Why You Should Not Recharge Your Truck or Car's A/C Yourself
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- čas přidán 23. 07. 2024
- Wow! Is it hot out! Are you tempted to grab one of those recharge canisters and get your vehicle blowing ice cold air again? If you care about the long term health of your car or truck, you should think again! Watch this video to learn how you may be doing more harm than good (and possibly ignoring bigger problems!) by refilling your A/C system yourself!
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While 1A Auto strives to make the information provided in this video as accurate as possible, it makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or applicability of the content. No information contained in this video shall create any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. All do-it-yourself projects entail some risk. It is the sole responsibility of the viewer to assume this risk. 1A Auto is not responsible or liable for any loss damage (including, but not limited to, actual, consequential, or punitive), liability, claim, or any other injury or cause related to or resulting from any information posted in this video. - Auta a dopravní prostředky
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What causes frost to come out my vents, like little icicles , I need help with this.
On
EXACTLY
Did... you... not watch your own video telling us not to do this?
hypocrite, don't sell the product if you say it'll damage your vehicle.
Yeah, never fill it yourself, always go to a mechanic so they can screw you over
I had a '92 Camry years ago.
Mechanic wanted $1200 to retrofit the A/C sytem from R12 to 134A. He advised me not to do it myself because I would damage the whole system. I went to Wal-Mart and just bought the kit for $35.
It worked great for years afterwards, until I sold the car.
$1200 vs $35
+Firetown33 Thanks for the feedback!
Been adding freon to my cars by can for 40+ years...never had a single problem...surprised to learn I did it all wrong...will continue to do it the wrong way since it works perfectly for me every time.
What if you accidentally eat the can, or get it in your ear? The dangers of doing this are endless. My uncle accidentally sat on his can.
It's also really important to not put gasoline in your gas tank. If you are not a rained petrocarbons technician, you will probably not know how to operate the gas cover release port properly, nor how to open the cap system. You will probably try to put the wrong fuel into the shortage tank, and either under-fill, or - more dangerously, over-fill the tank. This could lead to a dangerous fluid spill, which is really bad for the environment, and might actually cause a huge fireball explosion, possibly killing many people.
No, you are much better off leaving everything to the proper, trained technicians.
You're barely smart enough to drive YOU the gas station.
So, make yourself an appointment with the automobile engine starting specialist, and hire a TRAINED professional to drive you to the gas station. Once there, their official automobile positioners will safely guide your vehicle into the fueling bay, while you watch nervously from the observation room.
A highly-trained hydrocarbon specialist will determine the correct fuel, and with the assistance of a fuel door release mechanic, - who will safely open the fuel door cover and remove the delicate "gasoline cap" (an unfortunate misnomer, as it's NOT made from gasoline), will then be able to inject the correct amount to fuel your vehicle.
After the fuel door release mechanic has conducted the proper safety checks and reverse the un-capping procedure, he will be able to carefully re-close the fuel door cover assembly.
This is NOT a job for the untrained!
They will have care of scheduling the automobile positioner to carefully move your vehicle out of the fueling bay, and you can rejoin you car to wait for a follow-up visit from the station's automobile engine starting specialist.
This is usually a complimentary service provided by the "gas" station, but this varies from town to town - but don't be shy about tipping.
Love it.
Most unnerving and greatest thing I've ever read
golden!!!!
I'm with ya brother. 😆 I have a piece of junk old elantra. I recharged it and saved hundreds doing it myself and the car is nice and cold now
When I find a legendary comment that caused my significant other to awaken from her sleep because she thought I was making weird squeaky noises trying so hard not to laugh out loud
thank you
Here is the argument for those cans. My car is a rust bucket that I would be surprised if it lasts over 2 years so getting the AC working for just one season for $9 is well worth it
Exactly.
It might take 50 years of cans to justify getting a $1000 fix on a car you are going to replace as soon as you can.
felt this, my car is from 1998 and barely gets 19mpg like i am not attached enough to spend as much as i bought the car for in order to professionally fix my ac
rust bucket car guy where do you buy ac refill can for $9 everywhere I look there $16.00+ $12 core charge
Fair point 😆😆😆
I suppose people shouldn't change their own oil either because apparently simple maintenance takes rocket scientists now days. Gone are the days of common sense, now we must pay people to do everything for us.
I'm the other hand, I can do simple repairs to my PC.
i would try it myself first- ac should leak some to lube the seals
Love it
@@ufartface EXACTLY
sounds just like Democrat voters.
I’m shocked a mechanic would encourage you to give him hundreds of dollars instead of dropping $25 and DIY. If you break the AC on your hooptie who cares it was broken before you started.
