[pelinors714]

i was looking at this product: http://acprocold.com/

but im wondering where is the ac port to do this?

does anyone have any other suggestions? summer is coming up and i want to refresh my A/C as i dont think its blowing out the coldest it could be.

Also im leaking water underneath the front passenger side (even when i dont run the A/C). does anyone know what this could possibly be? its defnitely not coolant.. and it leaks after i run the car and park it in the garage.

 

[Cap Weir]

A/C runs even when it's not 'Called For'..

If the Heater Settings are in the Defroster Mode ( Any mode with a picture of the Front Windshield ) yhen the A/C is Running..

Cap

 

[pelinors714]

A/C runs even when it's not 'Called For'..

If the Heater Settings are in the Defroster Mode ( Any mode with a picture of the Front Windshield ) yhen the A/C is Running..

Cap

ahhh ok. didnt even know that... lol this is my first time owning a car with A/C so i learn something new everytime

 

[MikeV]

The thing with A/C.... if you need to add refrigerant, it means you have some other issue. It's a closed system -- the only two possible reasons you would need to add R-134 are:

• The system was not properly filled, or
• It has a leak or was opened at some point.

The "right" way to go about it is to have the system evacuated, change the o-rings, flush it, purge/draw a vacuum, and refill it to the correct amount.

The other way to go about it is to pick up a can of R134a at Walmart or Autozone, fill from the Low pressure port using the 'sightglass' method of determining when to stop. IIRC the BGB has the procedure. Might work. Dirt cheap.

The ports and the sightglass are on the passenger side of the frunk.

 

[dogbreath]

A/C compressor runs in defrost mode only when the fan is on.

I've used the sight glass method many times on other cars with great success. A can every season or two is a lot cheaper than overhauling the system.

 

[asianspyder]

A/C compressor runs in defrost mode only when the fan is on.

I've used the sight glass method many times on other cars with great success. A can every season or two is a lot cheaper than overhauling the system.

My A/C seemed to have "died" to in the recent weeks -- it ran for 9 years and 60K miles (pretty good, right?). I have run through this board and see several things to look for; so I'll certainly do that this weekend. In the meantime and forgive me but what the heck is the "sight glass" method?

 

[MikeV]

In the meantime and forgive me but what the heck is the "sight glass" method?

It's roughly as described here (not an MR2 manual page, but should give you the idea)

 

[Pomonified]

i was looking at this product: http://acprocold.com/

but im wondering where is the ac port to do this?

does anyone have any other suggestions? summer is coming up and i want to refresh my A/C as i dont think its blowing out the coldest it could be.

Also im leaking water underneath the front passenger side (even when i dont run the A/C). does anyone know what this could possibly be? its defnitely not coolant.. and it leaks after i run the car and park it in the garage.

If you decide to do the service yourself make sure you get a can that comes with the hoses. It makes it a lot easier. The service port is up front in the passenger side I believe. Good Luck.

 

[Uncle Mush]

The port you are looking for is under the plastics of the frunk on the passenger side. That I know because I just saw them the other day when I had my frunk plastics out of the car for another reason. Product you mentioned has a gauge on it that will have you calabrate the ambient temperature at the time you attempt to "recharge" the system. That same guage will then tell you when you have enough refrigerant in the system so you do not overfill. Over-filling can cause problems for the system and actually cause it to function poorly = warmer air.

All that said, have I done this? No. I've been reading up about it, since I am considering topping-off my car's system, also. I learned that the large canister of product from O'Rielly's also carries a deposit on the canister (I think it was $10) that is refundable in the first 90 days after purchase when you return the canister. I believe it is an EPA thing.

So . . . if you go forward with this self-maintenance project, please post so I know how it went. Maybe then I give it a go, too. :lol:

Thanks and good luck.

 

[Cap Weir]

The Sight Glass Methiod, is to Make SURE you have Bubbles in the Sight Glass, in the Fronk, BEFORE you start.. If you do not have Bubbles, then it can be one of Two Things..
1) the System is full.. Walk Away..
2) the System is Empty.. Walk Away..

Either case, before you add anything you need to be seeing bubbles.. If not then it's beyond the Scope of this Document to advise you any further..

If you have bubbles, then add refrigerant With the AC running Full cold.. hot day.. till the bubbles go away.. then your done..

Now the Deposit Part..

That is a rip off.. You only get the Deposit back, when you return the Can in 90 days.. I never have an Empty can in the 90 Day Period.. and if you just 'Dump the Charge' to air, so you can return the Can, you are wasting the Money you spent, and it's not legal..

I have an Extra Can ( Now ) that I take in with me.. and turn in that can when I purchase a new can.. bastards..

Cap

 

[Bosse99]

I filled up a Seat Toledo but there was a leek so after a week the R134 had leeked out again. I used the same method on a Saab 9000 that I replaced the compressor on and that worked just fine. In Sweden there are restrictions and we can't buy the do-it-your-self-kits. Not even order from a foreign site.

The can ($13) contains 100% R134 and is for use for checking electronics board or what is was... can't remember.

