FCM
you guys dry/leak check with nitrogen. does the a/c identifier pick up the gas ?
i have never used that method i know the industrial hvac uses that.
how do you adapt that to the gauges ?

 

i just called my buddy that does commercial a/c and we are going to make a test pipe and charge it with r134 then add the nitrogen and see if the identifier pick it up as a gas or just the r134.

 

okay i have one more question. there are two bolts holding each ac line together. I thought only one of them is suppose to move. just a little while ago using two wrenches i accidentally made the smaller bolt move about a quarter turn. did i just mess up my ac system worse?

 

Nitrogen is inert and not a hydrocarbon so it has no effect on identifiers.

Other then a fitting on the nitrogen bottles gauges/regulator to fit the A/C gauge center line fitting, no other modes are needed.

Once we have done a repair we will connect up a set of gauges and "fill' system with 250psi of nitrogen, [industry recommendation is 200psi on high side only, my boss says BS, 250psi, both gauge valves open] and let sit for over night if possible but a min of 10min.

If no loss in pressure we just open valves to release nitrogen, connect up a vacuum pump and suck her down for 1hr.

" just called my buddy that does commercial a/c and we are going to make a test pipe and charge it with r134 then add the nitrogen and see if the identifier pick it up as a gas or just the r134."

Not sure I understand, we do not add nitrogen to the R134a to do a leak test, or do you mean just as a test to see if identifier will pick it up, if so it will show up as an air percentage.94

 

No I understand what it's for but I want to see if it show as air or not on the sample readings.

 

That depends on where the "bolts", [fitting] is, on some fittings the male end is fixed and the female end is the only one that turns, on others both the male and female ends will turn.

A 1/4 turn on a non "turning" fitting would damage the pipe to the point of leaking, in most cases, but not always.

Is this the fitting at the condensor that is leaking?94

 

Its the high pressure line that goes from the firewall/evaporator to right under the passenger headlight. Its the fitting underneath the headlight. Honestly, I really dont even think that fitting is directly connected to the condenser. I dont know why my estimate says bad condenser, unless there is a second leak. Nothing sprayed out, when I turned the male end.


I just found this picture of the system you can see that line isn't even connected directly to the condenser. I added the red arrow to show the fitting I turned the male end on by accident.

For future reference, how are you suppose to tell what male fittings can turn. All the fittings look exactly the same to me, except some are just larger.

 

The female "nut", [larger of the two] always turns, the male "bolt", smaller of the two may or may not float, [turn], always turn the bigger, [female] of the two and you can't go wrong.

That is the reciver/dryer to evaporator line, and your right, it has nothing to do with the condensator.

I would find another A/C shop, or someone who knows what he/see is doing.

As mentioned get it rechecked.

If you pulled up to our shop the initial estimate would cost nothing, we never charge to tell people how much they need to spend to fix an A/C problem...
http://www.airwolfeautoair.com/ 94

 

that might be a bit of a drive for me you know anyone good in the tampa, FL area?

I tried to tighten it again today, and there just isnt enough room down there to keep the male fitting from moving a little with the female fitting. I hope that male fitting floats, if it were welded on there and I moved it that much; I think my hand would have gotten frozen from freon spaying out. Anyhow I tried to tighten it a few hours ago and there doesnt seem to be oil coming out of the line anymore. I know that doesnt mean its not leaking, but I have my fingers crossed.

PS i didnt know you had an AC shop. Is there a better way to cool a crx? Or am i better off just getting the oem r12 parts if I need any.

 

R12 is no longer avalable or legal, unfortunately it is the only way to cool your CRX "better" at this time, R12 was more efficient as a refrigerant then R134a is.

With that said, there is no reason that a properly working R134a system can't give you cooling that is acceptable.

There are too many unknowns about your system, mainly what the refrigerant charge is and the amount of oil in the system, that would make me comfortable running it, too much or too little of either refrigerant or oil can damage the system severely, a new A/C compressor is not cheap, I would bite the bullet and find someone else, even if it means a drive.

As for the fitting, the only way to tell if there is damage is with a leak detector or UV dye, the leak may be very small and only when system is running, [high side pressure up], you can try some soapy water sprayed around the fitting, however it is only really good for finding bigger leaks. 94

 

I am going to go to someone else, as soon as i can find a place with all good reviews.

is there anyway to tell how much freon/oil is in the system?

and what is the proper amount of freon/oil?

Ive read 25oz of 134a and 2oz of oil.

also I didnt mean buying r12 freon. I meant is there a better compressor/drier ect. for a retrofitted system, other than the oem r12 parts that I have.

 

There is no way to tell how much oil or refrigerant is in the system except by putting the proper amounts in.

If we replace a compressor, [and compressor did not come with the proper oil charge] we would put the proper amount in, if the compressor is changed so should the accumulator, you have done both, meaning, unless you put oil into the system your running pretty much dry as most of the system oil would be in the compressor and accumulator you swapped out, very little would be left in the evaporator and condensor.

Sorry, not sure what the oil and refrigerant charge is for your car, Will check at work this afternoon. 94

 

need this info as well.