It’s expensive AF to fix your AC system after you put break it by doing the AC recharge wrong
@@abimbolaaku2709 bruh. I repaired my entire ac system including ac compressor, lines, and condenser with rockauto for less than 400 bucks.
@@abimbolaaku2709 and it’s been 6 years and still kicking strong.
@@TrojanLube69 how did you refill it ? Did you use can or take it somewhere I to am going to order from rockauto
@@TrojanLube69 lol my question is hat do you think is going to break by adding freion if it don't work... Oh well you have a leak lol only argument I heard was bad for invorment
I think it’s safe to say most DYI individuals do some research to see if they can handle certain projects. I doubt anyone just “jump up” and do stuff without any knowledge about the risk involved. Don’t be scared fellow DIY individuals, do your research and make an educated decision on whether or not its risky/doable 🤷🏾♂️
This guy makes good points. But the part that he isn’t talking about is all the crooked mechanics/technicians that makes you turn to products like AC pro in the first place!
@russcsra
BINGO! It is nearly impossible to find competent and honest mechanics in many areas today...so you might spend thousands and still not have your issue resolved you might make the problem worse or end up with new problems..sabotage is a real problem today in the auto repair business...
@@horseathalt7308 agreed 100% and irritatingly so, I just replaced the timing belt on my wife’s Honda. The last time it was done it went to a shop because I didn’t have the time myself. What did I find? Missing tensioner hardware, a broken lower cover from forced installation, paint pen marks NOT in reference with the factory timing marks, oddly torqued hardware and in general some pretty basic shoddy workmanship.
That’s the 3rd time in my life I’ve used a shop that I didn’t work at and I’m 54. I’ve been burned every time I’ve been to a ‘’tru$ted’’ or ‘’certified’’ mechanic. It also seems like they spend far more time writing up a heavily padded ‘’detailed invoice’’ instead of performing correct service procedures. I feel sorry for people that lack mechanical skills and newbs who are deterred by guys like this.
He could have easily made a tutorial instead but the fear factor, intimidation and in my case, the loose/missing hardware I 🤬 found must generate a lot of return business.
The Johnson rod joke (in realty) isn’t nearly as funny as folks think. Keep on wrenchin’!!! 👍
@@monkfry Thank God for honest mechanics like Scotty Kilmer. I'm getting ready to do the timing belt in my own Honda that I've had for 15 years and still runs flawless. I'm no mechanic but I do my own maintenance (STUFF THAT'S CLASSIFIED AS DIY) I'm confident I can get this job done as I've watched plenty of Scotty's and even Chris Fix videos. After reading your testimony now I'm sure I'll get it done. Yep keep on wrenchin' 😆
@@josephbell2160 Break it and learn if you have to. It’s cheaper and you’re better off being self sufficient anyway. Lots of good info floating around these days. We used to use books hah, and just wait till you get your OEM parts. Maybe they fit maybe not. . Live and learn.
My 21 year old Chevy S10 (78k miles) I had the AC leak out I guess. The shop filled it and only charged me $200 but it only lasted the season I will have to do it again. They thought they had fixed it with some part but that didn't happen, it leaked out again.
So I might try these cans just because I have a couple on hand but has anyone done it on an S10? This might be too old for anyone to see.
Always go to a mechanic and spend $5000 for a re-charge. Also remember, if your tires are low on air, there is almost always a leak. Bring them to Firestone and request new tires immediately.
If we’re gonna use a 20 year old car as an example, I would rather add refrigerant to the system rather than forking whatever the “mechanic” wants to charge.
But you can't it's illegal
@@bzd16b What do you mean?
They want to change be $1000 to fix a very slow 6 months leak. It will take 40 to 50 years of canisters to justify that expenditure. Unless the whole system just fails.
AC refrigerant is a controlled substance in the state of Washington. But I believe it's legal in all other states at this time.
I repaired my 2000 Lincoln which had a clogged orifice. Watched a few educational videos which showed me how to evacuate and vacuum the system, recharge, and what values to look out for on high and low side using a rented Autozone manifold and gauge set. Worked incredibly well and the cost was the orifice and refrigerant, saving me at least $1000. This video was not one of those educational videos.
You do have many good videos but I disagree about this video. An average person with some Mechacanal skill can easily do this without causing any damage. Typically going to a mechanic shop to have the A/C charged or fixed ends up with the shop telling you that you need all new A/C components and a price of over $2,000 to fix. It sucks that so many shops are scum and just want to rip people off.
Excellent point. Just recently, I had AC put back into my 05 Mazda 3 since I did not want to do another summer in Las Vegas with no AC. Even with my buying a compressor, condenser, and a couple lines, the bill for labor was still $980!!
