- Jul 22, 2015
- 2,724
Hell, I'll even take semi-gurus.
Background:
3 vehicles
0 with working A/C
1 (Sierra) had all seals replaced during my build, and the correct amt / type of PAG oil added
(new receiver/drier, and drained oil out of compressor & added new, per specs. Also drained / re-oiled condenser)
2 hold vacuum fine, per the manifold gauge set (only about 22lbs @ ~ 700ft elevation, but both are same, & stable)
Temps warming up & gonna be upper 80s - 90s F in a few days
Watched Eric the Car Guy videos a few times about recharging A/C
If there's one thing I'm good at, it's following directions, if they're halfway decent
Heeding advice elsewhere NOT to overfill (a little difficult with partial 12oz cans; I'm acknowledging neither vehicle has a full charge.
However, in the past, when I've used those 'hack' A/C 'recharge in a can' (per Eric), I've noted compressor clutch starts cycling very quickly.
Vehicle I'm talking mainly about -- '03 Sierra Crew Cab (with auto climate)
Closed off both high / low sides
Hooked up 12oz can of R134a
Started truck & set A/C & fan on high
Opened up the can and the low side (blue) and let it start filling
Refrigerant loosened up the low side connector hose at the valve, and lost a little refrigerant in the process (and maybe introduced air?) Tightened up and rechecked all connections -- no more issues.
Capacity for the Sierra, per GM service manual, is 1.6 lb (25.6 oz). @ 11oz realized per 12oz can, that's 2 full and 1 partial can.
1st can in and low / high side gauges roughly equalized at 70 somethings-or-other (using the larger 'black' scales, which represent different things on each gauge). NO cycling
2nd can in, gauges equalized at just above 90 something-or-others. STILL no cycling (!) Estimate 21-22oz in (again, hard to tell, with cans)
Shut truck down (running in enclosed garage).
Ambient is upper 60s Fahrenheit, not a ton of humidity.
Decided to check in w/ forum for advice / follow-up questions
Other vehicle, for reference (Honda Accord, which uses a Denso compressor, just like the Sierra)
Did this one a couple of weeks ago.
Capacity is about 16-19oz (forgot, but I have the info handy)
Added (1) 12oz can -- no cycling.
Gauges equalized at about 70 something-or-others during process.
Ambient was 50s at the time, but have since turned on when warmer -- no difference (so ambient temp is little / no factor here)
Was going to let dealer look at it (always a mistake) while they were taking care of two open recalls. Need to take it in soon, to stop the near-weekly notifications from Mother Honda.
I very much doubt *both* Denso compressors are trashed.
In the case of the Sierra, when I had the truck apart, I made sure the clutch still spun freely.
The truck didn't have an A/C belt when I bought it, and the one I put on is still intact (so the clutch didn't lock up and rip it off).
Suggestions?
Do I just need to go for the full charge? Like I said... I'd expect *some* cycling, from both, at this point.
Background:
3 vehicles
0 with working A/C
1 (Sierra) had all seals replaced during my build, and the correct amt / type of PAG oil added
(new receiver/drier, and drained oil out of compressor & added new, per specs. Also drained / re-oiled condenser)
2 hold vacuum fine, per the manifold gauge set (only about 22lbs @ ~ 700ft elevation, but both are same, & stable)
Temps warming up & gonna be upper 80s - 90s F in a few days
Watched Eric the Car Guy videos a few times about recharging A/C
If there's one thing I'm good at, it's following directions, if they're halfway decent
Heeding advice elsewhere NOT to overfill (a little difficult with partial 12oz cans; I'm acknowledging neither vehicle has a full charge.
However, in the past, when I've used those 'hack' A/C 'recharge in a can' (per Eric), I've noted compressor clutch starts cycling very quickly.
Vehicle I'm talking mainly about -- '03 Sierra Crew Cab (with auto climate)
Closed off both high / low sides
Hooked up 12oz can of R134a
Started truck & set A/C & fan on high
Opened up the can and the low side (blue) and let it start filling
Refrigerant loosened up the low side connector hose at the valve, and lost a little refrigerant in the process (and maybe introduced air?) Tightened up and rechecked all connections -- no more issues.
Capacity for the Sierra, per GM service manual, is 1.6 lb (25.6 oz). @ 11oz realized per 12oz can, that's 2 full and 1 partial can.
1st can in and low / high side gauges roughly equalized at 70 somethings-or-other (using the larger 'black' scales, which represent different things on each gauge). NO cycling
2nd can in, gauges equalized at just above 90 something-or-others. STILL no cycling (!) Estimate 21-22oz in (again, hard to tell, with cans)
Shut truck down (running in enclosed garage).
Ambient is upper 60s Fahrenheit, not a ton of humidity.
Decided to check in w/ forum for advice / follow-up questions
Other vehicle, for reference (Honda Accord, which uses a Denso compressor, just like the Sierra)
Did this one a couple of weeks ago.
Capacity is about 16-19oz (forgot, but I have the info handy)
Added (1) 12oz can -- no cycling.
Gauges equalized at about 70 something-or-others during process.
Ambient was 50s at the time, but have since turned on when warmer -- no difference (so ambient temp is little / no factor here)
Was going to let dealer look at it (always a mistake) while they were taking care of two open recalls. Need to take it in soon, to stop the near-weekly notifications from Mother Honda.
I very much doubt *both* Denso compressors are trashed.
In the case of the Sierra, when I had the truck apart, I made sure the clutch still spun freely.
The truck didn't have an A/C belt when I bought it, and the one I put on is still intact (so the clutch didn't lock up and rip it off).
Suggestions?
Do I just need to go for the full charge? Like I said... I'd expect *some* cycling, from both, at this point.