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I just recently bought my first honda. So far it has started on a bit of a sour note as im finding out the front end has been damaged and needs some work.

However that is for another thread later on. My question right now is if I purge air from the high side of my AC system, should there be air coming out, or refrigerant?

I know it is illegal to release refrigerant.

Thanks.

 
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Anything that comes out of the valve is refrigerant, not air. Refrigerant (freon, in this case R134a) is a colorless gas, you cannot see it.

A full AC system has zero "air" in it.
Even a system that has lost part of its charge still has zero air in it, as long as there is still pressure that was created by the freon inside it it is impossible for air to enter.

The only way air would be inside is if the system has been wide open because of puncture or disassembly.


If static pressure in the system reads significantly higher than zero, have the freon recovered by a professional using an AC recovery station.

If the AC system was physically damaged but not punctured and still has a full (or partial) charge of refrigerant, it needs to be recovered by a professional using an AC recovery station before you try to take apart any part of the AC system.


Regarding AC systems, "Air" is technically a non-condensable gas and is considered a contaminant in an AC system, it hinders efficiency, performance, and skews system operating pressures.


HTH