Meh if you know a little about cars find a good work at home mechanic. They have zero overhead and tend to be honest I'm a skilled electrician and did about a hour of research new what my problem with my ac was. I changed jobs did not have my tools with me. So I got a dude with a nice garage he was honest and his price was good. Granted don't forget they need to make a living to but he did a great job for price. Always look for mechanics not running out of a dealer or a brand shop they are overpriced and know what you need.
Then go to a shop that’s known to do good work dose not hurt to do some research.
Ah ah ah, i beg to differ. I can fack anything up in the most insane ways. I rented a manifold guage set after 24oz of refrigerant was wasted, in which the air got colder and then went back to hot, ans then muffed up to where refrigerant sprayed out of the yellow hose i tried to utilize because "hey, there must be some reason for the 3rd hose"....
This is after 8 months spending every waking moment under the hood.
I know computers, i know psychology.... I DO NOT belong under a hood.
Does a shop ever diagnose a non-working AC system as anything but a "bad compressor"?
I just had this video telling us to not charge the system ourselves and one from 1A Auto from 7 years ago showing us how to charge the AC system pop up on my feed at the same time.
If you're going to tell people to not do it then maybe you should take off the old video that shows how to charge the system.
Just sayin'.
Isn't that something that fox News does! I did not post this comment. Oh yes I did comment on the post
I love 1A Auto videos, they’re always extremely helpful, but this video I disagree with wholeheartedly. I recharged the A/C on my 2003 Honda Accord EX 2.4L myself, and it went from not working at all to working as good as new! It’s been running for over a year with zero issues. 🥶
Maybe you just got lucky. I don't think they are trying to give bad advice.
But why did it need a recharge you probably had a leak and now you recharged it too just leak out again
I agree with you on this one, my wife and daughter both own 2007 Suzuki SX4's and their A/C's both stopped blowing cold air in the summer of 2018 due to freezing evaporator coils. When the refrigerant pressure gets low, it gets too cold and the evaporator coil freezes stopping good airflow. I bought some 134A refrigerant with a leak sealer and serviced them both 4 years ago, this summer they are both still blowing very nicely. Only thing he said that was worth listening to is that you probably have a leak. Thus, you should use a refrigerant with leak sealer. He has a conflict of interest since he is in the business of servicing air conditioners. What he is actually saying is pay someone like me, we'll be glad to take your money,
This same CZcams channel made an instructional video 8 years ago on how to recharge an Air Conditioning system with these same fans yourself 👀
@@TheUnknownHarbingers Actually if your ac system has very slow leak (takes many years for leakage to occur) then it's very worth it. My car had ac which slowly leaked over years. It still has some pressure, meaning there is no air or moisture in the system. All I need to do is top off and I am good for several more years.
If auto mechanic shops wouldn't be so greedy and charge an arm and a leg to recharge the A/C. Everyone would not hesitate to take their cars to a shop. First thing they do is charge money for an "Inspection", then if you are lucky they will be honest and say.. it's just an O Ring and well charge you $10 to replace it. Plus the cost of freon.
👆🏻this right here is what I was thinking.
Well they don’t work for free the diagnostic takes time away from other work then whatever is broken needs to be ordered and installed and yes refrigerant is not free either shops pay money too stock up on all the different kinds out there. Like you guys expect to not have to pay anything
@@ryans413 R-134a is the only kind used in cars after 1990 there isn't anything else to stock up on if you tell those older drivers too bad.
its the same stuff used in your refrigerator or AC at home. its the only stuff companies will use on refrigeration systems these days.
there isn't hundreds of different kinds to stock up on only ONE.
I love the, "hey man I need my ac rechagred"
"alright well we will have to preform a $100 diagnostic check before we do any work and then another $100 if the ac is the issue, just to spend 10 minutes holding a tool over the hood of your car".
@@ryans413 Auto-shops are historically known to NEVER be shady and screw people over. Inelastic demand.
I’ve used those cans several times . The ones with the gauge on it . Matter fact just did my tundra last year and it still blows ice cold .
Funny how every time a "professional" tells me I shouldn't do the work myself, it's always a pile of bull so I'll pay them to do it instead. Even funnier how I go out and learn it and get it done myself and there's no issues.
Most of the mechanics today are crooks, they robed me for 1,000 and didn't do anything to the car, but I finally found a good mechanic when I need something done, but I usually do it myself
All these scummy mechanics need to start getting sued im tired of it tbh.
I took my motor home to the Volvo truck dealer in Oakland to have my a/c serviced. $1800 and a new compressor later, the system still leaks. So much for paying a shop. So with all due respect for your experience and skills, sir, no. I’m not going to keep handing my money to you.
