What Are The Steps to Re-animating My AC System?

1995 Jetta, 143K miles, AC hasn't worked in 3 years. When I switch it on, nothing but ambient temperature air spews forth. I'm sick of burning up here in Texas during the summer, so I've resolved to fix it during the winter while the daily average temps have dropped below 140 degrees. Where do I start with troubleshooting this? Should I drop $30 on one of those infrared leak detection kits? I do have a Bentley manual for the vehicle. Thanks, Pablo
Reply to
PabloRena ---> AnalProbe
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You could try recharging the A/C with one of the recharging kits widely available. These kits are inexpensive and include everything needed (Freon, gage, instructions, etc.). They are available at most retail outlets. If that doesn't work. then it would probably be best if you take your car to a repair center and let the pros do the repairs.

Reply to
Papa

After three years, I suggest that you start with a shop that has the equipment and experience. There is a good chance that just recharging it might make it work, for a while, but you have a good chance that there has been other damage and you would be wasting your time and money. It may be cheaper to have it done.

If you feel lucky, you can get a kit to recharge it yourself _IF_ it is the current coolant material. If it is the older stuff, it will not be easy to find.

BTW if anyone wants a couple of cans of the original stuff, I have a couple, free for the tanking. You pick (Central Ohio) or arrange shipping.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

Reply to
none2u

I would be happy to, if the post office will accept them. They are not clear on their web site about such products.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

"Joseph Meehan" wrote

Though many sneak it through anyway, Freon R12 if you mean that, is considered 'hazardous materials' as a non-flammable gas.

I do not know about the post office, but carriers, for example, like FedEx Ground require certain packaging with a packaging guideline page and charge much more AND clearly mark the package with 'hazardous materials'. I know because I shipped R22 once.

The post office probably has similiar guidelines somewhere or call them.

Harry

Reply to
Harry

That is what they indicated on the web site. I have to go there tomorrow anyway so I will try and find out.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

Reply to
none2u

Maybe they changed mid-year, it's VW after all, but my '95 Jetta uses R134A.

My VW wrench in AZ said the most common leak is the shraeder valves. On this age vehicle, it could be anywhere tho'.

If it's totally lost pressure, a new drier is a good idea unless you want to be fixing it again soon. If not, it may be ok. I suspect a new drier is in your car's future.

Be careful if you use a leak finder kit. It needs to be compatible with the oil used in the system. First find out if it's R12 or R134. It'll be printed on the compressor, or just check the high and low side fittings. R12 and R134A have VERY different fittings.

Mark '95 Jetta GLS

Reply to
Mark Randol

The post office says they can take it. The only restrictions seems to be a requirement to mark on the outside what is inside and it may only be send ground, no air shipments.

Send me a message with your address to sligo(remove this) snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com

I will send them off and let you know what the postage was.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

Thanks, I'll take a look at those too. I was thinking about buying one of those R12 to R134A conversion kits, then following the instructions about replacing the oil, the gaskets, the dryer, and any other parts that I forgot to mention. Then I would run a leak check and recharge it. How difficult could it be?

Reply to
PabloRena ---> AnalProbe

You'll need a vacuum pump to evacuate all the air from the system before charging it. And not a simple hand pump either ... a powerful electric pump that can pull it down close to total vacuum. Expect to pay about $200.00 for such a pump.

Reply to
Erik Dillenkofer

I have not received a reply. If you have sent one, please try again. Sometimes my spam filter gets a little carried away.

The post office says they can take it. The only restrictions seems to be a requirement to mark on the outside what is inside and it may only be send ground, no air shipments.

Send me a message with your address to sligo(remove this) snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com

I will send them off and let you know what the postage was.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

Are you SURE you have R12 - my 95 GTI VR6 that was built in Oct 94 has 134. From personal experience adding freon to a system without have both the high and low gauges is a huge mistake - adding too much and you can really trash your compressor seals. The system on the VW is very simple but is highly pressure dependent. If the pressure is over or under even by a 1/10 of a pound the system will either work too hard or not enough making your AC work very strangely. For instance over a year ago my system didn't seem like it was cooling as it was - so I added some freon - well I overcharged it and really messed up my compressor - took it to a shop replaced the drier and expansion valve - flushed and evac'd - system would cool but my compressor wasn't working properly - so replaced it myself after the AC shop removed the R134 - recharged and system worked flawlessly until the temps really shot up - the compressor would growl in stop and go then kick off - took it in and the guy was amazed that 1/10 was overcharging the system and now the system (145K miles) cools to 37 F even with high humidity and temps in the high 90's - during idle it never shoots past 43F.

Seriously d>> "Joseph Meehan" wrote

Reply to
Stephen Timinski

Excellent advice. I take back what I said about the recharge kits.

Reply to
Papa

charging it. And not a simple hand pump either ... a

pay about $200.00 for such a pump.

I don't think so. This must be tdiclub information. :-) Cheap mechanics use the vacuum system of the car. :) You can buy a vacuum pump made just for AC at Harbor Freight for ~$20. You must have added an extra 0 by mistake. :)

I personally have a Robinair vacuum pump which work the same as the HF one but is better quality. It uses my garage air compressor to produce vacuum. The Robinair only cost around $79 IIRC.

BTW, thanks for the tdiclub search info. I still don't like the nav on tdiclub but that's JMO.

Reply to
Peter Parker

Reply to
none2u

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