Okay check me here: My compressor is short cycling (probably about every 20 seconds or so) and I'm getting weak cool air. So I thought I'd try to recharge the system. Ran the car with AC on max for a while. Hooked up guage/recharge hose to the low side. Am I correct that this is the smaller fitting on larger pipe that's right smack under the shock tower brace on the driver side on an 95 GT?. and The high side is the larger fitting near the radiator on the passenger side that you can't actually get the recharger to fit on? I couldn't it to take more than 2/3rds of a can of 134a before the cheap valve that comes with the kit sprung a leak at the knob. No noticeable increase in coolness (still weak).
Couple questions before I get another valve and can; The gauge that comes with the kit fluctuated as the compressor cycled on and off... it would build up to I think 55psi (mid yellow) then cut on and drop down to the top of the green (about 10-15 PSI I believe). From this I'm supposed to determine the freon charge? Anyway this appears odd to me, shouldn't the compressor pump the PSI UP? When the balancers on the outside of the compressor spin the PSI drops. Should I take the lowest or the highest reading to determine the coolant charge? At no time (accept when the engine was off) did the needle go into the red. Should
2/3rds (maybe less) of a can make some sort of noticeable difference? Or is it likely that something else is wrong (condenser?). The compressor does make a noticeable noise when it spins up (besides the click when it engages) but isn't a bad sound (not a metal on metal sound or whinny). It might be getting tired, but it functions.