I never had an issue adding freon to my own vehicle, We had a 1999 expedition we bought with 150k on it, we had to add freon every season so the leak was small, we decided to add a can of stop leak and never had to touch it again, the a/c system outlasted two engines, I live in Ga so we used the a/c a lot, we scraped the truck with 394K on it
Making it more complicated than it is 😂
Help! I have a loose cable on my truck's battery. Anyone know where I can find a "pro" to tighten it? 🤣🤣
😂😂well said fuck these scummy lying mechanics, it sucks how they ruin business for the honest ones.
Rite😂🤣😂🤣
Yeah, I know a guy who carries only 3 things that fixes anything.
Duck tape, a pair of pliers and
Super glue. Lol!
I put two cans on my 2001 Honda back in 2018 now 2021 still working fine, I never espect this going to be good for 20 more years
20 years... this may be true for old cars using old refrigerant. The new expensive eco refrigerant R1234yf(mandatory on all vehicles from 2021) requires top up every 3-5 year, the system will just drop in pressure and stop working. In this case using such a DYI can is a good idea, there is no benefit going to the shop, other maybe of removing the moisture from the system.
Even if the shop mechanics do all the operations correctly and use the correct and clean materials they will still rip you off. If you still have pressure in the system means you have a good chance a refill is all you need. And one more, if you don't have oil leaks(that are visible with the eye along the AC system) you should not use a can with oil, simple use clean refrigerant.
My local repair guy recharged my system for 150 bucks and it lasted the while summer and most of the winter. Spring now and no ac, I have a leak but my car is 10 years old. I can spare the 10 bucks a year to refill vs the God knows how much repairs would cost!
r134a has a GWP of 1400. Meaning for every gram of refrigerant leaked into the atmosphere, is equivalent to 1400g of co2 released into the atmosphere.
Most vehicles require on average 500g of refrigerant.
Do the math, get the leak fixed properly.
@@Jeff-gb5rt about what a single human gives off naturally in three days, though in his scenario gives off in about 9 months. The world is going to be fine.
killing the enviroment slowly because you're too lazy and cheap to just get it fixed, what a flex
All the 816 people that liked this video are mechanics 😂 plus “Chris fix” says it’s okay soooo it’s okay !
Lol I love Chris fix
Sounds like is ok
Scotty kilmer says just don't put the sealer in it
Chris fix
@@randysimmons9838 Scotty is full of crap. I just called him out on his latest video where he promotes the refrigerant can. 2 years ago though, he made a video similar to this one where he discourages the exact same can (same brand and everything). Bottom line is we are smart enough to understand what is happening in a sealed system. If it's no longer sealed, than.... that's bad! And feeding more refrigerant a-la willie neely is only going to create more problems or, at the very least just be a temporary solution for a problem that is only going to get worse.
These videos are meant for them to make more business and scare you into bringing in your cars to the shops so they can charge you like crazy. I understand they are trying to be safe and all that other stuff. But hey, some things we do wil save us money and money rules all. I watch videos all the time that have worked and saved me money. But the very 1st video I seen with this guy I got the vibe quick, they don't like us diy mechanics and we all know why 🤑
The issue is, different system need different type of oil. Canned refrigerant already has oil in there, which will jelly up when mixed with non-compatible. This will cause damage to the compressor. Yeah, other things can diy, but not a/c. It is like putting wrong type of Cvt oil. It is good in short run, but catastrophic failure when it is in stress state.
But in this case his advice would cost him business.
These guys are not advertising a business. They work for 1A Auto so unless they are telling you to buy their parts they are trying to be honest. It is not like they are telling you to go to a certain repair shop because they are getting kickbacks for the business.
@@TheUnknownHarbingers exactly, can’t tell you how many ppl destroy their AC systems trying to do it themselves. Seems easy enough until it’s not lol
@@cikgukereta What do you mean "non compatible?"
My ac went out. A local mechanic wanted $800 plus. That was parts and labor. I wanted a break down estimate. I ended up buying the parts myself (compressor, valves, evaporator, o rings, condenser, etc) and the same mechanic wanted $600. I found another mechanic with my parts only wanted $300. Some mechanics over charge and that makes people want to do things themselves. Ac work is a specific type work and should be fairly compensated but it can get ridiculous
That's all well and good when you live in the warmer states but in the rust belt we're not going to fork over $500 - $1,000 or more to fix the AC on a 15-20 year old car that is going to be in a scrap yard in a few years anyway.
We'll throw in a can or two for a couple summers for $10-$20 and call it good.
*Salt Belt
For sure. I live in Ohio and just bought a new car and it’s bad enough to make me want to move down south
I have a 96 Camry and right now am burning up 🥵 with no AC am going to do exactly what u just said lol 😂
Lol right, most people think 70 degrees is hot.
No one is charging $500, it's $1k minimum
He just made an easy job sounds harder than it actually is.
Notorious slow leakers like older Volvos need a can a season, no leak ever found after the previous owner forked over a couple bills every season for 15 years. Nah, I’ll pay 4.99 for a can.
