Manifold set/ vacuum for the D.I.Y.er

[Doug Beard]

Hey all,

I’m a broke college student, and I need a manifold set and vacuum for R-134 a that wont break the bank, but will get the job done when it needs doing. I’d like to pay $150 or so, and I can only find decently reviewed sets for $200 on up. I know $50 doesn’t seem like a lot to make a fuss over, but that’s two weeks of gas, or two weeks of food, or month of a utility, or LOTS of watery beer.

I’m by no means a professional mechanic. I’m not looking to pay big bucks for a tool I will only use a few times a year, if that. I’ve done a little shopping, and can’t find a well-reviewed set that I can afford. Can anyone point me in the right direction? I know I can’t totally cheap out, but there has to be a set for around $150 that will serve me well for years of very light use. Many of the sets on Amazon in this range are poorly reviewed, and there are many cases of, “this product doesn’t match its description.”

I’ve reached the point where my family’s aging fleet of vehicles need HVAC work pretty regularly, and I think a set of manifold gauges, hoses, and a vacuum pump would pay for themselves. Obviously, I will still pay a shop to drain systems for proper disposal. I won’t pretend to be equipped for that. My 03 Dakota has developed the all-too-common heater core leak, and I will need to capture and refill the A/C system, replace the receiver/dryer, and the works to complete the job. The 07 Grand Caravan has a slow leak somewhere, and the 04 Malibu has a leak somewhere too. Those are stories for another time.

Do they exist in this price range, or do I need to just suck it up and fork out $200+ ?

Thanks!

Topic

[James O’Hara]

Mastercool 66661 Brass Manifold Gauge Set

Zeny® 4CFM Electric Vacuum Pump Refrigerant R410a R134a HVAC Deep Vane Air Conditioner No clue about this brand but, it is cheap and looks exactly like the Harbor Freight models that are $150+

FJC 6014 Vacuum Pump Adapter

Mastercool 85510 R134a Can Tap Valve-Screw-On Model

Robinair 17595 Flush Gun Kit

Klean-Strip GSL26 Denatured Alcohol, 1-Gallon

If you are going to be doing a/c work you are going to need a flush gun. You may be able to use a rental tools from a box store like advanced, napa, pepboys. You should call around first cause you may be able to rent the vacuum pump and flush gun. You definately want your own set of manifold gauges because you have no clue wth the rental gauges have been hooked too if there is metal in the lines weird sealants from leak fixes etc.

You use denatured alcohol (this is not the same as rubbing alcohol and brand is not important just must be 100% pure it is available at places like home depot in the paint isle) to flush the system. It evaporates and leaves no trace use compressed air to blow the alcohol out nitrogen is better but, gotta use what you have access too. It is imperative that you flush the system if you find any metal at all in it or if it has had an opening bigger then a small seep. You cannot have any dirt or debri in the system. When installing o-rings only use mineral oil on them. Otherwise the pag oil attracts moisture and often causes corrosion making the D-blocks expand an you will be stuck with a leak again.

Pull it down to 30in hg and shut the vacuum off and wait if it goes up 28 in hg in10 mins you still have a leak. You are going to want to hold a vacuum of 30 in hg for at least 90 mins. If it is humid make it 2 hrs +. The point of the vacuum is not to clean out the system but, to remove all moisture from the system. Any time you open the system you need to replace the dessicant aka accumulator and/or reciever dryer. If there is metal in the system replace txv or orifice tube. Always use new o-rings.

[Larry Bible]

I had to pay really big bucks about 25 years ago for a 134 set. I would think though, that by now you could come up with something used that would serve your purposes well. If you do come up with something used, make sure the fitting valves are in good shape and flush everything thoroughly before use. You don’t know where they’ve been or what kind of sealant they might have been exposed to.

I prefer a manifold with the knobs on the side rather than on the front. I think they are more substantial, but I might be way off on this.

IMHO, you are on the right track buying equipment to do things for yourself rather than paying almost that much to have it done. After it’s all over, you then have the tool/equipment for the rest of your life. I have taken this approach since I was a youngster and with about 45 years of car work behind me, it’s not very often when I am buying stuff. I suppose you could call it accumulation. Pay more than the job would cost the first time, and then the next one is gravy.

Hope this helps.

[Author]

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