I just tried to do my ac system...

So I pulled a vacuum for 40mins... then I hooked my first can of r134 , gauge got up to bout 35, then hooked up my 2nd can got up to bout 45 then compressor finally kicked on and my pressure dropped down to 5 and would get any higher.... no cold air.... I turned off car and psi sits at 55 on low side then when I turned car back on and compressor kicked back it goes back to 5 again, what's this mean?

 

What year Civic?

How many total ounces of refrigerant did you add?

 

98 civic and around 22 I guess , I got 2 12 ounce cans, emptied first and almost finished 2nd

 

Did you need to recharge the A/C system because you had done a repair on it?

After 40 minutes connected to the vacuum pump, what was the vacuum gauge reading? Did you leak test the system?

Do you have a manifold gauge set to measure pressures on both the high and low sides?

 

Yes I bought system off another persons car, it was pulling 30 vacuum on gauge for 40mins, turned off and held, yea is got both gauges, with car off both low and high read, around 65, when car is on and compressor kicks on, low shows like negative 5 and high shows 82

 

What was the outside temp when you made these^ measurements?

 

70 degrees outside

 

The vacuum measurement on the low side suggests a bad expansion valve.

 

Where's the expansion valve?

 

 

Ok and how do I get to evaporator?

 

Diagram added above.

 

did you change the drier ? that is a must...

 

I put a new compressor and drier in my little del sol. Cools great . But what I found out the hard way is that there are different style or little changes in the top where your liguid line(high side) bolts to the drier itself.That is an after market drier. The counter help didn't know the difference.

 

When charging the sytem you can either weigh in a charge or when charging the unit always have a fan set in front of the condensor (front of car) set to high speed and make sure your set for full cold and highest speed you have on your thermastat in side your car.

 

my friend keeps asking about orifice tube??? is there one on the system?

 

The diagram shows that the Civic A/C system uses an expansion valve not an orifice tube.