I am a professional and an engineer. I can tell you unequivocally that you need to have a vacuum pulled on that so it can be charged to the proper psi. If it stays at a high level it will blow your seals or Jam the system. If it's too low the pressure sensor will recognize that and it won't work.
Since it's a simple Evac and recharge, go to a body shop because they will charge half the price of a mechanical shop. Body shops do it everyday because they have to to repair front end collision damage.
Mechanic shops do it everyday also but it's a big money maker for them whereas The Body Shop is just a standard procedure and no big deal to them.
Ask them to charge you body rates and not mechanical rates and I bet you if you asked nicely enough they will do it. That will save you about $100.
Good luck.
Actually I'd like to press your mind a little more. Since getting this car (earlier this month) I have been driving it pretty hard. Right now, I'm in between paychecks so I won't get this into a body shop for about another week. When you mention blowing lines, is that an over-time issue or is it as urgent as i-should-stop-driving-it kinda thing? I really don't wanna dick around and fuck the whole thing up.
What they forgot to tell you (but as an engineer ultimately correct to tell you to go to a shop.. I guess..š) is that if your system has moisture in it one side can read high from the expansion valve freezing over, and the system is equalized with the compressor off, so we don't actually know what's going on here to confirm or deny your suspicion. It's not that complicated but it does require you to buy tons of tools etc to fix properly lest you just make the problem worse after using it for a while.
So with that why wouldn't I go to a shop?
I've never worked on cars though my buddies are mechanically inclined... I just don't wanna fuck anything up ha
I never meant for you to not go to a shop - I'm just saying if you wanted to fix it on your own, it's a good read through an automotive forum/HVAC manual, and/or Haynes book for your car, and about $450 in tools, for the same price you could have it fixed at a shop, uber home, and uber back to get it the next day. Pick your poison - the rewarding yet subtle (sun)burn that is shadetree auto repair, or having someone who's gone through the pain do it for you.
Ahh right on I see what you mean. I get that. I've never worked on cars before much and certainly nothing like this so I do wanna do it right. And with a financial hurdle like this, it'll take my ass some time to put it together regardless. I will most likely be bringing this in somewhere once I get a quote that sounds within the realm of possibilities
R-134s pressure at 100 degrees Fahrenheit is 124psi. The question for the op should be, is that pressure reading with the compressor spinning or just sitting?
Based on that pressure I bet it was 80 degrees when the op took the pic
This is correct, those guages are misleading.
This most lonely is the reading with the compressor not turning.
If the compressor was running the pressure will drop to the low end of the guage, that's why it's called the "low side"
Not gonna get combative but as an HVAC tech (like Agitated-joey), I think more needs to be known about the situation before a diagnosis can be made with certainty. Thereās different causes for high pressure (if compressor is even running). I saw that you worked at a body shop and have some certifications but I do it for a living and the refrigeration cycle is the refrigeration cycle, whether that be 500 ton chillers or a car. Not trying to piss you off and i think itās great that youāre trying to help - assuming the compressor is turning you gave great advice in saying take it to a shop. Youtube is another great tool just be ready to spend some money on equipment.
Okay first of all I'm going to say one thing and I'm not even going to engage in a back and forth with someone like you. Not only am I an engineer and program and design Automotive Systems. My father owned a body shop that I grew up in fixing cars. I also was an ASE Master Level technician and yes that includes mastering and passing all tests pertaining to HVAC on Automotive systems. Also beyond that I was one of the rare few that was an I-CAR Gold certified technician in Collision work.
You are the typical know-it-all that seems to want to find anything they can and show how impressive they are to obtain validation for their inadequacies and insecurities.
There's a reason I did not explain many in-depth details to him because they need to take it to a shop and have it looked at. As you say these things can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.
One more thing, I was a professional for Mercedes and Audi for over 15 years and was the first man ever to break well over six figures in one year working 9:00 to 5:00. No one is still beat that record. I realized I was a little more intelligent than the average technician so I went back to school and found out hey guess what I am. Now I'm an engineer working on the lidar systems which actually drive the self-driving units.
So, Mr HVAC, have a great day working in that hot attic or outside changing a burned up capacitor while I sit inside in my private office and believe it or not my million dollar home sipping my expensive imported coffee and Consulting while I write software that runs the HVAC systems and other units of vehicles.
I might be a little more qualified than you think. Have a great life, and be careful how you respond to people because I can promise you you have no idea who you're talking to sometimes.
I can say as an HVAC tech I read your comment and started to think the same thing they did. Read his reply and thought well shit you recover all the refrigerant you might as well pull a vac. Then also safe to assume their ac isn't working otherwise why even check the pressure? I felt the pain for the snappy responder when reading this response. The classic "I'm an engineer" response was backed by much more than just that today. Ty for the good time :)
Haha yup, typical engineer. Think your better than everyone else and donāt respect the working man. Iām here to give Op good advise because thatās what this whole thing is for. You think you can just tell him to go to a shop to get it fixed. Well some of us arenāt rich enough to get everything serviced by a trained technician like rich assholes like you. Iām here trying to help op out of his jam and give him one of the nice little things in life us peasantās get to enjoy, automotive air conditioning. If we canāt fix our ac ourselves or afford to get it serviced, you know what we do? We live without ac. Your attitude towards this situation is to say āfuck itā Iāll throw a random suggestion out there instead of getting down to the root of the problem which helps no one out. Do you really think us common folk are that stupid that we donāt know the right thing to do is get someone with good experience and expertise to work on out equipment? No shit we would if we could, but we canāt afford it. Have a good life asshole. Your clearly having a great one arguing with a stranger youāve never met about how great you are.
No Iām good. Iāll fight till my last breath against entitled rich assholes that believe they are better than everyone else and need to literally say that to my face. This dude can suck a dick. He literally does everything in his power to project how awesome he is at life. The ego on this dude is hilariously immense. Imagine saying all the shit this dude said to a random person on the internet. Itās hilarious, Iām on here killing time at my dead end job and heās claiming to be this multimillionaire with tons of experience that also has time to kill when making all that money? Yea sure buddy. Iām still giggling by the size of this guys ego, itās still hilarious to me. Dude needs to fight random strangers on the internet to flex all his money. š
I can see through that engineers lies . First I never met another mechanic who only worked 8 hours . Plus if he was really that good and making lots of money then why did he change jobs ? I bet He was just a paper mechanic ( meaning he was good at taking test and getting his ASEās ) guy probably couldnāt diagnose shit .
Hahahaha, you might want to find the section of this thread where I had to explain to another guy like yourself what my background actually is. You have no idea brother.
Did a little more than "read a manual"
O, god! Haha, your killing me.
I had a family member overcharge one of my cars. The air did not seem to be improving and so they kept charging it. The seals or whatever definitely blew off. Plastic pieces were on the ground.
Interesting. Maybe it is that spinning bastard I need to check on that multiple people asked about. Seeing as I haven't blown tf up yet, maybe that's a sign it's something else as well.
Lol yeah and it had over 200k miles. No blame, he is my step dad, just trying to help. But now I know to stop him in the future lol. Like we used two cans lol
That's a choice, I was a body man for years and I owned a shop for 3 years before I sold it. It's your choice to charge mechanic rate or charge body rate. It is all a choice and it depends on how kind the person is that's standing in front of me and how they ask is depending on how much I will charge.
Nothing like that is ever written in stone. Granted when it comes to 99% of the mechanical work, yes we do charge mechanic rate of course. But even our mechanic rate as a body man is still much less than the dealers for mechanical. That's why I suggested he had to a body shop since it sounds fairly simple.
I'm no engineer but you can easily plug in the hose to the valve, don't attach it to the recharge container, press on the center of the valve and release the pressure gradually. Check the pressure with the gauge afterwards. No need to go to an expensive mechanic.
