Rep Power: 0

Hi,

I recently took a ~30 min trip to a nearby city for my graduation. On the way, the conversation drifted to how ineffective the AC was.

After discussing it with another friend, I decided to try to recharge the AC system myself. A quick note here: my car is a 98 5spd manual, has a ton of miles, and I'm deadset on doing as much work on it myself as possible, if anything then for the experience.

Anyway, I picked up a recharge 'kit' at Walmart (never, never, never again) and followed the all-too-easy directions. The kit instructed me to keep filling the low side until the pressure was in the 40 psi range. After an entire can (12oz, I think) with the car and AC running, the pressure was about 5 psi higher. Then I noticed that the AC wasn't really all that much cooler, and now the compressor clicks on and off like crazy, and the car is very unpleasant to drive because the engine sporadically loses and gains power. I've been doing some Google searches, and it appears that I ended up over-charging the system.

Is taking my car in to a mechanic the only option at this point? I have one 20oz can of refrigerant left, and the AC label says my car takes 21oz, so it's crossed my mind to manually release all of the existing gas and try getting closer to the correct amount by using this other can, but I also see that as wasting money and leading to another mechanic visit down the road.

I'm just at the first year of car ownership, and still learning everything I can about mine, any suggestions are appreciated.

Update:
I had a local shop do a regular AC check for $60. They said that the dryer and compressor were on their way out, and would cost $1000 to replace, which is more than I paid for the car... Is there anything I can do to prolong the life of the parts or ease the cost of replacing them?


Thanks,

 
Rep Power: 235

I wouldn't get a salvage or re-man compressor. I would get a new one if you can. They run about $400-500. Now the dryer bottle is $60-90 OEM but, you can get an aftermarket brand much cheaper.

1. Get the parts. Online dealers are usually the cheapest. (google Honda OEM parts)

*Pay attention to whether the compressor has oil in it or not. And how much is in it, if any. This is important so you know how much oil and refrigerant to put back in the system when you re-charge it.

2. Have the mechanic vacuum down the system.

3. Remove the dryer bottle and compressor. You'll have to remove the accessory belt to remove the compressor.

*Make sure to plug any connection you break open so moisture doesn't get in the system (moisture= system death).

*Use a wrench on each side of the connection, if you can. You don't want to bend a pipe and ruin it.

4. Replace the components you just removed. Put the belt back on- or a new one if the old one looked old. You should have about 1/8th inch deflection (google deflection method). Let the vehicle run for 5-10 minutes and re-adjust the tightness on the belt if necessary.

5. Take it back to the mechanic and have them re-charge the system. I would negotiate a price for the vac and re-charge.

All that being said, there's no warranty on the work if you do it yourself.
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Pretty much any question you may have about taking anything apart or putting it back together can be answered by the service manual. It would be a very good idea to get one if your doing DYI. You can get a download or disc off eBay, or you may be able to find one on local CL, or try here for a new paper manual: http://www.helminc.com/helm/homepage...yCQ&usg=AFQjCN

 
Rep Power: 0

Thanks for the reply!
Awesome, I'll give it a shot, and I've never been a fan of warranties, they're just excuses not to mess with stuff you buy xP

 
Rep Power: 235

I would agree with that except for things with moving parts- they wear out eventually. Extended warranty on a vehicle- probably a wise choice, extended warranty on a TV- not so much.

Take lots of pics and give us a DIY.