Automotive Air Conditioning Information Forum

I have a 1998 mustang 3.8l
the ac worked great since i got it
about a year ago the radiator bust and caused the ac to blow a valve leak

i had it serviced and it worked great for a year
my compressor just locked up on me
i drove the car for several days without using the ac and the next time i tried to use the ac it made a noise and i noticed the compressor was locked

I just ordered the gauges, pump, double end cap pag 46 oil and the ac line with the orfice tube

i plan on checking the old orfice tube and compressor for contamination then
put the new line and old compressor back on pull a vacuum and decide what to do next depending on what i find

i plan on using a motorcraft compressor but for the rest of the parts needed i plan on just using cheap replacement parts
i cant afford to use motorcraft throughout the system

if needed i will replace the entire system

i have a few questions

when adding freon how do you get all the freon out the can because its calling for 34oz and im trying to get it done with 3 cans totaling 36oz but only adding the 34oz
i have a digital scale i plan on rigging up for the can/gauge line

my system calls for 8.5oz of pag46 but i only got a 8.0 bottle will the system have the .5oz in it if i replace orfice tube line,compressor, dryer,condenser or should i add a full 8.5oz
also where do i add the oil when puting the system back together

i removed the service cap and think i seen a few little bubbles does this mean its leaking

thanks

U add the oil thru the low side of the system add a little to the dryer before installing and compressor and depending on temp of outside without a machine or scale it's hard to measure I've always filled with gauges and a 30lb cylinder you should read around 30-35 on low side 200-250 on high side if after your repair and fill it freezes up u should add a lil more freon.

And the bubbles in the service cap if u have freon in the system and u remove cap and have bubbles u need to replace the port if u take a hose off of the service port and u see a little bubbling it's not a concern unless it doesn't stop after a few seconds

i took a ac class at the local college and remember the instructor stating if you dont have a recovery machine you can use a bucket of ice
basicly placing your storage freon tank in the ice and the freon goes from high to low temps so it would go from the ac system to the tank

so i was thinking to empty the cans i could maybe place them on the intake manifold or a pot of warm water
sounds kinda risky but would this work or am i off here

dolphins1131 wrote:i took a ac class at the local college and remember the instructor stating if you dont have a recovery machine you can use a bucket of ice
basicly placing your storage freon tank in the ice and the freon goes from high to low temps so it would go from the ac system to the tank

I've done that, used dry ice and old radiator coolant to cool the recovery tank; and I pulled vacuum on the recovery tank before doing this. Refrigerant comes over, returns to a liquid, so there's still vacuum, more comes over.

dolphins1131 wrote:so i was thinking to empty the cans i could maybe place them on the intake manifold or a pot of warm water sounds kinda risky but would this work or am i off here

You can use warm water, not hot. Let the vacuum draw in refrigerant, even as a liquid. Once there's enough in the system, you add as a gas (can upright) with the engine running and AC on.