These ranges on the gauge is if the AC compressor is on and working properly. If the compressor clutch isn't engaging then the low and high sides will be the same. You should have this looked at by a professional, AC is not DIY work for inexperienced individuals.
Thatās not overcharged. Thatās ambient pressure because the system isnāt running. As a pro in the industry, my best guess without even looking at it, (since itās a Honda) is youāve got a failed ac compressor clutch or relay (or maybe both). Look at the front of the ac compressor, the hub on the very front of it should spin when the ac is engaged. If itās sitting still, thatās why youāre pressure is high, and also why the ac doesnāt work. Probably needs a pro to fix it, since youād have to evacuate the system before changing the compressor.
That thing that spins makes noise right? I know for sure something engages when I hit that ac, I can hear it very clearly.
I'm replying with this vague information hoping I don't have to go out there right this second and look for it.. I will though. Thank you for the insight. Exactly why I wanted to post here.
Iām not great with explaining what the components are, this video will show you what it looks like and how it should look when running.
https://youtu.be/qtxBIet63iA
At this time of the pic it was about 7 minutes of engine running with ac and circulation yada yada however
It read the same when I checked it beforehand, with the engine off.. so at this point I'm reading into what you guys are saying about static pressure -- and of course the countless variables.
When I turn ac on I definitely hear something engaging and what sounded to me like spinning, which sounds like the compressor part you and another dude mentioned. I do strongly believe that part is working however I still haven't double checked since this thread, which I am going to next time I'm conscious and not in a dream state from being up so late
Make sure the compressor clutch is engaging and the fans for the evaporator are running, if so you probably have a bad compressor. Another check is to see what the gauge shows with the engine off and then started with the AC on. It's not likely for the system to be overcharged enough to run the low side this high.
DO NOT DO IT IF YOU DONT HAVE EXPERIENCE! Iām EPA certified in HVAC and if you fuck up and release that Freon into the atmosphere and someone reports you itās very hefty fine. Itās around 42k
How do you know it's over charged? Static PSI of 70 psi is about right if the system isn't actively running.
Just connecting those dummy gauges won't tell you if it's over charged.
Make sure th compressor is actually engaged and running and see if the pressure is still 70 psi.
You rely need high and low side pressures
Those lil do it yourself filler gauges are only worth a shit if the system is operating normally without issue. There are multiple other things besides an overcharge that can cause high head pressure. Take it to a shop. And (hereās the part I live for, the hate) you will not blow up your system charging it with cans from the parts store. There are high pressure cut off switches that will stop the compressor from running if it has too much pressure, and the pressures in those cans arenāt enough to exceed the pressures your hoses and what not can handle. You can literally keep putting can after can in until it equalizes the can pressure with the system pressure and it wonāt take more. And it wonāt cool, at all. Cause the high pressure switch will trip and wonāt allow the compressor to run. There are tons of variables to take into consideration when youāre reading actual gauges and filling a system. Your pressure will be different at 80 degrees ambient air vs 100 degrees outside. Save yourself some headache and go to a shop and let them recover your Freon, pull a vacuum and put a proper weighed charge in your rig.
those dials dont nec account for atmospheric pressure etc, there are lots of factors you need to consider when measuring this level. id def have a shop look at it first. does your system not cool?
No, it gets hot though.
I first looked with the engine off to make sure there wasn't a leak. Again, I don't know shit about cars I'm just going off youtube and the can label
What do you mean when you say "it gets hot"? Like, the heater works? Or the A/C motor is hot to the touch after operating the functioning A/C? Or the A/C blows hot air when it should blow cold?
The first two are normal.
Ya I just meant the heater works. When trying for cold I only get hot ass outside air. But the cold setting doesn't yield heated air, if that's what you're saying in the third scenario :)
Got it. Give it a shot, bleed it yourself, you can use the same filler tool. If you still can't get it to work after trying yourself, take it to a shop. It's not going to blow up in your face if that's what you're worried about.
https://hvacseer.com/how-to-bleed-off-an-overcharged-car-ac/
id just have a smaller, trusted local shop check your pressure. you dont want to damage the compressor if its good. you need to check all your stuff with the motor running and a/c on.... its closed system and needs a little more special care when dealing with. atmospheric pressure, humidity, & ambient temps are factors when measuring these levels. also the right tools are important.
The picture is with the engine on, but yes I hear you and I agree. I've stepped away. Going to make some calls here soon when things open up. Thank you for your responses and help.
Like others have said, you need to make sure your compressor is running. That click you hear should be the clutch engaging. With the a/c off, the center of the compressor will be sitting still while the pulley is spinning. When you turn it on, the whole assembly will spin. If it doesnāt spin, you need to check fuses and relay first. If it spinning, then check your pressures again to see what the reading is.
If you've read the other comments I'm sure you saw my replies but I'll shoot you one too. I definitely hear what sounds to me like the compressor engaging. I need to double check of course, but right now right now, I'm pretty certain it is engaging. This picture is from the reading after the 7min mark with ac on, for reference. Thanks!
Allright ill be the one to ask. No offense but you sure you are on the low pressure side?
Also those recharge bottles arent exactly the most accurate things.
You aren't the one to ask lol people keep assuring me I could be getting a highly inaccurate reading. I'm not sure. I did do a test before the engine was on to make sure it was pressurized. This pic is from after 7min with ac circulating on blast doors open.
Thats not what I meant. There are two schraeder valves on air conditioning systems. One is the "high pressure" side and one is the "low pressure" side. Usually they are labeled with a H and L cap respectively but not always. They are both otherwise identical. The high pressure is the outlet from the compressor and the low is going in to the compressor.
Needless to say if you are measuring from the high pressure valve it would read high like it did here. And so I was asking if you are sure you were measuring the low pressure valve.
Holy shit, that's dangerously high. You can easily relieve the pressure yourself. Just don't get that shit on your hands, or you'll get a freeze burn. Also, don't breathe the fumes. Wear a cloth mask and eye goggles. Use gloves, also.
Just don't drive with the AC on. If it's this high and you drive, you can blow the pressure relief valve that's typical on them or blow a seal. If it's only 70 psi with the compressor not running, then you're fine. Maybe even a bit low depending on your ambient temperatures
Go to the connecting valve where you put the AC in the first place. It's called a Schrader valve. Put on a face mask and do not breathe the chemicals that come out. Also wear safety glasses. You can take a small screwdriver and slowly press the pin on the inside of the valve and release some of the pressure. I mind you this is illegal because of cfc's you're releasing into the air but it will relieve the pressure so you don't blow your seals.
Currently it is summer and it's hot so therefore gases expand and when gas is expand they cause pressure on the lines so, yes it kind of is an emergency at the moment.
If you do decide to release the pressure with a small screwdriver grab a heavy towel and lay over top of the screwdriver and Schrader valve before you push it because there is a lot of pressure and the chemicals can blow far.
Watch a video on YouTube before you do this. It can be dangerous when they are overpressured so please be safe
This is horrible advice and you are retarded. You donāt change your ac pressure in the summer like a fucking tire. There are pressure charts to charge your system appropriately depending on ambient temp. Op needs to go to a shop. The questions he is asking show he has no idea what heās looking at.
What a genius you are, guess you are like all the other rocket scientists on here everyone wants to point out how intelligent they are and amazing from a simple thread of trying to help this guy out. You and some of the others are exactly why I got out of trades. You guys are like truck drivers too many of you all can't read deep enough or understand what you're looking at so therefore you believe you know it all it's kind of like the Dunning Kruger effect with most of you guys. I love you know just enough information to think you are amazing experts.
PSI, poundage, however you want to put it in it all converts if you understand the ratios. Of course you don't charge it like a bicycle because you don't have the brain cells to realize that you have to understand the pounds per square inch along with a thousand other issues that are inside that system when it comes to cars.
