Anyone DIY recharged their Aircon?

How do you know the system is leak free? If it's low (or has no gas) it probably has a leak. How are you going to purge the air from the system first? AC systems must be vacuum'd before adding gas. Have you replaced the receiver/dryer? This should be changed every 3 years usually or whenever the system is opened. How are you going to add the oil the system needs for lubrication? Do you even know what type of oil it needs?

I would suggest you let an AC engineer look at it as you're likely to end up leaking the refrigerant into the atmosphere, or if it's leak free, with the moisture in the system freezing and causing blockages. If there is no oil in the system the compressor will sieze sooner or later also.

Alan.

before putting anything in the system needs to be vacuumed down. Particularly so if any pipes have been disconnected and any air let in. The sight glass does not show the level, it shows whether anything is moving in the system. If you don't know the amount in there, then you should add gas till the pressures (running) are suitable, basically you don't want the evaporator as a block of ice, so you add till it is just a little above freezing where the gas comes in, the rest will be warmer anyway.

mrcheerful

mrcheerful

I don't know whether it has a leak or not. But as stated previous, after the last recorded topup, the clutch has been changed.

As it happens, when attempting to change the thermostat (which requires shifting of the compressor) I accidently removed one of the pipe mounting bolts rather than compressor bolts. No gas came out. Last owner said it had never worked.

I haven't because they aren't available from Toyota anymore (other OC members have tried to buy them)

When the AC compressor hose was off a small ammount of green oil (very clean looking) leaked from both the pipe and the compressor fitting (pipe fitting is at the top of the compressor).

I'm going to take a chance and refill, because I'm sure it was vented previously to change the clutch (engine/transmission clutch not compressor clutch) and not refilled. AC last refilled at 70k miles, clutch changed by backstreet garage at 86k miles. The system appears to have oil in it, R49 and R314 work with both mineral and synthetic oils, R12 needs mineral, R134a requires synthetic. if the compressor siezes, they are very cheap to replace due to being a common removal item from OC members, converting their cars for trackdays. I agree that freezing may be a problem, but there is no common way round it due to non availabilty of R12 system parts from Toyota. for a full conversion, the compressor needs to be rebuilt to R134a specs, as well as system O rings being replaced. If that is going to be the case, a regas as a test is a cheap test. If it breaks it, I learn from my mistake and pay about 1/3 of the value of the car (value is much more than what I paid for it) in getting the system fully converted, and regassed, then regassed more often.

According to the workshop manual the site glass does show levels

Bubbles or foam, low refrigerant. Streaking, contaminents in refrigerant. Occassional bubbles, refrigerant level within normal tolerances. No bubbles, refrigerant full or refrigerant empty.

Thanks. Good advice. I've pulled lots of useful stuff from the web too, particularly from US sites, where R12/Freon is still available, so full conversion isn't as popular, but drop ins and blends are starting to appear due to reduction in Freon production and an increase in price.

if you go to car shows, there are usually places there that will refill r12 systems with r12

mrcheerful

Hmm, was planning to visit some american shows.

Of course if was going to be a real cheapskate, I would refill with raw propane :) Very cold, but very dangerous.

In news: snipped-for-privacy@news.individual.net, Sleeker GT Phwoar decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows

You should save the propane and put it in my Rangie instead :-)

Now that is Pikey, draining my dodgy Aircon fill to power your car :)

In news: snipped-for-privacy@news.individual.net, Sleeker GT Phwoar decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows