Gen 2 AC Recharge Additional Oil?

Generally I don't be adding oil unless there was a major leak a pretty big one and you'll see the oil streak running down the leak like from an o-ring or whatever slow leaks over time a couple of years normal stuff tends to let gas out oil stays in the system so you can just top off and go It's not the correct thing to do but it works very well and spending $150 with air conditioning people well that's your business I haven't had to do it in 30 years I've had no failures nothing air conditioning wise hell even heat wise which has nothing to do with the air. So I would say no I don't waste time with the oil shot If you think you have a leak I would either add an oil shot with the dye or use the refrigerant with the dye so you have a chance to possibly spot your leaky o-rings or whatever. I have ice cold air and all four Prius ridiculously cold.

 

The main important thing, because the compressor is electric, is that you NOT ADD any oil that ISN'T ND-11.

 

That's why I didn't add I have all the other pag and mineral oil or whatever for AC's of other types but not the ND 11 I don't even know what the spec is for that or whether that's something to do with fire because it's an electric motor or something not sure I would think the viscosity and all that should be very similar as it's pumping 134a refrigerant. So if I remember correctly most of the oils the viscosity is very similar for the same type of gas It's just that some of the chemical makeups of the oil are different for whatever designated reason I have the wrong oil and an electric compressor right now it's been that way about 200,000 mi I've just left it alone it's working so well. Next I'm going to try some different gases in the electric compressor and see how they do just to be fooling around

 

It's just about not degrading the insulation of the electric motor wires. The car constantly checks for isolation of the high voltage system and will set a P0AA6-611 code if the insulation in the compressor isn't up to snuff. A very small percentage of the wrong oil type is all it takes. Then it's new compressor time ($$$).

 

adding oil (needs to be ND-11 or Hybrid Compatible/For Hybrid Vehicle label) is necessary if there's a leak in the system or you noticed that you have to top it off every year. In my case my AC evaporator on my Camry Hybrid was leaking (common failure point) and I usually just top it off with a can of R134A from Walmart every year, works fine until the AC compressor blow up internally. Adding oil is more of a guess work since there's really no way on how much to add as DIYer. Adding too much will affect AC cooling..

 

I do a bit of HVAC work in residential and commercial and it's always been my observation that usually big leaks oil flows out with the gas Small leaks around o-rings and fittings tend to not streak nearly as much or at all so gas is coming out oil stays in the system once the gas gets down and there's no pressure for it to escape anymore the oil sitting in the lines the condenser the evaporator and points in between No reason for it to go anywhere it's under no pressure anymore and if I was to know where that leak was or if I was to say to myself in my car oh well since I've leaked down and basically have not enough gas to start the compressor that's a pretty low amount My infinite wisdom is just to go ahead and crack the forfeitings or three or however many there is I can see right there and put the new green or Buena and o-rings in place screw that back together even if I don't have a vacuum pump which I do I just go ahead and shoot some 134a in the system compressor comes on I watched that sight glass very carefully and I shoot the gas in very slowly I don't want to clear that sight glass solid at all I want to see bubbles when the compressor starts the compressor runs the second or two and the bubbles clear up then when the compressor cycles off again I see a few bubbles go by the sight glass and then 30 seconds a minute later when the compressor kicks back in I see some bubbles moving across the sight glass and then it clears up If you get it solid clear if you will your next injection is going to start possibly initiate compressor lock If that happens which it's happened to me on an electric compressor before I back off and crack the yellow a little bit on the gauge set and let a little gas out no air is going in gas is pushing out and you can actually hear the compressor let go of its locking tendencies and go to spinning like it's supposed to I might blast another tiny little shot out lock everything down and leave it and then I go back to looking at my sight glass and it's doing exactly as described above not staying solid clear that's overcharge. At least in my world this is how it's gone the last 35 or so years and I'll keep letting it go No reason for me to change now.