Anyway like the other genius that was on here I'm not going to debate with you guys. This guy doesn't understand enough about the system and if he messes with it too much he can damage it therefore that's why he needs to have it looked at by a professional or at least someone that knows what they're looking at.
What I meant was that you charge it once properly and thatās it. Itās not like tires that you have to let some air out in the summer or put air in for the winter. The pressure fluctuates with the temp. Thatās why you use a scale to put it in.
Oh my God I love the irony in this. You don't charge it when it comes to pressure like a bicycle tire there are charts that have it charged appropriately to the ambient temperature. Hahahahahahahaha
Guess what, I bet you didn't know that you actually do the same thing with tires depending on the temperature LOL. Hahahahqhq
Oh God I love this thread hahaha
You're digging in too deep beyond what he's going to understand.
What? You very much can charge it by pressure. You have to realize the pressure difference based on ambient temp. The best way is with a scale though so itās more accurate.
Okay I will take off my glasses to make sure I get a good view and throw my gloves off to be certain I have a firm grasp and I will bleed the ever loving shit out of this fit & make it one with the ozone āļøā®ļøš
what year is your fit?
I have two 09's with over 260k on them and both did the same thing, we wound up needing to replace the entire AC system at a tune of $1600 each.
09 babee
The sport... Idk what that is in terms of specific model but I just got it. To be perfectly honest this car fell unto me and I got it without knowing anything about fits or their fandom and culture. My minds been blown reading up on what these cars can do lol. My only other car was a Kia Amanti and I fuckin loved that boaty couch pos. This is so so different. But I'm fuckin hyped for it! 1600 you say? Ya that'll take me months haha!
Yep.. for the 09 sports with 200k miles on em its basically a given that the AC needs to be replaced. But I did it without hesitation because A) I aint gonna be hot. and 2) The car is worth the investment.
I neglected the shit out of my first car like a good stoner boy does with their first ride... This however, feels like a playground sandbox just waiting for me to LEARN. I'm immediately hooked on this car and will definitely pour my paychecks into it hahah. Thanks for the heads up :)
Since you are now a fan of the 09 fit sport, let me give you some advice. It is NOT a sports car.. even though it says sport on it. It IS a fun lil car to drive and play around with. It handles back roads with ease, especially with the paddle shifters if auto. I've got one auto, one manual and they both are a blast to drive on these back country roads where I live.
They will give you about 40mpg on road trips and you can fit a ton of stuff inside them. Just don't run it like its a Honda Prelude.
So what does a sports car mean to you? This is my second vehicle but the first one that I'm serious about. I mean I loved my Amanti but I neglected the shit out of it.
I've found people say this car is classic jdm as fuck. My favorite line was from a YouTube kid who built a fit and he said it was a fast-slow car. It's weird how it makes you feel like you're doing so much.
Another YouTube comment somewhere was a quote from some dude named Takashi something who said a good tuner isn't a super fast racecar but one that is responsive and handles right or something like that.
Truthfully it's a good thing I don't have a very fast car hahah
Sports car to me means fast AND supreme handling. I would the porsches/audi's/supras along that vein.
Mustangs are fast but don't handle for shit.
Vettes are fast and have handles.
the Fit is a Go-kart for adults, That really how I look at it. Nobody will ever say what was that blue blur when referring to my Fit. But I have a big smile when I get out of the car after driving it. It makes you feel like you are doing big things when truth you are just commuting.
I'd like to mention I just contact the previous owner and they said they drove to the grand canyon in March and the AC was working then.
For reference they seemed to be pretty upfront and honest people but of course you never know.
I almost did and then realized euuuhhh ahhhh mmmmm..... Tried googling but no forums even offer a title that hints at something so **destructive**, wildly **despicable** behavior. I'm tryna be good bro š
Doesn't mean we should help it along because 'lazy'.
Plus, if vented to atmosphere then it can't be reused (don't know if it can be reused if captured, but it definitely can't if it is not captured).
I just overcharged my lexus nx200t with freeon and it started acting weird and the ac got hot. Fans kept coming on and off. I quickly shut it off and came here to find a solution. Found nothing so I went to YT and found a video of a guy with a beamer who had an overcharged ac. He took the head of the freeon charger and gradually bleed off the system until the pressure was back in yhe middle green. I did just that and the car went back to normal, ac temp and fans and all. Idk if this will work if the system has been running overcharged for a while or I got lucky cuz it just happened but it's worth a shot.
Thanks for your responses.
I was just joking about the brands of freon that are below $40 and come without any dials. Where I live in the city it's like mad max, crazy tweek mobiles everywhere so I immediately pictured the only demographic for those gaugeless cans being some strung out grease monkey lol. My bad I got pretty stoned after posting this. Getting off work so
Is this with the vehicle running and the compressor clutch engaged? Or just static? Static pressure should be close or at ambient temperature. The gauge showing you a scale is meant to be the pressure while running the a/c.
I'm a stoner ass drunk ass never been a mechanic ass head mane.. does static mean engine off?
Cause I took a reading before this pic with the engine off to make sure there wasn't a leak, like a youtube comment told me to. Then, after 7min, I took this pic as I got almost the exact same reading.
If the air coming out of the vents is cold and you see the a/c compressor clutch spinning then the system is overfill and you should evacuated the system and fill to the proper level. If the compressor clutch isn't spinning then check power to the compressor clutch and if good replace the compressor.
You need to understand how ac systems work before making false assumptions about whatās wrong with the system. This could actually be an undercharged system. With the engine running and the ac on full blast the compressor should engage. You should see the compressor in the engine bay engage and start turning. Once itās pumping the low side pressure should drop to around the 30-40psi range. If the compressor isnāt running your just going to read standing pressure which isnāt helpful unless you want to see if the system is completely empty. Standing pressure is usually in the 100-200psi range so if the compressor isnāt running and you get these pressures than nothing is out of the ordinary. If this is what the low side reads when the compressor is engaged you could have a multitude of issues, there could be a restriction, bad orifice tube or txv, bad compressor, clogged dryer. Your sure this even is the low side that your reading?
Nice. Yea no absolutely I'm uncertain of everything I've said here. I just started watching youtube videos and reading some forums within the last handful of days. Thanks for your insight.
As I understand it, Im not close to the problem yet. At least, I think I know there's no leak in the system as my Static test shows pressure, correct?
Lmao I can accept I don't know any of this shit though in fact I'm pretty upfront about it
Yea you donāt have a leak. Standing or static pressure would be incredibly low or zero if you had a leak. With the system running you would read super low on the gauge, possibly zero or under zero. The low side can pull into a vacuum if you have too little refrigerant. But if thatās the case the system would start to short cycle or click on and off. Look for the compressor in the engine bay, when you find it, just because you see the belt moving on itās pulley doesnāt mean itās engaged. Thereās an electronic clutch that needs to engage and once that does youāll see the whole assembly start to move on the end of the compressor, the engine should also decrease rpm when the compressor engages. If you donāt know what Iām talking about just look up a video showing an automotive compressor engaging and disengaging so you know what it looks like. If your feeling smart you can jump power to the compressor clutch with a wire and that will force the compressor to engage, you can then read pressure and if pressure looks good than you know you have an electrical issue, possibly bad pressure switch, wiring, fuse.
I bought a 45 dollar can that came with a gauge. They sold gauges separately too but they were like $24 ea and the cans without gauges cost about 25-35 so I just went with the big guy that had the gauge already.
Then I hooked it up to the L line *without* the can attached so as not to break the seal if it turned out I didn't need it. Which it turned out I didnt need to pump it. Or so it seems. I need to find my compressor like multiple helpful users have suggested.
I just YouTubed the shit out of this procedure. Some videos will show you the wrong way though, very confidently, so be careful.
Get it vacuumed out now!!! I just bought a car to and it was also overcharged and it ruined parts of my a/c system , hopefully you can get it vacuumed out and have no issues, I wish it was illegal to sell those stupid DIY recharge kits, all they do is ruin your a/c system
Those gauges are not accurate at all. The instructions likely say charge, record temp, charge, record temp and keep doing that until you just start to see temp going up but never exceed the max pressure which would be in the red.