Self made kit for filling. On the Saab I used three cans, about 900 grams.

 

[asianspyder]

Thanks all ... I did see the DIY cans and thought why can't I do it myself. I'll check out all of those things later this week or this weekend. If I recall, when the A/C is supposedly "on" ... there is load to my MR2 so I know the compressor is working (or at least gives the perception of it), but I don't feel any cold air coming out. I hear a noise; but can't put it into words just yet (I didn't pay close enough attention to it the 1st time).

BTW, if it were to leak and the refill port is in the passenger side front compartment, wouldn't it leak into the passenger side floor board?

 

[Uncle Mush]

Thanks, Cap. Always great info. Much obliged. :bow:

The Sight Glass Methiod, is to Make SURE you have Bubbles in the Sight Glass, in the Fronk, BEFORE you start.. If you do not have Bubbles, then it can be one of Two Things..
1) the System is full.. Walk Away..
2) the System is Empty.. Walk Away..

Either case, before you add anything you need to be seeing bubbles.. If not then it's beyond the Scope of this Document to advise you any further..

If you have bubbles, then add refrigerant With the AC running Full cold.. hot day.. till the bubbles go away.. then your done..

Now the Deposit Part..

That is a rip off.. You only get the Deposit back, when you return the Can in 90 days.. I never have an Empty can in the 90 Day Period.. and if you just 'Dump the Charge' to air, so you can return the Can, you are wasting the Money you spent, and it's not legal..

I have an Extra Can ( Now ) that I take in with me.. and turn in that can when I purchase a new can.. bastards..

Cap

 

[Sepp]

This may not be the case for the states but i do it to our cars in Australia - that is using HR12 which is a hydrocarbon gas for A/C.
I've also used straight BBQ gas (propane) and it worked just fine but is definetly not recommended because there is a risk that it is 'dirty'.
While it is not recommended by the professionals it works better than 134a and is much kinder to the environment.
To do it right you'd need a vac and gauges and know what you are doing. Also don't forget to check compressor oil. If there was a leak then the system most likely lost some oil as well. Must make sure that the specified oil is used or there could be expensive problems.

http://www.hychill.com.au/

 

[Cap Weir]

And there is that Explosive thing..

It's called HC 290 or RC 290 in the States.. It can be gotten from Propane Lift Truck ( So I've been Told ) .. The big hazard is the LOSS OF ODER .. after the Propane has been sloshing in the Compressor Oil for a Few Days.. the Smell goes away.. but is still Flammable.. and if everyone forgets it's propane in there.. Could be very dangerous..

Cap

 

[MikeV]

Well, over the years I've tried many gasses.... the end result has always been if there is a leak, nothing works well; if you do it right, nearly anything works well enough. I'll concede that sometimes a small amout of R134a makes it through the rubber lines, but not much.

I'm a fan of using the gas the system was designed to use.... The pine-scented propane was a nice touch.

You can go through and change all the o-rings and flush the hard lines in a couple of hours. $125 condensor with a new drier too. It gets tough if you want to clean out the unit under the dash and replace the, uh, what's it called? The aperture thingy? Don't know, don't care. But the outer o-rings are easy enough.

None of it is 'hard,' you just have to do it right. Or take it to a pro who will do it right.

 

[Sepp]

And there is that Explosive thing..

It's called HC 290 or RC 290 in the States.. It can be gotten from Propane Lift Truck ( So I've been Told ) .. The big hazard is the LOSS OF ODER .. after the Propane has been sloshing in the Compressor Oil for a Few Days.. the Smell goes away.. but is still Flammable.. and if everyone forgets it's propane in there.. Could be very dangerous..

Cap

Cap, you've got a point - sort of. One would have a HR12 sticker showing the type of gas in the system.
A given 134a system needs quite a bit less HR12 then 134a.
How much petrol (gas) is in the tank?
Should the car burn the 134a also combusts at admittely high temperatures (i think it might be about 700 deg C?) and is toxic when combusted.

Anyhow, it's just an option depending on personal preference.

 

[Blackcreek]

h.

You can go through and change all the o-rings and flush the hard lines in a couple of hours. $125 condensor with a new drier too. It gets tough if you want to clean out the unit under the dash and replace the, uh, what's it called? The aperture thingy? Don't know, don't care. But the outer o-rings are easy enough.

Expansion valve

 

[MikeV]

Expansion valve

Thanks. So "aperture thingy" isn't a commonly-accepted term?

 

[andrewlobel]

i was looking at this product: http://acprocold.com/

but im wondering where is the ac port to do this?

does anyone have any other suggestions? summer is coming up and i want to refresh my A/C as i dont think its blowing out the coldest it could be.

Also im leaking water underneath the front passenger side (even when i dont run the A/C). does anyone know what this could possibly be? its defnitely not coolant.. and it leaks after i run the car and park it in the garage.

The only way to make your car get colder, is with a larger capacity condenser, bigger compressor and added freon to match the larger parts.You can also install electric fans blowing more air thru the condenser, so at low speeds, the Air Conditioning Unit works more efficiently.