I bought my can for $39.99 😔
Here’s my tip this one gets overlooked really easy if your AC just quits to the point you have no clutch engagement at all but all the electrical checks out all fuses and relays are good and you see no leaks at any hoses or connections. A clogged Orifice Tube could be your problem this would restrict refrigerant flow either causing a high pressure or low pressure in the system the pressure switch would then tell the computer not to ground the clutch relay and fan relays so no AC action would happen. For this you need to see a mechanic so they could pull a vacuum and replace the orifice tube. It’s the AC systems filter and overtime like any filter it can get clogged. Really simple one to over look.
I agree that you should absolutely use caution when servicing the hvac in a vehicle, but as they say, it ain't rocket surgery. And a proper vacuum pump and cheap manifold gauge set can be purchased for less than $200 and can be used to service ones own hvac not only in vehicles but refrigerators that use R134A and other devices like window ac units. I'm not saying to buy one of those kits and dive head first in, but the knowledge is available to properly diagnose and fix these systems fairly simply, saving tons of money in the long run.
Thanks, good info. My 1996 Ford Ranger minipickup with 4 liter V6 is used pretty rarely and for short times. Been great, AC never serviced before as it always worked fine. But about 6 months ago, I noticed the AC wasn't as cold, and shortly after, it wasn't cold at all. Turned AC on and the compressor isn't turning (clutch not engaged). I know there's a safety if there's no refrigerant to keep it from turning on. Side note, it sat for about 5 years unused and not started about 3 years ago. Questions:
1. Two wires to compressor clutch, are they power and ground so I can test for ground and apply 12v to it (engine off) and to test if it'll engage?
2. I picked up a set of AC gauges, on normal system, with engine off for hours, should there be pressure in both low and high sides?
I'd like to do preliminary investigation before paying someone to diagnose. I'm guessing a hose has failed, vs. the compressor (since it did blow not so cold, then none, vs. compressor failing, meaning suddenly no cold at all).
3. Assuming a hose has failed and I replace it (refrigerant already gone so no need to evactuate/recycle), do I need to replace any other parts? (Can't remember the name of the part but it's like a filter including for water, I think, vs. the compressor, condenser and evaporator).
Thanks,
RichE San Diego, CA
The part you can't remember is called a drier. It's filled with desiccant to remove any moisture/water.
If a hose failed, you would need to draw a vacuum on the line of about 30"ha (30 inches of mercury). This is to remove all the air and moisture from the lines before adding the refrigerant and oil. At that vacuum water will boil at room temperature and will be removed from the lines with the air.
1 you can test clutch operation at the relay pull out the relay jump the pins clutch should engage.
2 there’s usually one or two pressure switches when pressure too high or too low it stops the computer from grounding the clutch relay and fan relays from coming on.
3 yes both high and low sides should have pressure you wanna see more pressure on the suction line the low side if the high sides too high the system won’t work properly
Thanks, mate, but I'mma side with the comments and give it a go myself. I've a 96 Camaro with a leaky back hatch, peeling paint, cracked leather seats, and a wicked cassette player.
So if I drive my Chevy to the levvy and the AC is dry, I guess this'll be the day that I die.
+PurpleBox89 Thanks for checking us out! 1aau.to/m/Shop-1AAuto-c
I used to put refrigerant in my 89 and 91 Oldsmobile Cutlass my 2003 Ford Explorer my 92 Geo Metro my 91 Ford Explorer my 06 vibe and I know I'm missing one... I was just about to say no damage done but of course they were already on their last legs and I drove them till they were no more. so I guess technically I don't know if the damage is done
I must admit I was doubtful about adding my own freon, but now I will add it even if its blows my truck up.
I added AC pro to my Chevy Tahoe. It's a 2001. AC is working great now! I couldn't be happier. The professionals just want your money.
Is it still working?
That’s what any decent mechanic will tell you to just add refrigerant this video made me mad lol
I asked for a quote. $ 7O for the can and $ 70 more for labor . So I decided to do it myself. It's easy and I'm proud of myself and I saved $ 140.
Exactly how how else can mechanic make money if everybody start fixing things themselves 💰 🤑
@Night Rider Hi I hope your a/c is fixed by now, but if not you can just let some of the refrigerant out. Just use the hose that it came with, then cover one end with a big towel and release the pressure a little bit at a time. Also don't forget to use eye protection. I will warn you that it is bad for the environment and if you can swing it, you should take it to a mechanic. But if your having a tough time paying a mechanic that is the quick fix, I know because I recently did the same thing.
I did mine already it's super easy
As an automotive design engineer I can honestly say that these systems can be built to be bulletproof but corporate profits and stock price matters more than quality. If you get lucky and get one that doesn't after years, you are a lucky SOB and should play the lottery immediately. I just had to watch this video because of the description.