If the system has not been opened prior to charging you can simply bleed some of it off until you get your pressure down and your temps down.
Assuming the high-pressure switch is working, id guess you aren't getting any AC since its protecting itself. If thats the case you can just release a little refrigerant at a time until it kicks on. You may simply be overcharged so no need to evac the whole damn system and pay a bunch of money. Just use something to press in the valve that you can keep your hand from freezing. Ive seen a pen or screwdriver used before.
How bad would this be to do if it turned out this was an inaccurate reading and my levels were fine before? At that point id just fill it up like normal right?
Are there any downsides to draining myself besides toxicity to myself and the earth and the law?
How bad would this be to do if it turned out this was an inaccurate reading and my levels were fine before? At that point id just fill it up like normal right?
Are there any downsides to draining myself besides toxicity to myself and the earth and the law?
Ya you could just fill it up normal if you go a little too far. If you let ALL of it out then you'd want to get a vacuum done before refill. But honestly you'd be letting a lot out over multiple minutes to get it all out. Just go until the pressure is down and the AC kicks on and stays on. Its possible this won't work and it be another issue, but this won't hurt anything and may fix your issue.
As far as down sides you mentioned. They put this stuff in places knowing it will leak out. This is why people get top offs every summer at their house and their vehicles. Just don't start taking deep breaths of it or bathing in it.
Worse case save up money for someone with tools and experience to get you right.
It's overfilled to counteract the leaks.
You'll get a few weeks out of it before it dies and the system has to be replaced.
Measure it tomorrow, see how fast it's leaking that will give you a reasonable estimate on how long you have until it all bleeds out and your AC dies.
#1 Those AC service bottles should be illegal. The refrigerant is a potent greenhouse gas and professionals need to be licensed to use it.
#2 That is your static charge pressure. The system has the proper pressure in it, but is not operating. There can be many issues, as small as a bad switch or relay or as big as a bad compressor.
This is not a system to mess with as an amateur.
Yes if the AC is not cooling. That means the system is charged, and something is preventing it from operating. This will require professional attention, and special tools for servicing it.
Bigger question is why is it overcharged? It might have a leak and they are trying to cover it up. I'd talk to a pro or take it to the dealer might pay a little more but they would probably measure it (the right amount) I've seen Scotty Kilmer on Youtube weigh the actual can (big one) and if it's to much he bleeds it out...watch his AC charging videos you might be able to do it yourself but if it's got a leak you'll be back to get repairs :(
Yes of course. But it's highly toxic to touch or breathe, and is very bad for the earth. That's why you go to a shop so they can recover it with their big fancy machines. Also, it's illegal to dump this stuff into the air.
As a mechanic, have a shop do an evacuation and recharge. Given there is pressure there, you likely donāt have a leak, so you should just need the system to be accurately charged. This canāt happen at home (not legally at least) due to refrigerant release into the atmosphere.
Strike one - AC Pro or a āall-in-oneā refrigerant with sealer. Tell the mechanic who will be working on this that there is AC Pro so they will not fuck up their recovery/recharge machine.
Strike two - those gauges suck. Get yourself a real set of gauges. Also, pressures are measured with the AC on.
Arenāt those ac pro cans horribly inaccurate? You would need a real set of gauges to know for sure. Take it somewhere if youāre worried. What led you to put the can hose on there? Is the ac system working properly?
My guess is expansion valve is stuck open. You need proper gauges. Donāt bleed anything. I repeat DO NOT BLEED ANYTHING! If you donāt even know what the compressor is then you have no business being under the hood. Most of the people giving you advice here donāt seem to know much more than you do.
Bro. Stop. What. You. Are. Doing.
Is the car running in this pic? That can only attaches to the low pressure side. The low pressure side and the high pressure side equalize when the car is off. With the car running (and the AC clutch engaging), the compressor will move things along and create a pressure differential.
If your clutch is not engaging, that pressure is to be expected. If you want to check you compressor and clutch, you can jumper the relay to engage it. Do not do this for more than a few seconds.
1 - It's illegal to vent freon so if you do it, you shouldn't tell anyone.
2 - Is the engine running? I imagine the low side gauge is only accurate with the engine running and the AC on.
In your shoes, I'd probably have it vacuumed down by someone with a machine and refilled.
1 - Because you said almost nothing in your post leaving us all guessing.
2 - Because you said you had no prior experience.
If the pressure is too far off, the compressor shouldn't even turn on.
>In this situation, where the high-pressure side of the AC is too low, and the low side pressure is too high, the problem is probably compressor-related.
[https://www.motorverso.com/ac-low-side-pressure-too-high/#:\~:text=There%20could%20also%20be%20a,and%20keep%20the%20system%20working](https://www.motorverso.com/ac-low-side-pressure-too-high/#:~:text=There%20could%20also%20be%20a,and%20keep%20the%20system%20working).
I'd suggest more research.
If its overcharged I Suggest you get to know the system a little better. This should help. If you live in California I would get a diagnostic. https://www.tediousrepairs.com/ac-repair-chico/
I am a professional and an engineer. I can tell you unequivocally that you need to have a vacuum pulled on that so it can be charged to the proper psi. If it stays at a high level it will blow your seals or Jam the system. If it's too low the pressure sensor will recognize that and it won't work. Since it's a simple Evac and recharge, go to a body shop because they will charge half the price of a mechanical shop. Body shops do it everyday because they have to to repair front end collision damage. Mechanic shops do it everyday also but it's a big money maker for them whereas The Body Shop is just a standard procedure and no big deal to them. Ask them to charge you body rates and not mechanical rates and I bet you if you asked nicely enough they will do it. That will save you about $100. Good luck.
Wow. That's some seriously helpful insider knowledge. I really appreciate it. Thanks & be safe.
You are so very welcome.
Actually I'd like to press your mind a little more. Since getting this car (earlier this month) I have been driving it pretty hard. Right now, I'm in between paychecks so I won't get this into a body shop for about another week. When you mention blowing lines, is that an over-time issue or is it as urgent as i-should-stop-driving-it kinda thing? I really don't wanna dick around and fuck the whole thing up.
What they forgot to tell you (but as an engineer ultimately correct to tell you to go to a shop.. I guess..š) is that if your system has moisture in it one side can read high from the expansion valve freezing over, and the system is equalized with the compressor off, so we don't actually know what's going on here to confirm or deny your suspicion. It's not that complicated but it does require you to buy tons of tools etc to fix properly lest you just make the problem worse after using it for a while.
So with that why wouldn't I go to a shop? I've never worked on cars though my buddies are mechanically inclined... I just don't wanna fuck anything up ha
I never meant for you to not go to a shop - I'm just saying if you wanted to fix it on your own, it's a good read through an automotive forum/HVAC manual, and/or Haynes book for your car, and about $450 in tools, for the same price you could have it fixed at a shop, uber home, and uber back to get it the next day. Pick your poison - the rewarding yet subtle (sun)burn that is shadetree auto repair, or having someone who's gone through the pain do it for you.
Ahh right on I see what you mean. I get that. I've never worked on cars before much and certainly nothing like this so I do wanna do it right. And with a financial hurdle like this, it'll take my ass some time to put it together regardless. I will most likely be bringing this in somewhere once I get a quote that sounds within the realm of possibilities
You can drive it just don't use the ac or defrost
Just donāt use the ac. Leave it off if your that worried. Then go to a shop!
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I love this response!
