My AC isn't cooling my '98 Camry down as much as I'd like. Are there
any general tips on recharging the AC?

Using my Haynes manual, I used a thermometer and found the AC only
blows at about 18 degrees farenheit cooler then the outside
temperature, whereas Haynes said it should be 35 to 40 degrees cooler.

Any tips are appreciated as I'm not terribly mechanically inclined.

Thanks,

The proper way to do it is to hook it up to a service machine, evacuate the
refrigerant and oil, draw a vacuum on the system to check for leaks, and
then recharge it with a specified amount. Doing this will ensure that the
system operates at the desired effieciency and also pinpoint any leaks.
Gone are the days when you can just crank $3.00 cans of refrigerant into a
car until it gets cold. Newer systems are much more sensitive and
expensive.

"Paul G." <northfournine (AT) yahoo (DOT) ca> wrote

Regardless of the tone of the other two posts, if you are just a bit low on
charge, you can easily do it yourself. (In the nine years of this car's
life,
it is permitted to lose a little refrigerant. No seal is perfect, BUT if it
is a
serious leak, you will have to take serious measures to get a long term
repair.)

You can buy a R134a charge kit with a can or two of R134a at any WalMart.
The
charge hose should have a pressure gauge, and there will be a chart which
will give you a typical range of suction side pressures at ambient
temperature
ranges. Read the instructions first.

Screw a can of 134a securely onto the kit receiver, and use the piercing
valve
to pierce the top of the can. Leave the piercing valve closed at this point.
You
do not want the refrigerant to exit the can yet.

Attach the hose fitting to the suction side of the AC system. There will be
snap
fittings on the tubing going to and from the compressor, but your kit should
only fit one of them---the low pressure side. Do not, under any
circumstances,
try to connect to the other fitting.

Start the car and turn on the AC. Be sure the compressor is running (if it
is too
low on refrigerant, the compressor will not come on. You will have to add
a bit of refrigerant before the compressor will start to cycle on and off)

Read the pressure on the gauge. Comparing that gauge pressure with the
chart which came with the kit, you will see if you need to add refrigerant.

If so, hold the can in the upright position, and gently start unscrewing the
piercing valve. When refrigerant starts flowing into the sealed system,
you
will see the pressure change on your gauge. You may stop and start your
charging process from time to time to allow the gas pressures to
equilibrate.

Go slowly. As the pressure increases in the system, and as your refrigerant
can depletes, the process will slow down. You can put the refrigerant can in
a pan of warm water if you wish, to speed things up.

When you get to the right pressure range, then stop and remove the kit.
Check your cooling.

You CAN do this job. It is not complicated, nor dangerous, as long as
you follow instructions.

People who only recommend that you go to a service center or a dealership
usually dont know much about the mechanical aspects of car ownership
(although there are SOME things better left to a professional!)

Good luck.

Thanks KLS. My AC works pretty good and the compressor appears to work
fine so I'm confident there are no major problems with it.

I live in Canada, and while WalMart in the US carries R134 kits, no
such thing is available here. I also checked out a few auto stores who
don't carry any either. Possibly there's a law against recharging
one's own AC here.

I'll check a few more stores before deciding which route to take on
my AC.

All AC systems leak, and up to 0.5 oz leak per year is considered
acceptable. Check the web site on their FAQs and how-to videos:

http://www.id-usa.com/



On May 18, 7:19 pm, "Paul G." <northfourn... (AT) yahoo (DOT) ca> wrote:

After phoning a few more places, it appears that it is illegal for
retailers in Canada to sell R134A refill kits.

So, I will get a professional to do the job. If my AC simply needs a
recharge, what type of cost should I be looking at?

Thanks,

On 21 May 2007 11:56:17 -0700, "Paul G." <northfournine (AT) yahoo (DOT) ca>
wrote:

First the inspection for leaks etc. That's about C$70
Plus any repairs needed
Then the R134A top up, that's another C$100 or so