of the popular charging products. While you’re at it though, you may want to change an in cabin air filter, if your vehicle has one. You may also want to try and clean the condenser up in the front of the vehicle.
But even if you do have a leak, don’t be afraid to try and tackle fixing it. It could be caused by a leaking o-ring. A leaking o-ring could be an easy fix which just entails you using a couple of wrenches to open up the fitting, swapping out the bad o-ring for a new one, then tightening the fitting back down. You could use a commercial bubble type leak spray or even a little good old dish soap, slightly watered down in a spray bottle to try and leak check your system.

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Daryl · Jun 10, 2020

A god send! Thanks Big Mike I’m going to print out your reply and follow it to the letter. Thanks again

bigmike636 · Jun 10, 2020

No worries Daryl. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any other questions.

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doggiedoc · Jun 10, 2020

Good info Big Mike - and Welcome!

Boostr1 · Jun 11, 2020

Good read, I'm also black on black and my system is empty cause of the engine swap.

bigmike636 · Jun 11, 2020

In that case, Boostr1, I would recommend pulling a good vacuum on the system and re-charging it. Hopefully you have access to someone with a vacuum pump ? Otherwise it would probably be best to take it to a shop.

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lwarrior1016 · Jun 11, 2020

Harbor freight has pumps and gauges. It’ll be easy to get you set up to do your own work.

bigmike636 · Jun 11, 2020

If you do choose to go the route of buying your own stuff at Harbor Freight, like Iwarrior suggests, you should have no problem. Feel free to reach out if you have any issues Boostr.

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Boostr1 · Jun 12, 2020

bigmike636 said:
In that case, Boostr1, I would recommend pulling a good vacuum on the system and re-charging it. Hopefully you have access to someone with a vacuum pump ? Otherwise it would probably be best to take it to a shop.

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bigmike636 said:
If you do choose to go the route of buying your own stuff at Harbor Freight, like Iwarrior suggests, you should have no problem. Feel free to reach out if you have any issues Boostr.

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Thanks for the input, and offering to help.