So I had the same noise replaced the compressor mar last year, noise was still there, replaced tensioner, pulley, noise still there, June last year decided to replace condenser, compressor again under warranty, ac hoses, accumulator.. noise was still there and has been, I read about liquid sludging/floodback( Freon going into compressor in liquid form) only thing I did not change was the evaporator, could this be bad, causing liquid to go into the compressor?
Yup
It's actually not that hard if you already know that your system is slowly leaking (and it's not worth fixing). Now if your system is not leaking and you add more you can break things. Make sure you have isolated it down to the leak being the only problem. Meaning you checked that fans are working, the vents are opened up and direction not stuck to blowing air to the windshield or feet, that your compressor is actually working, and your cabin filters are not clogged up.
To add refrigerant ignore the cheap gauge and instead do it in 2 second bursts. Do 1 or 2 burst and drive around the block and feel the vents. If it's still warm do another burst. I've only ever need to add like 10 seconds of refrigerant to my car. If around 8 seconds you don't feel any change in temp from the vents I would stop pumping more refrigerant because at the point it might not be the problem.
I always recharge my own AC and sometimes I use the super cold additive and my 99 Avalon I can get the temperature inside down to about 45 degrees which is just wonderful when it's 105 outside
Respectfully disagree on this one , recharged A/C in my 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer after it stopped cooling on the passenger then on the driver side, used about 5-6 oz of A/C Pro brand R-134a , bumped PSI from 34 to 45 and it’s now cooling on both sides like it’s a new A/C . Guessing that a small crack developed in O-ring or rubber hoses , so the product that I’ve used suppose to expand rubber and seal those cracks, will see. The problem was fixed in 15 min vs going to a mechanic and probably being told that the A/C needs to be replaced for $2000. Even if I have to recharge again after some time , so what, the car is 15 years old, not worth spending $$$ to find and fix the leak . As for the environment, I’m concerned about the impact , but the refrigerant was already slowly leaning to begin with and hopefully the new additives would stop that .
Stan Meyer car that ran on water- watch youtube video of same. And we would have the Dr Stan Lee Hummingbird generator and the PICC system for cars.
Well, you're wrong...
Been using these do-it -your selfers for a few years. HAve used these about ten times. Always work like a charm and no problems so far.
I agree with this but I've never had an issue with using diy r134a cans.
But we can't assume that all mechanics are honest or competent.
1996 Chevy astro. Front a/c blower works but does not push out cold air. I was going to recharge the a/c but not after watching this. Could it need a new thermostat?
+midge midge We wouldn't be able to diagnose the issue but some common issues that may cause this could be the thermostat, the temperature blend door, or there is a leak in the system and there is no refrigerant in the system anymore.
I'm gonna do mine Tomorrow for $ 9.99. A Mechanic wanted 300.00 to do rear brake pads, I did it for $45.00 with top of the line brake pads.
My AC wasn’t working. I called a mechanic shop was told they’ll charge me $150 just to check + whatever they would charge me to fix it. Did some research online, tested the lines myself & i saved more than $500.
I've done 2 cars with these. Both only required a tiny amount of gas to bring the cold air back and both been absolutely fine ever since.
You're talking about putting 4 cans in. I'm talking about putting 4 squirts in.
Sadly when it's 39c in England every aircon pro is fully booked and only open during my work hours. Can of gas delivered to my door and 10 minutes topping up is ideal.
My 16 year old Civic has a slow leak. Has for like 5 years now. I put in a like 15 dollar can at the beginning of summer and my AC blows cold at 40F when it's 75F outside. At the start of the next summer (before I refill) at 75F outside car blows around 62F. Gauge shows it's on the very low end of the "green" bar. Shows 2/3rds up "green" bar after filled. Lasts a year for 15 bucks, and has done that for 5 years now. If I ever do need to fix more, I will. But for now I'm saving money every year.
What’s the name of thing you held in the beginning of the video the reading tool and the brand please and thank you.
A thermodimidium postulate.
They're made by Nabisco.
They sell them exclusively at Spencer's
If you know what you’re doing, repair your own car. Why pay $50 per pound of the same refrigerant, PLUS labor, when you can pull a vacuum, and use a scale for a fraction of the cost. Chris Fix It has a great video on how to properly recharge your ac with these cans of Freon.
I been doing it for so many years and never had a problem yet
"If you french fry when your supposed to pizza, you're gonna have a bad time. Trust me"
-Super Cool Ski Instructor Guy"
Quick question. Does A1 sell a/c pro or similar products?
