Question about what I think is a clog in a/c line

[TorqueEffect]

if comp is not cycling and register temp is too warm, might be too much refrigerant. there's a sight glass on the OEM system accumulator to help get close to correct charge. did you use guages when recharging?

I used the gauge on the charge hose/tap, and yes after I checked the pressure again today, they are way too high on the low pressure side (About 50PSI) So I think I did put waaaay too much in. This envirosafe stuff is a bit weird, because just 15oz of this stuff equals to 54oz of R12, and I put two cans in which was 10oz, or translated to R12 36oz, the system only calls for a max of 25oz of R12 (woops! Although to be fair I had to fix a couple leaks, so I don't know how much leaked out when I was tightening some lines that were leaking)

So how should I go about getting rid of the excess refrigerant? Just purge it out the valve? (This stuff is environmentally safe, so it won't be killing no ozone layer)

[bravekozak]

Enviro-Safe Refrigerant ISN'T!

I sure am glad I didn't switch to R-134A. I can certainly do without testicular cancer and sudden death without warning. I like non-flammable. Besides, the original R-12 label is on the rad support anyway.

[TorqueEffect]

Enviro-Safe Refrigerant ISN'T!

I sure am glad I didn't switch to R-134A. I can certainly do without testicular cancer and sudden death without warning. I like non-flammable. Besides, the original R-12 label is on the rad support anyway.

*shrug* Hey if I could get R12 easily and cheaply I would, but I am not paying to get certified, then pay allot for refrigerant that has been sitting around since 1994.

Regarding that first link, on the internet you can claim to be anyone.

Also I do realize the stuff is flammable, but so is the liquid stuff in your gas tank.

[TorqueEffect]

Well I tried purging some of the refrigerant, but the pressure refuses to come down. Unless I am doing it wrong. While the a/c is running, I hook the charge hose up with no can so I can aim the purged refrigerant away from the car, and I say I let it purge in total about 20-25 seconds, and then checked the pressure and still sat at around 49 psi on the low side.


I am only getting a 20 degree drop from the ambient temperature too, I even took it on the highway to get good airflow though the condenser, helped a little.

[F3BZ]

the only access port you should be able to get a guage hose on is the suction line since an adapter is needed to put a hose on the high side. that's good though. you don't want to be messing with high side pressures. if you are bleeding off refrigerant while the comp is running, the pressure on the low side is actually lower than if the car was off and both low and hi sides equalized to ambient air pressure equivalent (R-12 @ 100 degree underhood temp would read about 120 psi on the guages.) if you bled the low side while the comp was running, it might explain why 25 seconds of purge didn't get rid of much excess refrigerant. you might want to bleed off more. do it slowly with comp running so as not to lose too much system oil that is entrained with the refrigerant. according to the shop manual, run engine @ 2000 rpm, blower on hi, set to max AC. low side reading should be 20-25 psi. the clutch should start cycling, more time on than off, and bubbles just start appearing in sight glass. (air through the condenser at road speed will help condense the vapor even more and bubbles will clear up.) these values are for R-12 but from what i remember, Enviro Safe has very similar values to R-12 temp/pressures. if you think you lost oil during your cleaning, purging, you might consider overpurging and adding a can of Enviro Safe with oil in it. you don't want a locked up compressor after all your troubles.

[TorqueEffect]

Hmmmm maybe you're right. But it sure seems like allot of something was coming out.

Just to let everyone know I also charged the system with the aerosol charged refrigerant cans with plain air in the system. I am concerned on where this air went, and if it is trapped in the system causing the high pressure on the low side.

And yes, you were right, I was checking the system off pressure on the low side and it shot over 100PSI, so I immediately removed the hose, since I had a empty can on it so I could check the pressure, didn't want the can possible exploding.

[F3BZ]

plain air?? absolutely NO air should be in the system. vacuum with a 2 stage vac pump through low side gauge, preferably with a micron gauge attached for at least an hour. if no micron gauge, vac down to 27-28" or as low as the pump will pull down on lo-side gauge. close gauges, turn off pump. if lo side holds at 27-28" for at least an hour then you should have a pretty leak free system although if you can leave it overnite and it stays, you are definitely tight and good to charge. attach can/hose to still closed gauge, open can valve and purge charging hose a little, tighten charging hose on gauge manifold and open low side handle. 1st can will get sucked in quick due to system negative pressure. you can immerse can in warm H2O to get out last oz. close manifold low side gauge, attach new can, purge as above, turn on engine and AC ad slowly meter 2nd can into system till you get comp cycling and cold vent air. you might have to put this can in warm H2O also to overcome system pressure till comp starts cycling and drawing down low side pressure.

