imbest123

I just bought a high mileage 95 Integra LS. I asked the owner if it had A/C and he said yes but it doesn't work, it may just need a recharge. I didn't bring it up to him but when I saw the bay I noticed the A/C pulley was bare, as in no belt attached. I am planning on installing the A/C belt and recharging the "freon" (i know its not freon anymore but whatever that r-134a liquid is).

Assuming the A/C had not been functioning for at least as long as he owned it, 2 years, could it be possible that the compressor is still in working condition? I don't want to put in the belt and recharge the system if the A/C compressor is most likely dead.

Scooooter7

Does that year have the R-134a? I don't remember when the conversion was.

First I would try to spin the compressor by hand and look at all the hoses for prior leaks. It's a good chance all your seals are shot and the system won't hold any Freon anyway, but is worth a try.

Might be a good idea to get it professionally tested first.

imbest123

Iirc the last year for r12 was 94

Ill try spinning it. That didn't come to mind lol.

That will be most likely what ill do. I just wanted to see my odds. Thanks for the help

fcm

Your system refrigerant is R134a.

As mentioned most if not all of the O rings/seals have dried up a long time ago.

If your car came to our shop... http://www.airwolfeautoair.com/ I would first "ID" the system, I would do a nitrogen pressure test, [fill system with 200 PSI of nitrogen], before it all leaks out I would connect an identifier to the system, it will tell me if the system is contaminated with hydrocarbons.

If clean, I would disassemble system, removing the filter/dryer, [to be replaced with a new one] pull and drain any oil in the compressor, flush the system, install a new filter dryer reinstall the pump, [putting 50% of the oil charge into the filter and the other 50% into the compressor] reconnect lines with new O rings/seals.

Time for another nitrogen test, 250 PSI this time, it must hold 250 PSI for a min. 15 min., an hour is better, overnight is best.

If the 250 PSI holds, charge system with proper amount of R134a, fire it up, if it works, do a leak test [sniffer], if no alarm, button it up.

Anything less then the above is asking for problems, most of them costing you more money.

RedTec and Duracool and products like them, use HCs, [hydrocarbons] like propane as the refrigerant, and may contain sealers, none of which are any good for your A/C system.

Even if you do all the work yourself, take it to a shop that will do the pressure test and a good hour on a vacuum pump and charge with only R134a. 94

PS All cars sold in USA/Canada had to be R134a by 1994 model year.

Scooooter7

If the system has sealers, dye, etc. in it, can it still get the serviced and fixed?

fcm

Yes and no, the only way to "fix" a contaminated system is to replace everything, no matter how many times you flush a contaminated system and replace components, [unless you do them all] it will always test as contaminated, although the percentage will go down, most A/C shops will not connect equipment to anything but systems that are 100% R134a, R12 or a mix of the two, we have the capability to flush just about anything but HCs.

Our shop also has the ability to "deal" with contaminated systems, over the years equipment has been contaminated because someone skipped the golden rule, ID everything every time.

We can make repairs, do pressure checks using contaminated gauges, use a contaminated vacuum pump to evacuate the system, the same contaminated gauges to charge the system with R134a.

Because the system is contaminated, any new component installed on the system is warranty voided, the refrigerant is no longer recyclable so not warrantied, if warranty on the repairs are needed the refrigerant must be paid for again.

Check around your area for a shop that will work on contaminated systems. 94