I agree, bringing to a professional is always good advice. However, a better video for you to do is how to find an actual professional. At this point, I have ZERO faith in mechanics anywhere, from dealerships that are supposed to hire the best, to specialty garages, for so many reasons. The quality control in the industry is really an issue for many of us, even so-called reputable locations, so I hope that service facilities are listening.
I used a can once and it worked GREAT
I went to go recharge mine but low side of my walmart gauge was in the yellow! I havent charged it in the 6 years Ive owned the vehicle. Im thinking its my condenser fan anyways but this pressure reading might be a concern as well.
I trust trained professionals around here as far as I can throw them. You know, trained professionals, the guys who want to install new air filters for $150 a pop, and want to flush all liquids every 20k.
I'm so scared now that I dont want to drive...lol
I put a vacuum on mine for like an hour, then fill it up with the cans through a high/low pressure gauge I got from Harbor Freight. I leak out the air in the hose before I open the valve to the system to ensure no air goes in. Will the method I use be sufficient?
I've used the same method you described. Its worked on 3 vehicles. I'm careful not to over fill with freon.
500 microns is the recommendation
But where does the old refrigerant go if you do this? Isn't it illegal to put refrigerant into the air?
For the average CZcams mechanic I fully agree with this video. I'm universal refrigerant certified and have worked on little car AC units all the way to massive 440V systems. All this was some time ago and even some of the newer units and refrigerants I still refer to a current professional.
I’m not a mechanic, just have little knowledge with cars, so I’m just adding my 2 cents from my recent experiences. When your AC starts to blow warm air, it’s 99% that it’s caused by a refrigerant leak somewhere in the AC system. So the first challenge is to find where the leak is coming from. In my case I used refrigerant with UV dye and a UV flashlight. Once the leak/s is found, it needs to be fixed. Once the leak is fixed, the AC system/lines must be vacuumed to remove the moisture. During the vacuum process, you can check if the leak/s was actually fixed or not. Once you’ve determined the leak was fixed, and the vacuum confirms there’s no more leak in the system, then you can proceed to recharge/add new refrigerant. So topping off the refrigerant is easy. Finding where the leak is, fixing the leak, and pulling a vacuum in the system is the difficult part.
My vehicle is 20 years old and the A/C works fine (like what you talk about at the beginning of the video). Does it mean there is no need to get the A/C system serviced by professional? Some people say we have to re-gas the system every 1-2 years to keep things clean in order not to damage the compressor. Would 20 years old original refrigerant and oil cause problems?
No....But the Canned Crap May Not Have The Same Oil...And They Wont Mix...It Will Jelly Up
@@sgt.mikebaran7105 pag oil is pag oil unless it has some type of sealer … which I wouldn’t recommend but the regular staff is good
The guy in the video claims it's working fine.... meanwhile it's only putting out 60 degrees out the dash which really isn't called cooling, usually a system should put out about 44/43 degrees.
"You should never have to add refrigerant"
I read that it can naturally lose as much as 15% per year? Who's right?
So are you topping up your refrigerator at home with refrigerant every few years also?
@@Jeff-gb5rt Home refrigerators don't travel along bumpy roads, under all different conditions, sits its life out in a calm, quiet, uneventful room corner......
This is good honest advice. This task is not impossible, however, it's very easy to make an expensive mistake.
So Andy how do we find a good place to get the ac fixed?
Don't do it yourself.. how else would the mechanic make money 💰 if you do it yourself
dont care- he can get money somewhere else or from someone else
I did it myself and I'm running cool! I have to disagree with this title. Knowledge is king!
Things I've done on my daily driver '02 Focus Zetec:
Brakes (new discs, pads, hard lines, rubber hoses, fluid)
Exhaust (new mufflers, catconv, seals, bolts)
Suspension (new wheel bearings, bushings, bolts, springs, shocks, paint job)
Cooling (new thermostat housing, new fluid)
Clutch master cylinder (new)
Serp belt with tensioner (new)
At home, with my own tools.
Excuses moi, por favor!
Actually if you put too much Freon in your system. It will blow it out the compressor relief valve. It did this on my 2004 Trailblazer. My a/c it still working fine 8 years later. It wasn’t leaking I had to replace the harmonic balancer.
2:25 I’ve never used a vacuum pump in my life. Moisture has not hurt my system in 8 years.
I went to a garage to top up my ac, was about £100. I asked why it was so much and they said it’s because of all the extra stuff they do, as mentioned in the video as well as checking for leaks after the top up, so I just got it done. A week later it stopped working again… I would’ve gone back but the place was 120 miles away when I was on holiday so yeah, I’m going to have a crack at it myself. 🤷♂️
How did it go?
They may've done a poor job on purpose because that mask is a big red flag that your a lunatic liberal. Not many mechanics are Liberals just so ya know. Good luck with the DIY
@@mohamedyussuf7001 Haven’t done it yet. It’s not been that hot this summer.
