DIY A/C questions
DIY A/C questions
I'm looking to change out my whole A/C system. Since I'm in Texas, I'd like to do it in the winter or, at least in the next couple of months, would rather be recommended, or should I wait until summertime?
Still need parts and to buy a vacuum pump for said repair
It's hard to test for correct function if it's too cold, and it can be hard to get the orings in when they're cold and stiff, but being Texas I'm guessing your cold isn't that cold.
It'll be fine.
60°F will be fine?
Yes I'd think so. That's far from real cold.
Oh yeah that's fine. I'm from the mountains so "cold" is anything under 30 lmao A/C doesn't work that cold. But at 60 it'll be fine.
You can borrow a vacuum pump and manifold gauges from orielly for free. I had to go back for a second set of gauges because the first was broken, but it's a good deal if you only need to use them once.
I was on a trip to Tyler, and AC wasn't the best. My dad decided to use one of those kits to recharge, and it ended up killing my compressor. So I went ahead and got the gauges since they didn't have them where I lived (neither oreilly nor auto zone)
I'm not finding any compressors online that state whether they're prefilled or not. One kit includes PAG oil (so I assume it's not prefilled). How would I go about adding any if I do need to? I assume it's through the yellow line just before I put my coolant?
I can't remember if my replacement compressor came with oil, but I'm pretty sure the little booklet that came with it said whether or not you needed to add oil. You should also be able to call the manufacturer and ask.
https://youtu.be/uqu8Q_p91oY?feature=shared
There's a quick video on where to add PAG oil. Also, not every system requires the same amount, or even the same type of PAG oil some being 4 oz, 8 oz, some being PAG 46, 100, Etc. So do be sure to check the requirements for your vehicle, often they're printed under the hood around where you'd find your belt routing diagram but also could be on the compressor or elsewhere. If all else fails perform a quick search online and you'll find it.
The above video shows them adding the PAG oil AFTER installation and while it's already running which I wouldn't advise you to do with a brand new compressor, this next video I'm linking is a pretty quick and simple guide to everything you'll need to do before actually charging it.
https://youtu.be/xjem4nmZhQY?feature=shared
Oh, and FWIW, an orifice tube should be fairly inexpensive at your local parts house. The best AC guy I know always gets one in advance and replaces it anytime he even recharges idk if that's maybe too excessive but I will say that almost every orifice tube we've pulled out together has been in need of replacement so there's that.
Ah, and read where you've searched online, is there not a parts store near? I know that O'Reilly's, AutoZone etc. Have where you can look up parts online, maybe check there? I often just go the parts store route for the warranty so if there's an issue I don't have to ship things back and can just swap and re-order at the store. Aside from that, online wise Rockauto is decent if you haven't tried there already
Oh, and make sure the compressor comes with new shader valves! You'd figure it would be a no brainer that they're included but I've gotten them that were bare bones.
While on that subject, if you don't get the correct O-rings with the compressor you can get a universal kit at most parts stores cheaply, that way you can swap the seals on the dryer and whatnot if you wish.
Once again, any questions just ask and either I or someone more well versed in AC installation/charging will get to you
Kudos for getting your own gauges btw! Keep them in a nice, safe spot so you can continue to use them for years to come
As another mentioned, Texas weather this time of year should be fine haha, don't worry I'm only a state or so away and even most of our "cold" days are fine for AC though some would recommend you do it on a not so cold day, being in Texas it shouldn't be hard to find an 80° day this month, I'm standing in one right now lol
One last thing, buying a cheap little UV light to check for leaks may not hurt if you don't have one already as catching a leak quick will save you in the long term
If you're going off the gauges instead of just dumping in the required amount of refrigerant for the system as designed, you might have to top it up in full summer as the ambient temperature may not allow you to charge the system without getting it overcharged. It's tricky aiming for the right pressure at lower temperatures, easy to under/overshoot.
Also, if the system has been at ambient pressure for long, replace the reciever/dryer as it might be saturated. And replace the test port schraders, they're very often the source of leaks in AC systems.