Air Condition refuel

MX3 GSR for dummies · Post by **MX3 GSR for dummies** » May 29th, 2006, 3:08 pm

I have been reading in many manuals that R12 was available in our cars but in the online manual 134a is stated. Which one was put in my car????? I have a 92 V6 GS

johnnyb · Post by **johnnyb** » May 29th, 2006, 3:30 pm

you have R12 cars after 94 were equipped with R134a.

kkyin · Post by **kkyin** » May 31st, 2006, 12:54 am

how do I know how much R12 left in the system? I just know it's low on it (been blowing normal air for 6 months), but not sure if it's completely empty so I can put r134a in.

Also, is the yellow cirlce the high side and the red circle the low side port in the picture?

Thanks all.

Vanished · Post by **Vanished** » May 31st, 2006, 1:00 am

this shoudl be faq ed. or at least stickied.

it could also be in the manual, look under section T-G BET...

Grants · Post by **Grants** » May 31st, 2006, 2:35 am

Yes they are the high and low side.

BUT, you can't just put R134A straight in.

Here's how to check if you're short of refrigerant:

Locate the sight glass in the high pressure refrigerant line between the condenser and the evaporator. The sight glass is usually incorporated into the receiver / dryer. In my car it is located by the condenser and is quite hard to initially find. I know it varies with different models so just follow the refrigerant piping and you should find it ok.

1. Have someone start the car with the air conditioner off and hold the idle at about 3000 rpm.

2. Watch the sight glass and ask your assistant to turn on the air conditioner with the settings on maximum cooling, recycle air feed and maintain 3000 rpm. You should hear the compressor engage and gas should start flowing through the sight glass.

(Before switching the air conditioner on, pressures in the system will have equalised, ie there is no high pressure or low pressure side. With the compressor engaged there should be:
- high pressure gas between the compressor and condenser
- high pressure liquid between the condenser and the evaporator
- low pressure gas from the evaporator back to the compressor.
So what we’re looking for in the sight glass is a pipe full of liquid refrigerant.)

3. Watch the sight glass and you should see some liquid flowing through it, the sight glass should start to “fill up” with liquid refrigerant showing bubbles, then milky and then should clear when the pipe is full of refrigerant. The sight glass should be full after 15 seconds and this condition indicates there is sufficient refrigerant in the system.

If bubbles remain or the sight glass is “milky”, you are probably short of refrigerant.

** It is common to think during cooler months that the air conditioner is not working correctly. This is because the difference between the ambient temperature and the cooled air is not as great as in warmer temperatures. Air temperature blowing from the vents should be below 10 degrees C.