[TorqueEffect]

Yeah, I figured as much.

The a/c is working, just not as it should be.

I tried purging the refrigerant today to bring the pressures down, and low and behold I finally got it to come down to 20psi where it was supposed to be, but in turn, the vents stopped blowing cold air all together, so I dropped my last can of envirosafe into the system, along with some more ester oil so I at least have SOME cooling, the low side immediately jumped back to around 48 psi.

At 85F-90F outside, it will blow air out the vents at 60F as long as the car is moving, if it isn't moving for more than minute then it blows around 70F-75F, now at 55mph and over, it blows at 55F at the vents.

Also, anyone got any tips of keeping the vent louvers from aiming themselves? seems like anything above one on the blower fan switch will cause them to blow all the way to the left, or right instead where I want them to stay.

[tooldude]

Torque, you are running the risk of ruining the entire AC system. All air & moisture must be removed from the system. There is no practical or economical way to do this except by vacuum pump, otherwise that is how it would be done. If the system has been open/uncharged for a period of time there could be other contaminates from breakdown, including breakdown of the dessicant which will then be circulated, ruining the compressor. Maybe that's what made a clog in your hose. Your system is in a state where it should be flushed, then recharged, with refrigerant by weight and oil by volume, if you want the best cooling and longevity. The AC system is less forgiving than the mechanical system and there are good reasons to use a manifold guage and for making accurate measurements. There is no way to add the proper amount of refrigerant by reading guage pressures!!! (A smaller amount of refrigerant will stabilize in the system at the same relative pressures as a large amount). You only get by with that by falling into the tolerance range in an older system with a larger volume of refrigerant. Think anyone can guess within one ounce on a newer vehicle? Low refrigerant circulates less oil & excessive amounts raise head pressure, both wearing the compressor and lowering cooling. With a gross overcharge, refrigerant will not vaporize in time and liquid will be sucked into the compressor (which pumps gas, not liquid) destroying it. A system containing condensation or high moisture can require much more than one hour to properly evacuate, as the moisture has to actually boil off. That is dependent on the quality of the vacuum pump and the condition of the oil in it, which has to be changed from being contaminated itself. This shows up as a "less vacuum" reading on the guage, after an extended time of vacuuming. The 30"-28" reading on a dial guage is a very crude measurement and does not show the evacuation very well. The micron guage (1 millionth millimeter) F3BZ mentioned is way more sensitive and will show what the vacuum pump can pull. It will also better detect moisture still in the system when the vacuum pump is turned off. Left sitting, moisture will continue to vaporize, raising the micron reading (less vacuum) at levels that cannot be detected on the dial guage. A shabby job of vacuuming a system (too little time, underpar equipment) will be using up dessicant in the receiver/drier. Much more could be said. I hope this helps you or anyone that has not studied the subject and discourages working without proper tools or understanding. There is a time to take it to a mechanic.

[Flyin4stroke]

The problem is the moisture that's in the air that you trapped in the system.

[TorqueEffect]

Yeah, I now realized I goofed up.

[Flyin4stroke]

It's okay. We have all been there. Harbor freight sells the vacuum pump for cheap $20. You don't need the gauges nowadays, with the a/c cans with gauges. Festivas don't have killer a/c normally anyway but my old blue used to shoot fog out of the vents. I think the dash mat really helped. Good luck

[bravekozak]

I'll tell you what's killer. Install a manual shut off valve in the line from the engine to the heater core. Shut it off for the summer. No hot coolant in the plenum = killer cold.

[SiliconSoul]

Yeah, I now realized I goofed up.

Thanks for sharing and following up though! The only reason I don't screw up more is because I read these threads and now know what to do or not to do.

[bolokid]

The only reason I don't screw up more is because I read these threads and now know what to do or not to do.

Same here.