@@Dobolt hoping you ended up doing this haha
So if it is so badly then why in the hell do they sell those 11 oz refrigerant for?????what's that for?as a whip cream??
07 jeep liberty. 3.7. Replaced the ac compressor. Clutch turns on and off as it should. Checked the pressure sensor on the passenger side against the firewall. It is working as it should. Checked the pressure sensor in line above the compressor. It is working as it should. Checked the freon. It is full (over full). Still blowing hot air. Need the next option to check. I'm lost at this point. There is nothing left to replace.
My AC clutch keeps kicking on rapidly I replace the low pressure switch what would make it still be kicking on rapidly and still not blowing cold air
It’s either overcharged or one of your fans isn’t turning on. When you click the ac on both fans should start running at the same time.
It could be several things. Too little or too much refrigerant. It could also be an electrical issue.
Fun fact If you get freeon your hand and don’t wipe it off immediately you might get frostbite on your fingers ! Always stay safe !
+Israel Reyes Thanks for the tip!
Another thing…Recharging you AC at home will cause the world to end also!! Goodness, who thought this was a good video to post.
Do you know how much oil should I add on a 1984 C10?
I did it myself 9 years ago, and it's still working great. Don't listen to this guy. If there is a leak, check the Schrader valves first. Then vacuum, and refill.
What I don't understand is that everyone has to change from R12 because it was bad for the ozone so 134 is what they came up with and now it's still unsafe. Make up your mind already.
R134A is better then R12 just not as dangerous still dangerous to release into the atmosphere
Why was this a recommended video on your video from 7 years ago showing how to recharge your AC?
The irony
I have a probably with my dodge charger. It makes a sound by the rear end by the tires.. it makes a sound like metal scraping or metal opening when I start up the car and accelerate and deceleration
Probably your brakes
Great video, unfortunately an AC overhaul is as expensive as an engine one. I am facing one of those with a 2004 Toyota corolla; engine out of the bay now but the AC still sealed as I do not have the machine to evacuate the freon if any left. Last time car ran was blowing completely hot air, seems like a major leak, AC is all the original parts on the car and never been serviced other to ad freon by "mechanics" I am working on saving to get a machine to evacuate the system safely; they are expensive especially if will be used only one time but then again so it is everything else.
Yeah, I took my truck to a "PRO" once ... ONCE. Since then I've learned that I can feck shite up for a Helluva lot cheaper. If the windows go down, that works for me. I wonder who the Einstein was that decided to eliminate the wing window. I guess more cup holders are more important.
Same people who came up with donut fugly looking tires as a spare. Ill take a full size regular spare tire over the small cargo area gained versus having a sorry looking donut spare that screams out to everyone you had an incident. Wing windows to a back seat because it hardly ever broke so they didn't make money on forever lasting parts.
The more you know
can I use California R134a+ refrigerant in Texas R134a?
This guy reminded me a guy in a video who said that, in order to replace a headlight in a Prius it was necessary to remove the front tires, depending of which side you need to work.
2011 subaru legacy is like that if you have big arms. It's still a pain with tiny arms.
I've noticed that often times that stuff isn't _necessary,_ but just easier.
Personally, if it's easier to remove the wheels and wheel well liners to replace the headlights, versus coming in from above the engine compartment, I think that tells you a lot more about the design of the car than it does about the difficulty of the service.
So I guess the purpose of this video for us not to do it ourselves so-that mechanics has job security. 😂
You are telling us that if there's not leaking in my ac system, the cold air is going to last for the entire life of the vehicle ?
Really weird that someone else says that they actually leak a little bit to oil the bearings so it's not air tight
On one hand, this is all 100% sound advice that anyone thinking about servicing needs to be aware of. So, thank you..
And on the other hand, be wary of shortcut service shops who will lazy-recharge the system just like you're about to do yourself in the Napa parking lot.
Yes, been there, done that. To get home without dying of heat exhaustion.
Don’t fill it yourself for $40…. Take it to a mechanic that’s going to fill it up the exact same way for $400 and tell you they used an evac machine…
All I hear is “Don’t do it yourself, you’ll take away from my paycheck.”
Nailed it.
Yes I usually like these guys videos but I feel this was made to stop people from using those cans cause shops weren’t getting enough AC jobs. This video put a bad taste in my mouth plus the guy here just comes off as annoyed this whole video
If you add the a12 or similar little by little in the low pressure port while the engine is running and the AC is on while monitoring the temperature after each addition, you can quite easily spot when you have the right amount added to your system. If you go to high it is very easy to let out some of the gas and find the sweet spot again. It is of no particular problem that it is flammable as it is such a low volume.
do you have a video on how to diy this yourself? like which tools and procedures to use to diagnose and test?