has anyone recharged there AC?

my 07 has almost 50k miles on it and i dont feel like the AC gets cold fast enough...anyone else notice this and do a recharge?

if so what did you buy and was it easy?

 

I'd start looking at your warrantee....

With only 50k miles, you shouldn't be having problems with the A/C. I'd take it in to get it checked by the dealer just in case.

If its not working properly, and you actually need a 'charge' - means you probably have a leak somewhere.

 

This is very much inline with what my dealer told me about my '02. I remember asking about needing to charge the AC at some point in the future and was told that unless there was a leak in the system it wouldn't need recharging for quite some time - if ever.

Here I am several years later and my AC still blows as cold as it did in '02.

 

Your condenser might be a bit clogged

 

My 05 Ac is not as cold as most others. I just think it needs some more juice in it to make it colder

 

this is what i was talking about...maybe i used the wrong wording? those little kits at pep boys to "add juice" is that not called recharging? have any of you done this?

 

Its just adding more freon.

 

With out a machine to recover what's in our system, and with out the same machine to put back the correct amount of R134 and oil, how are you gonna know if it's working properly?

I'd never just throw R134 in it from a can, with out at least a set of gauges, and a thermometer.

Unless there's a leak, there's really no reason to mess with it. A/C systems work at a lower performance when it's humid, since they work double time trying to dry out the air.

 

Well yeah! You need to buy the kit the has the gauges and the can of freon on.

 

You'll still have no idea if it's over or under filled. If you can't do it right, why do it at all?

 

but isn't that what the gauge is for?

 

Check your cabin air filter it might need changed.

 

You also must have YOUR EPA 609 certificate! Otherwise what your doing is against the LAW....
Also just adding more can kill the compressor.

 

You may want to check your cabin filter as suggested above, and also clean the condensor. Make sure there is NO WAY to start the vehicle, remove negative terminal if you have to. Spray medium pressure water through the back side of the radiator, the fan side, hence why the need to prevent accidental start up. This will help flush bugs and gunk out of both your radiator and condensor, and may significantly increase cooling of you and your engine. You may find that your system is okay, just needed a cleaning.

 

sound advice, overfull can be as bad as underfull.

 

This is only true for recharging a/c systems that use freon, not R-134a. All vehicles manufactured after 1995 are required to use R-134a which can be recharged from the can purchased at any auto parts store. You DO have to be licensed to purchase and charge/evacuate a freon system.

 

I couldn't agree more with everyone. If you're not qualified, don't have the proper equipment, and don't know what you're doing....don't mess with it.

If there's a law/license to do it - then, even the government takes it as a serious procedure.

 

All right, let's clear up some of this A/C stuff.

All the gauges do on an A/C system, is basically show you how your system is performing. By reading the pressures shown on the gauges, you can get a pretty good idea of what's going on inside your system.

We have a very expensive machine at work, that accurately measures how much R134 goes in to the system. It can measure out .68 kilograms of R134, can you measure that amount out by using a can? The same machine also tells me how much I've recovered from the system, allows me to vacuum the system, and allows to add oil to the system.

An overcharged system is one sure way to get less than optimal performance from your A/C. High pressures can also kill your compressor, o-rings, and other fittings.

They just passed a new law, that anybody doing A/C work has to be ASE certified in recovery and disposal of any refrigerants. We had to pass the test, or no A/C work.

 

Funny, I actually used that exact kit on my Civic for R-12 conversion. The shit actually works. The guage, crude but does its job. I couldn't believe it. Over a year of use now with that 'retrofit oil' in an R-12 compressor, no issues. Anyways, not condoning, we should all know the EPA laws, but it works.

Bottom line tho, if its not working as well, chances are you have a leak. You're killing the environment/ozone by refilling it.