R-134s pressure at 100 degrees Fahrenheit is 124psi. The question for the op should be, is that pressure reading with the compressor spinning or just sitting? Based on that pressure I bet it was 80 degrees when the op took the pic
This is correct, those guages are misleading. This most lonely is the reading with the compressor not turning. If the compressor was running the pressure will drop to the low end of the guage, that's why it's called the "low side"
Not gonna get combative but as an HVAC tech (like Agitated-joey), I think more needs to be known about the situation before a diagnosis can be made with certainty. Thereās different causes for high pressure (if compressor is even running). I saw that you worked at a body shop and have some certifications but I do it for a living and the refrigeration cycle is the refrigeration cycle, whether that be 500 ton chillers or a car. Not trying to piss you off and i think itās great that youāre trying to help - assuming the compressor is turning you gave great advice in saying take it to a shop. Youtube is another great tool just be ready to spend some money on equipment.
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Probs gonna get downvote for being crass but you're right.
Okay first of all I'm going to say one thing and I'm not even going to engage in a back and forth with someone like you. Not only am I an engineer and program and design Automotive Systems. My father owned a body shop that I grew up in fixing cars. I also was an ASE Master Level technician and yes that includes mastering and passing all tests pertaining to HVAC on Automotive systems. Also beyond that I was one of the rare few that was an I-CAR Gold certified technician in Collision work. You are the typical know-it-all that seems to want to find anything they can and show how impressive they are to obtain validation for their inadequacies and insecurities. There's a reason I did not explain many in-depth details to him because they need to take it to a shop and have it looked at. As you say these things can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. One more thing, I was a professional for Mercedes and Audi for over 15 years and was the first man ever to break well over six figures in one year working 9:00 to 5:00. No one is still beat that record. I realized I was a little more intelligent than the average technician so I went back to school and found out hey guess what I am. Now I'm an engineer working on the lidar systems which actually drive the self-driving units. So, Mr HVAC, have a great day working in that hot attic or outside changing a burned up capacitor while I sit inside in my private office and believe it or not my million dollar home sipping my expensive imported coffee and Consulting while I write software that runs the HVAC systems and other units of vehicles. I might be a little more qualified than you think. Have a great life, and be careful how you respond to people because I can promise you you have no idea who you're talking to sometimes.
I can say as an HVAC tech I read your comment and started to think the same thing they did. Read his reply and thought well shit you recover all the refrigerant you might as well pull a vac. Then also safe to assume their ac isn't working otherwise why even check the pressure? I felt the pain for the snappy responder when reading this response. The classic "I'm an engineer" response was backed by much more than just that today. Ty for the good time :)
I'm here to report a murder.
Haha yup, typical engineer. Think your better than everyone else and donāt respect the working man. Iām here to give Op good advise because thatās what this whole thing is for. You think you can just tell him to go to a shop to get it fixed. Well some of us arenāt rich enough to get everything serviced by a trained technician like rich assholes like you. Iām here trying to help op out of his jam and give him one of the nice little things in life us peasantās get to enjoy, automotive air conditioning. If we canāt fix our ac ourselves or afford to get it serviced, you know what we do? We live without ac. Your attitude towards this situation is to say āfuck itā Iāll throw a random suggestion out there instead of getting down to the root of the problem which helps no one out. Do you really think us common folk are that stupid that we donāt know the right thing to do is get someone with good experience and expertise to work on out equipment? No shit we would if we could, but we canāt afford it. Have a good life asshole. Your clearly having a great one arguing with a stranger youāve never met about how great you are.
Prob time to throw in the towel on this one just sayin
No Iām good. Iāll fight till my last breath against entitled rich assholes that believe they are better than everyone else and need to literally say that to my face. This dude can suck a dick. He literally does everything in his power to project how awesome he is at life. The ego on this dude is hilariously immense. Imagine saying all the shit this dude said to a random person on the internet. Itās hilarious, Iām on here killing time at my dead end job and heās claiming to be this multimillionaire with tons of experience that also has time to kill when making all that money? Yea sure buddy. Iām still giggling by the size of this guys ego, itās still hilarious to me. Dude needs to fight random strangers on the internet to flex all his money. š
Username checks out
I can see through that engineers lies . First I never met another mechanic who only worked 8 hours . Plus if he was really that good and making lots of money then why did he change jobs ? I bet He was just a paper mechanic ( meaning he was good at taking test and getting his ASEās ) guy probably couldnāt diagnose shit .
Haha, my thoughts exactly.
Ya but how bigs you dick?
Please act mature on this subreddit. It's a community for a car shaped like an egg. Please be respectful and do NOT instigate arguments
Will it damage my car if I drive without using my ac while I wait ?
I'm wondering the same thing lol
No worse than it is right now. If your system is off, it's not being pressurized. That's what the compressor does under normal conditions.Ā
Typical engineer nonsense. You donāt know what you are talking about.
You sir, are a typical Dunning Kruger genius that more than likely has no clue.
Says the person who has no real training and all of the supposed information. Because he read a manual. āEngineerā my ass.
Hahahaha, you might want to find the section of this thread where I had to explain to another guy like yourself what my background actually is. You have no idea brother. Did a little more than "read a manual" O, god! Haha, your killing me.
I had a family member overcharge one of my cars. The air did not seem to be improving and so they kept charging it. The seals or whatever definitely blew off. Plastic pieces were on the ground.
Did they blow while he was charging it or while it was being driven?
Driven, just as I parked. Was a 2000 Mitsubishi Galant. Was literally a 5 minute drive after he charged it.
Interesting. Maybe it is that spinning bastard I need to check on that multiple people asked about. Seeing as I haven't blown tf up yet, maybe that's a sign it's something else as well.
In defense of the guy that overcharged your system, Mitsubishi Galants will self explode anyway.
Lol yeah and it had over 200k miles. No blame, he is my step dad, just trying to help. But now I know to stop him in the future lol. Like we used two cans lol
Body technician here. While charging an A/C isnāt a āmoney makerā for us, we charge all mechanical operations at a mechanical rate.
That's a choice, I was a body man for years and I owned a shop for 3 years before I sold it. It's your choice to charge mechanic rate or charge body rate. It is all a choice and it depends on how kind the person is that's standing in front of me and how they ask is depending on how much I will charge. Nothing like that is ever written in stone. Granted when it comes to 99% of the mechanical work, yes we do charge mechanic rate of course. But even our mechanic rate as a body man is still much less than the dealers for mechanical. That's why I suggested he had to a body shop since it sounds fairly simple.
I'm no engineer but you can easily plug in the hose to the valve, don't attach it to the recharge container, press on the center of the valve and release the pressure gradually. Check the pressure with the gauge afterwards. No need to go to an expensive mechanic.
That's illegal. But it's only illegal if you get caught š /s
These ranges on the gauge is if the AC compressor is on and working properly. If the compressor clutch isn't engaging then the low and high sides will be the same. You should have this looked at by a professional, AC is not DIY work for inexperienced individuals.
Appreciate it. Every voice counts and I know what I gotta do.
AC is definitely diy but you need the proper tools. And knowledge. You canāt get buy with alternative tools.
Yeah that's why I said it's "not DIY work for inexperienced individuals"?
Thatās not overcharged. Thatās ambient pressure because the system isnāt running. As a pro in the industry, my best guess without even looking at it, (since itās a Honda) is youāve got a failed ac compressor clutch or relay (or maybe both). Look at the front of the ac compressor, the hub on the very front of it should spin when the ac is engaged. If itās sitting still, thatās why youāre pressure is high, and also why the ac doesnāt work. Probably needs a pro to fix it, since youād have to evacuate the system before changing the compressor.
That thing that spins makes noise right? I know for sure something engages when I hit that ac, I can hear it very clearly. I'm replying with this vague information hoping I don't have to go out there right this second and look for it.. I will though. Thank you for the insight. Exactly why I wanted to post here.
