Need A/C Recharge Advice

[Passport1]

2006 Saab (GM) designed system, won't blow even cool air. Air flow ok. Compressor seems to run normally. I don't use A/C often so no priority.

Question,

How good are the A/C refresh cans? They are ~$50. Should I try one or just go to a shop and get the sytem evacuated, leak tested and refilled?
I don't have the gauges and tools to do that myself and not needing any more tools to use just once.

 

[D60]

Avoid the cans like above with stop leak.

If you can find one sans stop leak, you can give it a go, realizing it's likely futile or a short term fix

 

[Oro_O]

Wow those are $50 now?

They work, but you may need a fair amount of refrigerant. You can borrow the manifold gauges from most auto parts stores in their loaner tool program. I happened to see both Autozone and O’Reilly had them when I was looking for something else last week.

You will also want to figure out why it’s so low. Did it sit a long time? You may want to consider an ester additive to recondition seals, or possibly a die to look for a leak.

ETA: I just looked up the capacity, should be 1.5lbs. I’d rather get two one pound cans and borrow the manifold gauge. You’ll have some loss so that would be a better bet IMO.

 

[Nukeman7]

Don't buy that self contained set up you posted, especially since it contains stop leak additive. The stop leak will make a mess within your A/C system that will be contentious with any shop that works on it. If you want to see if you can top it off without taking it to a pro, see my Post #2 in this recent BITOG thread:

BITOG A/C Charging Hose

You can get a can of R-134a at WalMart for $9.88 and the hose/gauge kit is $13. It has metal fittings, not cheap plastic couplers.

 

[Lubener]

If you refill the system back up, it will just leak out again. If it is empty, the system should be purged. It all depends if you want to do it right and do it once.

 

[demarpaint]

If you refill the system back up, it will just leak out again. If it is empty, the system should be purged. It all depends if you want to do it right and do it once.

+1 If it did leak out the system has air and moisture in it, and will not cool properly. In order to get that out at the very least a vacuum should be pulled and held for at least an hour, then charge it. That's if it can hold vacuum at all, if not don't waste any time with it the leak is big. The right way is to find the leak and fix it, then replace the receiver drier. Pull a vacuum, hold it for an hour and charge by weight.

 

[Astro14]

Don’t put that can of junk in there. The stop leak will make all future repairs very difficult, if not impossible. You’ll be adding a bit of air, as well, with that hose. Just don’t.

Have a shop recover the refrigerant, put a vacuum on the system (which gets rid of the air and moisture), leak check (maybe repair, if it fails the leak check) and refill.

It’ll cost a lot more than that can. But that can practically guarantees that you can never fix it again. So only use the can-if your plan is to junk the car.

 

[KrisZ]

I would add half a can or less of this or until the compressor starts up. That should be more then enough to distribute the UV dye throughout the system.

It should make it easy to find the leak with a cheap UV light. Change the necessary parts and after that go to a pro to vacuum and charge the system properly.
That’s what I would do.

 

[Astro14]

I’ve never used stop leak, but it has a reputation for plugging up expansion valves (orifice tubes on older cars), compressors, and receiver dryers, making replacement of all those parts necessary after its use in order to get a properly functioning system.

I would like to know what @Chris142 thinks.

 

[Donald]

Since the A/C is a sealed system some refrigerant has obviously leaked out. Probably an O-ring but there are other areas that could leak also. If the car is a keeper have the system repaired and filled by a shop. It's filled by weight rather than by pressure. If a daily beater you are trying to get another year or two out of then get a can of the plain R-134a and give it a try. Leak detector is fine but avoid any leak stop additive.

 

[Thermo1223]

Never use that stop leak crap.

$10 a piece at Wallyworld. If you only need it to work another year., add by weight to system capacity.

If you really want to be thorough then spend the $100 or so at an A/C shop. Odds are o-rings or schrader valves are leaking slightly.

R134a

 

[MSCH]

if you dont have ac gages, if you push in on the hi or low access port schraeder valve with a small screwdriver or pen and if you can release some refrigerant pressure from the system, this means the system isn't dry, so you can charge with a can of refrigerant without worrying about non condensibles in the system. ( air for the neophytes of the world) if the system is bone dry its best to have it evacuated, but then you run into paying someone who wants to repair the system.

then all you need is one of these... the yellow hose with the can adapter should be available at any auto parts or alternatively you buy the type of rerigerant that comes with the blue hose and a gage and save the hose and the gage after you use the can of refrigerant ( which is what is in the picture.)

 

[BrainThicknessVariation]

Like someone else said, inject some green dye. If you can't spot a leak with a black light, it probably means your evaporator needs replacing (assuming your condenser and compessor are ok). Alternatively, start with a vacuum check. Again, as mentioned, you can rent those tools free at the big box autoparts stores. Frankly, they're actually quite cheap on Amazon, assuming you already have a compressor in your garage.

Given the age of the vehicle, you'll be lucky if it's an o-ring. It's probaby the evaporator.

 

[GMBoy]

I'm glad you said the compressor was working. That means its a standard repair process. I would get the AC service kit for your car that runs under $20 and comes with all new seals and shrader valves. Go ahead and replace those parts that are a very high change is your problem. Then run a good vacuum for atleast and hour to check for leaks. Granted you can still have a leak when under a full charge but this will rule out the big stuff. Get a correct charge not those cans and see where you end up. The last Saab I had was a 2004 9-3 that the compressor would not engage due to a defective ECM not sending the signal. That was a pain getting a good ECM.

 

[Speedbird001]

Thread drift (sorry): just had my old [house] HVAC system serviced. Tech cautioned that R-22 is now $1,500 per pound

I remember as a kid, seeing in comic books, a full auto BB gun that was powered by 1lb R-12 cans… only reason I didn’t get it was because I thought at $1 each they were too expensive

 

[MSCH]

Thread drift (sorry): just had my old [house] HVAC system serviced. Tech cautioned that R-22 is now $1,500 per pound

I remember as a kid, seeing in comic books, a full auto BB gun that was powered by 1lb R-12 cans… only reason I didn’t get it was because I thought at $1 each they were too expensive

it probably is $1500 a lbs at their retail price.. if a person is in the home AC service business what better opportunity to upsell a new hi efficiency AC unit with the most modern environmentally friend refrigerant than to someone needing 2000 dollars worth of refrigerant .

of course it is 340 bucks for a ten pound jug of R22 after a quick google search.. https://icecold.us/product/r-22-10-...dElnTpn4svKjwaL343hyM5nQ7-e9uY2IaAowJEALw_wcB