A/C refrigerant refill question

Before diving in, check out some of the videos by @lech auto air conditionin to make sure this is the proper approach.

 

Consider AC service at dealership? That was around $150 in my experience. Of course if it’s something like a shot compressor that number’s out the window.

 

Loud grinding noise is not good.

Have someone turn on the ac to max while your under the front of the car by the front passenger side tire that's where the compressor is. See if its making the noise if so that's really bad as the g2 compressor is very expensive and if it is grenading itself it will contaminate the entire loop.


My bought new 07 is at the Ac shop right now getting the evap coil under the dash replaced as it had a very slow leak. Horrible job.
$1100. Waiting to get it back.

 

Grinding noise is usually a really bad deal.

I have a few videos possibly two or three on Prius chat different noises that Prius compressors make when they’re bad or going bad and need to be replaced.

 

I don't think that you read here, or anywhere else for that matter, that a loud grinding noise means you are just low on refrigerant.
I also think that any attempt at a DIY fix on your part is NOT a good idea.
You need a professional diagnosis.

 

Picked up my 07 today and they did a good job ac is wicked cold again. I stopped by early thought it would be done and they had the dash pulled to the firewall horrifying sight lol just a sea of wires and plugs.
$1085 out the door plus I tipped the poor bastard who did the work. Great job.

Thanks to Lech i got my butt in gear and got it in before the compressor blew up.

ICE COLD AIR
Gulf to Bay Blvd
Clearwater Fla

 

If my compressor is not making any bad noises and the air is cool, but not cold, is that just low refrigerant or could be be the compressor? the compressor is definitely working because the air is at a lower temp than the inside or outside, but its definitely not "cold" and the car is not coming down to a comfortable temp

 

More’n likely. That was my scenario, and a regular dealership AC service got the chill back.

 

If air is cool not cold you have a leak. Just like mine. Low refrigerant. Using it while low on ac is really hard on the compressor and could damage it.
Stop using it till the leak is fixed. If you damage the compressor that’s really expensive.
If you look at the sight glass while car in ready ac on max you will see really fast flow that’s basicly micro bubbles. Not good.

They will charge it up with dye and find the leak. Hopefully it’s in the engine bay and not the evap coil under the dash like mine.

The g2 ac system is excellent it should have freezing cold ac.

 

Could we stop with all the doom and gloom. Geez. @yossi 's car is 13 years old, just like yours is 14 years old. AC systems leak from the time they're installed and charged. No seal around any moving part is perfect. Unless there has been a catastrophic failure, every AC system in every car is going to degrade over time. Catastrophic failure = rapid degradation, not over a period of years. This does not mean it has a leak that is considered a system failure, so quit trying convince everyone the only solution is to stop using the AC and immediately go to the nearest AC repair shop. That's a load of crap. If you choose to spend a thousand dollars, that's fine and more power to you. That is not the solution for everyone.

Based on the minimum symptoms he listed, making any kind of diagnosis about his AC system is just guessing.

 

If the air is just cool but not cold?

I would stop using the A/C and have the system checked out. If it "has," leaked R 134 it has also leaked the oil for the compressor. The old R12 systems leaked R 12 thru the hoses all the time and that is why they needed to be recharged on a much more frequency basis and why the R12 was ditched in favor of R 134. And as a point of reference sigh, our Gen 2, is a 2005 and the AC still blows ice cold.

 

1: if you take your car out of the sun like parking it in the garage early in the morning when it’s a little cooler.
1a: Place your fan on minimum speed

1b: make sure you’re in recycle Mode

1c: Does the temperature out of your Dash come out much colder now when you perform the above procedures.
If so most likely you’re just low on charge


2: now move the car back outside in the sun when it’s about 10° warmer a little later in the day

2a: put your fan on high speed and your mode setting on fresh air

2b: Is the air temperature out of your dash much warmer ?
If it is the odds are you’re just low on refrigerant

3: also when it is warmer outside you no longer see water dripping out of your drip tube underneath the car from the condensation coming from the evaporator ?

3a: do you remember when your air conditioning performed well (cold) seeing the water dripping out from underneath your car

3b: And if you live in the part of the country where the outside humidity is usually 50% or above on a good working air conditioning system when it’s been ran in Max cooling for about 10 or 15 minutes you will usually see condensation water developing on the large suction line air conditioning metal pipe returning back to the compressor.
This is usually an indicator but not always under a high load condition in warmer weather you still have enough refrigerant that some of the refrigerant is still left over for a lower superheat meaning that there is ample refrigerant also cooling off your compressor and returning lubricant to your compressor on a well running AC system.

4: usually when the refrigerant is low and you just have a little cooling coming out of the dash and you grab the large suction line coming out of the evaporator and it’s only a little cool but not cold that means the compressor is starving for refrigerant and the superheat is high and there’s a lack of refrigerant cooling going on to cool the electrical windings of the motor.

 

Of course it is.
But "doom and gloom" guesses are just as valid as those seen through rose colored glasses.
Especially if they come from someone who had YEARS of experience with AC systems.......or is based on a report like
" making a terrible grinding noise".
GEEZ yourself.

 

Well I can't think of a single instance where hearing a "grinding sound," coming from a car is good news? But perhaps I lack imagination?

 

Sam, perhaps I should have been more specific as to the post I was responding to? If you read my post, and think for a second, perhaps you'll be amazed at how it coordinates with the post directly above it. Read the first couple sentences and put 2 and 2 together. @yossi had no grinding noise. Work on reading and staying in the timeline. Damn you are difficult.

 

Yes, a quote would have prevented my reply altogether.
I AM difficult....but I try to limit that to those times when it is deserved.
I am not always successful in that.

 

Thank you!! Very helpful! This is my problem so I will buy R-134A refrigerant. Is there a specific brand I should get? I noticed that not all of them are treated equally therefore not all are good for any hybrid/electric cars. It usually says so in the description. This is the one I'm considering. Is that one good to use??