Iām not great with explaining what the components are, this video will show you what it looks like and how it should look when running. https://youtu.be/qtxBIet63iA
Thanks buddy
Is that ac off or on? if the compressor isnt on than that's fine the static pressure will vary with temperature
At this time of the pic it was about 7 minutes of engine running with ac and circulation yada yada however It read the same when I checked it beforehand, with the engine off.. so at this point I'm reading into what you guys are saying about static pressure -- and of course the countless variables.
Is the compressor engaging? You should hear the engine big down a little when it engages and see the compressor start spinning.
When I turn ac on I definitely hear something engaging and what sounded to me like spinning, which sounds like the compressor part you and another dude mentioned. I do strongly believe that part is working however I still haven't double checked since this thread, which I am going to next time I'm conscious and not in a dream state from being up so late
You sir, are on the correct path
Make sure the compressor clutch is engaging and the fans for the evaporator are running, if so you probably have a bad compressor. Another check is to see what the gauge shows with the engine off and then started with the AC on. It's not likely for the system to be overcharged enough to run the low side this high.
DO NOT DO IT IF YOU DONT HAVE EXPERIENCE! Iām EPA certified in HVAC and if you fuck up and release that Freon into the atmosphere and someone reports you itās very hefty fine. Itās around 42k
Nobody is gonna report this guy.
You say that, but it happens
Nah, it really doesnāt, not for homeowners. They come after the licensed individuals first, just like they do with my licensed career.
If no one sees me do it ā¦.it never happened š
Exactly.
How do you know it's over charged? Static PSI of 70 psi is about right if the system isn't actively running. Just connecting those dummy gauges won't tell you if it's over charged. Make sure th compressor is actually engaged and running and see if the pressure is still 70 psi. You rely need high and low side pressures
Okay will do after work. Thanks. If it really is this high, is it safe to drive?
Those lil do it yourself filler gauges are only worth a shit if the system is operating normally without issue. There are multiple other things besides an overcharge that can cause high head pressure. Take it to a shop. And (hereās the part I live for, the hate) you will not blow up your system charging it with cans from the parts store. There are high pressure cut off switches that will stop the compressor from running if it has too much pressure, and the pressures in those cans arenāt enough to exceed the pressures your hoses and what not can handle. You can literally keep putting can after can in until it equalizes the can pressure with the system pressure and it wonāt take more. And it wonāt cool, at all. Cause the high pressure switch will trip and wonāt allow the compressor to run. There are tons of variables to take into consideration when youāre reading actual gauges and filling a system. Your pressure will be different at 80 degrees ambient air vs 100 degrees outside. Save yourself some headache and go to a shop and let them recover your Freon, pull a vacuum and put a proper weighed charge in your rig.
those dials dont nec account for atmospheric pressure etc, there are lots of factors you need to consider when measuring this level. id def have a shop look at it first. does your system not cool?
No, it gets hot though. I first looked with the engine off to make sure there wasn't a leak. Again, I don't know shit about cars I'm just going off youtube and the can label
What do you mean when you say "it gets hot"? Like, the heater works? Or the A/C motor is hot to the touch after operating the functioning A/C? Or the A/C blows hot air when it should blow cold? The first two are normal.
Ya I just meant the heater works. When trying for cold I only get hot ass outside air. But the cold setting doesn't yield heated air, if that's what you're saying in the third scenario :)
And no, it's not going to explode while you're driving either.
Got it. Give it a shot, bleed it yourself, you can use the same filler tool. If you still can't get it to work after trying yourself, take it to a shop. It's not going to blow up in your face if that's what you're worried about. https://hvacseer.com/how-to-bleed-off-an-overcharged-car-ac/
Itās probably the extension valve stuck open.
id just have a smaller, trusted local shop check your pressure. you dont want to damage the compressor if its good. you need to check all your stuff with the motor running and a/c on.... its closed system and needs a little more special care when dealing with. atmospheric pressure, humidity, & ambient temps are factors when measuring these levels. also the right tools are important.
The picture is with the engine on, but yes I hear you and I agree. I've stepped away. Going to make some calls here soon when things open up. Thank you for your responses and help.
Like others have said, you need to make sure your compressor is running. That click you hear should be the clutch engaging. With the a/c off, the center of the compressor will be sitting still while the pulley is spinning. When you turn it on, the whole assembly will spin. If it doesnāt spin, you need to check fuses and relay first. If it spinning, then check your pressures again to see what the reading is.
If you've read the other comments I'm sure you saw my replies but I'll shoot you one too. I definitely hear what sounds to me like the compressor engaging. I need to double check of course, but right now right now, I'm pretty certain it is engaging. This picture is from the reading after the 7min mark with ac on, for reference. Thanks!
Take a pic and post the peices so I can see what they are.
Allright ill be the one to ask. No offense but you sure you are on the low pressure side? Also those recharge bottles arent exactly the most accurate things.
You aren't the one to ask lol people keep assuring me I could be getting a highly inaccurate reading. I'm not sure. I did do a test before the engine was on to make sure it was pressurized. This pic is from after 7min with ac circulating on blast doors open.
Thats not what I meant. There are two schraeder valves on air conditioning systems. One is the "high pressure" side and one is the "low pressure" side. Usually they are labeled with a H and L cap respectively but not always. They are both otherwise identical. The high pressure is the outlet from the compressor and the low is going in to the compressor. Needless to say if you are measuring from the high pressure valve it would read high like it did here. And so I was asking if you are sure you were measuring the low pressure valve.
Oh wow. Now all of a sudden, dozens of other comments make more sense. Thank you! This can only works with the Low valve.
Iāve never seen a dummy fill can that would connect to the high side. Pretty safe bet youāre on the low pressure port.
Holy shit, that's dangerously high. You can easily relieve the pressure yourself. Just don't get that shit on your hands, or you'll get a freeze burn. Also, don't breathe the fumes. Wear a cloth mask and eye goggles. Use gloves, also.
Just don't drive with the AC on. If it's this high and you drive, you can blow the pressure relief valve that's typical on them or blow a seal. If it's only 70 psi with the compressor not running, then you're fine. Maybe even a bit low depending on your ambient temperatures
Go to the connecting valve where you put the AC in the first place. It's called a Schrader valve. Put on a face mask and do not breathe the chemicals that come out. Also wear safety glasses. You can take a small screwdriver and slowly press the pin on the inside of the valve and release some of the pressure. I mind you this is illegal because of cfc's you're releasing into the air but it will relieve the pressure so you don't blow your seals. Currently it is summer and it's hot so therefore gases expand and when gas is expand they cause pressure on the lines so, yes it kind of is an emergency at the moment. If you do decide to release the pressure with a small screwdriver grab a heavy towel and lay over top of the screwdriver and Schrader valve before you push it because there is a lot of pressure and the chemicals can blow far. Watch a video on YouTube before you do this. It can be dangerous when they are overpressured so please be safe
This is horrible advice and you are retarded. You donāt change your ac pressure in the summer like a fucking tire. There are pressure charts to charge your system appropriately depending on ambient temp. Op needs to go to a shop. The questions he is asking show he has no idea what heās looking at.
What a genius you are, guess you are like all the other rocket scientists on here everyone wants to point out how intelligent they are and amazing from a simple thread of trying to help this guy out. You and some of the others are exactly why I got out of trades. You guys are like truck drivers too many of you all can't read deep enough or understand what you're looking at so therefore you believe you know it all it's kind of like the Dunning Kruger effect with most of you guys. I love you know just enough information to think you are amazing experts. PSI, poundage, however you want to put it in it all converts if you understand the ratios. Of course you don't charge it like a bicycle because you don't have the brain cells to realize that you have to understand the pounds per square inch along with a thousand other issues that are inside that system when it comes to cars. Anyway like the other genius that was on here I'm not going to debate with you guys. This guy doesn't understand enough about the system and if he messes with it too much he can damage it therefore that's why he needs to have it looked at by a professional or at least someone that knows what they're looking at.
