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A/C Oil quantity question
My A/C now seems to be functioning fine, but I'd like to keep it that way for awhile.
Here's my situation. I bought the car a few months ago and to start with, the A/C never worked properly. After diagnosis by a tech (for one part of my problem), I changed out the compressor and drier, put in some oil, pulled the system down for 90 minutes and recharged..... Looking at Alldata, it seems to say two things: 1) measure the amount of oil in the old unit and put back the same amount as what came out, and 2) add 2.4oz (US size). Just 1.1oz came out of the old unit when I drained it. The issue is, I have no idea how much oil was in there in before tear down (although there were no leaks, just a problem with reed valves in the compressor). I really wasn't up to pulling the entire system apart, so I made a WAG and put back in 2oz of ester. The tech who discharged, and after my work, pulled it down and recharged seemed to think it was no big deal. He looked at the old oil and did not recommend a total flush because there was no metal. But then he's not the one who will be buying yet another compressor. If I hose this one through another round of "why do it right the first time when you can spend so much more (time and money) later on", my wife will make me sweat all summer. Any thoughts? |
#2
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Welcome to my world! When a customer brings their car in I have no idea who's worked on the car or what's been done, right or wrong.
It's a Catch-22 situation: too little and it goes T.U., and for every ounce over full you have that much less room for freon. What I've done, successfully as far as I know , is figure in 2 - 2½ oz. for a compressor and an oz. for each component, i.e. a condensor = 1, an evaporator = 1, a drier = 1. Unless a hose has burst violently, I would only allow one oz. for all the hoses. No oil needed for expansion valves, orifice tubes, etc. Put the oil directly in the component. Since you only put in two you could have someone squeeze in an ounce of PAG with leak dye for a few bucks. That way if you develop a leak in the future it might make it easier to find.
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ASE Certified Master Automotive Technician w/L1. ASE Certified Master Medium/Heavy Truck Technician. Certified EVT (Emergency Vehicle Technician) |
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