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I tried to recharge the AC in my 2000 Mercury Sable, using a can of EZ-Chill R134a. Problem was, I tried to connect to the low-side service port while the compressor was already running. As soon as I applied some pressure, liquid came rushing out the port. I think it was about 1-2 ounces.
Would that liquid be refrigerant, or oil, or both? If it was oil, I fear that even once I recharge the system it will not have the right amount of oil in it. The liquid that came out was translucent if that helps.
Thanks
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Ex-chill R134a Make a can with a gauge that tell u how much refrigerant in the system.( very easy to do). U should check the level of refrigerant before doing it again. I don’t think u caused any damage to the system, if only a couple of ounces. Hope this helps.
Thanks. I do have a gauge connected to my EZ-Chill. 2 oz may not be a lot if what came out was refrigerant, but 2 oz of oil sounds like a lot to me.
Since oil and refrigerant likely have different physical properties (e.g. weight), my guess is that it was just one of them that came out, and I’d like to be certain which one it was. If it’s oil that came out and I recharge my AC to specification – it might still be low on oil.
There is no way to be certain. The refrigerant carries the oil through the system. If the refrigerant leaks out of the system very slowly, it probably won’t bring any oil with it. When it comes rushing out like that, there is oil in it.
What caused you to want to add refrigerant in the first place? Was there a leak? Was the system not performing well?
The smart thing to do if you don’t know what you are doing, is to have a professional fix it for you before you do any damage to the system.
If you were low on refrigerant in the first place, you need to know where it went, why was it low, is there a leak. If so, you should probably find it and fix it. Once that is done, the factory service manual will tell you how much oil to put back into the system for a leak (you letting gas out is a leak) and also how much to replace for any part you replaced in the system. Put that amount of oil into the system while you are repairing it, before you seal everything up, then draw a vacuum on the system. Make sure it will hold the vacuum for 30 minutes, then charge with the correct amount of R134A according to the manual, or the sticker under your hood.
The gauges that are on the cans are useless they just determine the “Charge” by a rough estimate in pressure. Pressure is determined by temperature (134a T/P chart). The only way to correctly charge a system is to recover the refrigerant pull a vacuum, then weigh in the refrigerant. All vehicles have a sticker or plate that tells the type and amount of refrigerant in oz. That being said if you’re sure the refrigerant has leaked and just want to get it working add the amount that is listed on the vehicle, most will be about three 12oz cans. Most of the refrigerant that is sold it stores has oil in it, read the label. A couple of drops of oil is not a big issue, the biggest concern is if moister enters the system it will turn into acid and destroy the entire system.
About a year ago I noticed that the AC was very weak. We’ve only had the car for 2 years prior, and we were living in New England so it’s possible that it has been that way since we got the car and we simply didn’t notice it. Or maybe it’s a very slow leak. In any case, last summer, I used EZ-Chill to add some refrigerant and it definitely did the trick. After I finished the job, I realized that I slightly under-filled it (according to EZ-Chill’s temperature-pressure table). My intention, this time, was to charge it as close as possible to spec. I do understand what you are saying about these gauges being not accurate.
The bottom line is that the AC is working fine. I’m not sure if it’s at peak performance, but it does get the job done eventually. I don’t think that I could have introduced air into the system, because the compressor was running when it happened and the whole system was pressurized (and still is). If AC service were cheap, I’d do it just to be extra cautious, but I think there’s a good chance that I’ll end up spending upwards of $100 to fix something that is not broken.
As long as the AC is working, do you really think that I should get it serviced? My plan was to use the EZ-chill (properly this time…) and turn it upside down while I’m refilling so that all the oil is allowed to flow into the system. The can holds 2 oz of oil, which is what I estimate was lost during that mishap. How does that sound?
By the way, is it possible that a 13 year old AC losing some of it’s refrigerant is a normal phenomenon, or would it necessarily imply a leak?
Thanks!
In my experience, if it is low on refrigerant, there is a leak.
The risk in “topping off” a system is that you might damage the compressor, turning what would have been a $100 repair into what might be a $700 repair. Lots of people do top off systems (I have been guilty of it many times myself) and get away with it. Just know the risk you are taking when you do it.
Thank you for explaining the risk. I think I’m going to take it. If I find that my AC loses power ever again I will take the car to a professional immediately. Tomorrow I will try topping off with the can upside down so that all the oil (2 oz) goes into the system. Wish me luck!
It’s painful to admit just how stupid I was… Apparently, the schrader valve I was trying to connect to before was a test port on the fuel line. The liquid that came rushing out was actually gasoline. Let this be a lesson to other newbies out there to use your brains or take a look at a diagram before doing any DIY work. I’d like to thank everyone that helped. Hopefully my future questions on this forum will be a bit more intelligent…
I don’t know if it will make you feel any better, but even the best of mechanics have had their “what was I thinking” moments. Guaranteed…
:blush:
Even people that have been in the automotive trade for years make dumb mistakes. As long as you learn and remember your mistakes you will make new ones.
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