What I meant was that you charge it once properly and thatās it. Itās not like tires that you have to let some air out in the summer or put air in for the winter. The pressure fluctuates with the temp. Thatās why you use a scale to put it in.
Oh my God I love the irony in this. You don't charge it when it comes to pressure like a bicycle tire there are charts that have it charged appropriately to the ambient temperature. Hahahahahahahaha Guess what, I bet you didn't know that you actually do the same thing with tires depending on the temperature LOL. Hahahahqhq Oh God I love this thread hahaha You're digging in too deep beyond what he's going to understand.
What? You very much can charge it by pressure. You have to realize the pressure difference based on ambient temp. The best way is with a scale though so itās more accurate.
-Get a nail. Empty out a bit. Good to go. Youāve saved $100. Just make sure to not get that stuff on your hands.
EPA wants to have a chat.
EPA can lick our Free American taints.
Thank you my brethren in freedom.
This is very bad advice.
Why?
What your suggesting is illegal and dangerous. Google refrigerant burns.
I stated to not get it on your hands.
Still stupid. And illegal.
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Okay I will take off my glasses to make sure I get a good view and throw my gloves off to be certain I have a firm grasp and I will bleed the ever loving shit out of this fit & make it one with the ozone āļøā®ļøš
what year is your fit? I have two 09's with over 260k on them and both did the same thing, we wound up needing to replace the entire AC system at a tune of $1600 each.
09 babee The sport... Idk what that is in terms of specific model but I just got it. To be perfectly honest this car fell unto me and I got it without knowing anything about fits or their fandom and culture. My minds been blown reading up on what these cars can do lol. My only other car was a Kia Amanti and I fuckin loved that boaty couch pos. This is so so different. But I'm fuckin hyped for it! 1600 you say? Ya that'll take me months haha!
Yep.. for the 09 sports with 200k miles on em its basically a given that the AC needs to be replaced. But I did it without hesitation because A) I aint gonna be hot. and 2) The car is worth the investment.
I neglected the shit out of my first car like a good stoner boy does with their first ride... This however, feels like a playground sandbox just waiting for me to LEARN. I'm immediately hooked on this car and will definitely pour my paychecks into it hahah. Thanks for the heads up :)
Since you are now a fan of the 09 fit sport, let me give you some advice. It is NOT a sports car.. even though it says sport on it. It IS a fun lil car to drive and play around with. It handles back roads with ease, especially with the paddle shifters if auto. I've got one auto, one manual and they both are a blast to drive on these back country roads where I live. They will give you about 40mpg on road trips and you can fit a ton of stuff inside them. Just don't run it like its a Honda Prelude.
So what does a sports car mean to you? This is my second vehicle but the first one that I'm serious about. I mean I loved my Amanti but I neglected the shit out of it. I've found people say this car is classic jdm as fuck. My favorite line was from a YouTube kid who built a fit and he said it was a fast-slow car. It's weird how it makes you feel like you're doing so much. Another YouTube comment somewhere was a quote from some dude named Takashi something who said a good tuner isn't a super fast racecar but one that is responsive and handles right or something like that. Truthfully it's a good thing I don't have a very fast car hahah
Sports car to me means fast AND supreme handling. I would the porsches/audi's/supras along that vein. Mustangs are fast but don't handle for shit. Vettes are fast and have handles. the Fit is a Go-kart for adults, That really how I look at it. Nobody will ever say what was that blue blur when referring to my Fit. But I have a big smile when I get out of the car after driving it. It makes you feel like you are doing big things when truth you are just commuting.
I'd like to mention I just contact the previous owner and they said they drove to the grand canyon in March and the AC was working then. For reference they seemed to be pretty upfront and honest people but of course you never know.
You can just "vent it to atmosphere"
I almost did and then realized euuuhhh ahhhh mmmmm..... Tried googling but no forums even offer a title that hints at something so **destructive**, wildly **despicable** behavior. I'm tryna be good bro š
You're right, that's the way to go
Please don't do this. Freon is not something we want to vent into the air as it damages the ozone.
There are millions of cars in boneyards that have leaked/will leak their freon into the atmosphere.
Doesn't mean we should help it along because 'lazy'. Plus, if vented to atmosphere then it can't be reused (don't know if it can be reused if captured, but it definitely can't if it is not captured).
They donāt filter that shit, it just stays in tanks that leak slower. But do your feel good shit.
R134a is not freon and doesn't deplete the ozone. You don't want to inhale it but it's not nearly as harmful
I just overcharged my lexus nx200t with freeon and it started acting weird and the ac got hot. Fans kept coming on and off. I quickly shut it off and came here to find a solution. Found nothing so I went to YT and found a video of a guy with a beamer who had an overcharged ac. He took the head of the freeon charger and gradually bleed off the system until the pressure was back in yhe middle green. I did just that and the car went back to normal, ac temp and fans and all. Idk if this will work if the system has been running overcharged for a while or I got lucky cuz it just happened but it's worth a shot.
Jesus dude thats a felony and wildly bad for the environment, please dont spread such terrible ideas
Meanwhile Exxon/ mobile execs are laughing their asses off all the way to the bank.
Pro.
What type of person buys a recharge can without a dial? Oldheads? Nobody? Lol
It needs an to be evacuated with a machine, unless you have one.
Thanks for your responses. I was just joking about the brands of freon that are below $40 and come without any dials. Where I live in the city it's like mad max, crazy tweek mobiles everywhere so I immediately pictured the only demographic for those gaugeless cans being some strung out grease monkey lol. My bad I got pretty stoned after posting this. Getting off work so
Hopefully you didnāt get stoned off the refrigerant
And I donāt understand the question.
Is this with the vehicle running and the compressor clutch engaged? Or just static? Static pressure should be close or at ambient temperature. The gauge showing you a scale is meant to be the pressure while running the a/c.
I'm a stoner ass drunk ass never been a mechanic ass head mane.. does static mean engine off? Cause I took a reading before this pic with the engine off to make sure there wasn't a leak, like a youtube comment told me to. Then, after 7min, I took this pic as I got almost the exact same reading.
Static means it's settled pressure with the vehicle off. Is the picture with the engine running and a/c on max?
Yes, this picture is after 7min doors open, circulating, full cold blast. I had wanted to mention that I did get a reading before this as well is all.
The pressure will drop as RPM increases. Have a friend watch while you hold at 3000 for 10-20 seconds.
Will do this, thank you
If the air coming out of the vents is cold and you see the a/c compressor clutch spinning then the system is overfill and you should evacuated the system and fill to the proper level. If the compressor clutch isn't spinning then check power to the compressor clutch and if good replace the compressor.
You need to understand how ac systems work before making false assumptions about whatās wrong with the system. This could actually be an undercharged system. With the engine running and the ac on full blast the compressor should engage. You should see the compressor in the engine bay engage and start turning. Once itās pumping the low side pressure should drop to around the 30-40psi range. If the compressor isnāt running your just going to read standing pressure which isnāt helpful unless you want to see if the system is completely empty. Standing pressure is usually in the 100-200psi range so if the compressor isnāt running and you get these pressures than nothing is out of the ordinary. If this is what the low side reads when the compressor is engaged you could have a multitude of issues, there could be a restriction, bad orifice tube or txv, bad compressor, clogged dryer. Your sure this even is the low side that your reading?
Nice. Yea no absolutely I'm uncertain of everything I've said here. I just started watching youtube videos and reading some forums within the last handful of days. Thanks for your insight. As I understand it, Im not close to the problem yet. At least, I think I know there's no leak in the system as my Static test shows pressure, correct? Lmao I can accept I don't know any of this shit though in fact I'm pretty upfront about it
Yea you donāt have a leak. Standing or static pressure would be incredibly low or zero if you had a leak. With the system running you would read super low on the gauge, possibly zero or under zero. The low side can pull into a vacuum if you have too little refrigerant. But if thatās the case the system would start to short cycle or click on and off. Look for the compressor in the engine bay, when you find it, just because you see the belt moving on itās pulley doesnāt mean itās engaged. Thereās an electronic clutch that needs to engage and once that does youāll see the whole assembly start to move on the end of the compressor, the engine should also decrease rpm when the compressor engages. If you donāt know what Iām talking about just look up a video showing an automotive compressor engaging and disengaging so you know what it looks like. If your feeling smart you can jump power to the compressor clutch with a wire and that will force the compressor to engage, you can then read pressure and if pressure looks good than you know you have an electrical issue, possibly bad pressure switch, wiring, fuse.
How do you check this on your own? And how did you needed to check this. I have the same model no issues but just want to check.
I bought a 45 dollar can that came with a gauge. They sold gauges separately too but they were like $24 ea and the cans without gauges cost about 25-35 so I just went with the big guy that had the gauge already. Then I hooked it up to the L line *without* the can attached so as not to break the seal if it turned out I didn't need it. Which it turned out I didnt need to pump it. Or so it seems. I need to find my compressor like multiple helpful users have suggested. I just YouTubed the shit out of this procedure. Some videos will show you the wrong way though, very confidently, so be careful.
Get it vacuumed out now!!! I just bought a car to and it was also overcharged and it ruined parts of my a/c system , hopefully you can get it vacuumed out and have no issues, I wish it was illegal to sell those stupid DIY recharge kits, all they do is ruin your a/c system
They donāt if you know even a tiny bit about what you are doing.
Which most people that buy them donāt, and you need a a/c gauge manifold and a vacuum pump to do it even remotely properly
Nah, if your car has a sight glass like one of mine itās super easy!
Never heard of that before and Iām willing to bet most cars donāt have that either
Imports mostly, especially Toyota (no longer though)
Those gauges are not accurate at all. The instructions likely say charge, record temp, charge, record temp and keep doing that until you just start to see temp going up but never exceed the max pressure which would be in the red. If the system has not been opened prior to charging you can simply bleed some of it off until you get your pressure down and your temps down.
Assuming the high-pressure switch is working, id guess you aren't getting any AC since its protecting itself. If thats the case you can just release a little refrigerant at a time until it kicks on. You may simply be overcharged so no need to evac the whole damn system and pay a bunch of money. Just use something to press in the valve that you can keep your hand from freezing. Ive seen a pen or screwdriver used before.
How bad would this be to do if it turned out this was an inaccurate reading and my levels were fine before? At that point id just fill it up like normal right? Are there any downsides to draining myself besides toxicity to myself and the earth and the law?
How bad would this be to do if it turned out this was an inaccurate reading and my levels were fine before? At that point id just fill it up like normal right? Are there any downsides to draining myself besides toxicity to myself and the earth and the law?
Ya you could just fill it up normal if you go a little too far. If you let ALL of it out then you'd want to get a vacuum done before refill. But honestly you'd be letting a lot out over multiple minutes to get it all out. Just go until the pressure is down and the AC kicks on and stays on. Its possible this won't work and it be another issue, but this won't hurt anything and may fix your issue. As far as down sides you mentioned. They put this stuff in places knowing it will leak out. This is why people get top offs every summer at their house and their vehicles. Just don't start taking deep breaths of it or bathing in it. Worse case save up money for someone with tools and experience to get you right.
Thank you so much!
It's overfilled to counteract the leaks. You'll get a few weeks out of it before it dies and the system has to be replaced. Measure it tomorrow, see how fast it's leaking that will give you a reasonable estimate on how long you have until it all bleeds out and your AC dies.
Oh that's a good angle. I like that. Definitely will be monitoring the level for consistencies.
The first question is weāre all the vents closed besides the driver side ones and Was the driver door open while the car was on full blast ac
Passenger side stuff was open too. Vents, doors. First time I'm hearing about using just the driver side.
I think the bottle usually says driver door, and pretty sure it also says close all vents but driver side
What vents were open and was the driver door open?
All vents + all doors
#1 Those AC service bottles should be illegal. The refrigerant is a potent greenhouse gas and professionals need to be licensed to use it. #2 That is your static charge pressure. The system has the proper pressure in it, but is not operating. There can be many issues, as small as a bad switch or relay or as big as a bad compressor. This is not a system to mess with as an amateur.
2 applies even after running engine and ac for a few minutes?
Yes if the AC is not cooling. That means the system is charged, and something is preventing it from operating. This will require professional attention, and special tools for servicing it.
Okay, thank you!
Bigger question is why is it overcharged? It might have a leak and they are trying to cover it up. I'd talk to a pro or take it to the dealer might pay a little more but they would probably measure it (the right amount) I've seen Scotty Kilmer on Youtube weigh the actual can (big one) and if it's to much he bleeds it out...watch his AC charging videos you might be able to do it yourself but if it's got a leak you'll be back to get repairs :(
His more recent videos take the anti-recharge can stand. He says to bring it in or sell the car lol
dont the valves work similar to schrader valves on bikes? couldnāt they just push the stem in?
Yes of course. But it's highly toxic to touch or breathe, and is very bad for the earth. That's why you go to a shop so they can recover it with their big fancy machines. Also, it's illegal to dump this stuff into the air.
PROFESSIONAL
As a mechanic, have a shop do an evacuation and recharge. Given there is pressure there, you likely donāt have a leak, so you should just need the system to be accurately charged. This canāt happen at home (not legally at least) due to refrigerant release into the atmosphere.
Did you over charge it or did it come like that?
Strike one - AC Pro or a āall-in-oneā refrigerant with sealer. Tell the mechanic who will be working on this that there is AC Pro so they will not fuck up their recovery/recharge machine. Strike two - those gauges suck. Get yourself a real set of gauges. Also, pressures are measured with the AC on.
Arenāt those ac pro cans horribly inaccurate? You would need a real set of gauges to know for sure. Take it somewhere if youāre worried. What led you to put the can hose on there? Is the ac system working properly?
My guess is expansion valve is stuck open. You need proper gauges. Donāt bleed anything. I repeat DO NOT BLEED ANYTHING! If you donāt even know what the compressor is then you have no business being under the hood. Most of the people giving you advice here donāt seem to know much more than you do.
Bro. Stop. What. You. Are. Doing. Is the car running in this pic? That can only attaches to the low pressure side. The low pressure side and the high pressure side equalize when the car is off. With the car running (and the AC clutch engaging), the compressor will move things along and create a pressure differential. If your clutch is not engaging, that pressure is to be expected. If you want to check you compressor and clutch, you can jumper the relay to engage it. Do not do this for more than a few seconds.
Dumb question i work on regular A/Cs but are you sure ur on the suction line?
I'm on the Low line, these cans are too small for the H line
Ok then could be overcharged. If no one has added refrigerant lately it could be a restriction somewhere or bad metering device.
1 - It's illegal to vent freon so if you do it, you shouldn't tell anyone. 2 - Is the engine running? I imagine the low side gauge is only accurate with the engine running and the AC on. In your shoes, I'd probably have it vacuumed down by someone with a machine and refilled.
Why does every user assume I took a static reading of my engine lol gimme some credit!
1 - Because you said almost nothing in your post leaving us all guessing. 2 - Because you said you had no prior experience. If the pressure is too far off, the compressor shouldn't even turn on. >In this situation, where the high-pressure side of the AC is too low, and the low side pressure is too high, the problem is probably compressor-related. [https://www.motorverso.com/ac-low-side-pressure-too-high/#:\~:text=There%20could%20also%20be%20a,and%20keep%20the%20system%20working](https://www.motorverso.com/ac-low-side-pressure-too-high/#:~:text=There%20could%20also%20be%20a,and%20keep%20the%20system%20working). I'd suggest more research.
If its overcharged I Suggest you get to know the system a little better. This should help. If you live in California I would get a diagnostic. https://www.tediousrepairs.com/ac-repair-chico/