AC fresh fill questions, don't want to get taken

bama16

New member
i can turn a wrench..and can perform most any job on a car...but somethings i just have no experience with..and need to take it in...and AC is one of those. i have either not had AC....or AC was in a new car and never had to touch it. i picked up a wrecked 97 4runner a few months back..front end smashed and called a loss....condensor and dryer were destroyed so there was no freon in the car...i got it all back together and driving...it's gettin pretty warm here and i'm gonna get the AC going. i'm going to be taking it to a shop...one shop that was recommended said it was $40 for the labor, vac and check for leaks, and then i pay the per pound rate for freon. what i need to know is what is a rough estimate per pount for r143...and how many pounds would a 97 4runner take? i thought about one of those DIY kits...but i don't want to waste the money if it didn't work...esp if it's not too much more to have a pro do it.
 
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Most vehicles take between 2 and 2.5 pounds (often measured in ounces) for a completely empty (and evacuated system) to be filled properly.

The cost of refrigerant is minimal. The money you'll pay is more for labor than anything else. The prices you quoted seem decent to me. If I were to take a wild guess, I'd say that they'll probably charge you about $6/pound of R134a
 
I am also in the AC boat. The dealer will charge me about 150 to refill and Midas quoted me about 140. You need a vacuum machine so its not a easy DIY job.
 
This is all you need!!

All you should need is 2 to 2.5 of these. Start the car and have an assistant keep the throttle up to about 1,200 RPM. Then fill the compressor till you get on the red line on the gauge they provide. You will notice sweat on the compressor and your passenger may get a little chilly ;). JUst make sure not to over charge.
 
All you should need is 2 to 2.5 of these. Start the car and have an assistant keep the throttle up to about 1,200 RPM. Then fill the compressor till you get on the red line on the gauge they provide. You will notice sweat on the compressor and your passenger may get a little chilly ;). JUst make sure not to over charge.

The system has been open and so must be vacuumed and then filled. You have probably replaced the parts that would need to be replaced. I would encourage you to flush the system to make sure there are no metal shavings. Then you MUST pull the system down with a vacuum pump and gauge set, this will tell you if you have a leak or not. if it holds a vacuum for an hour then your good to go. then you can fill the system with R134. if you don't you will not be able to fill the system properly. the air will cause pockets of high or low pressure messing with the system. it will also cause moisture to be in your system and you will just end up doing it all correctly later. its not too hard to do yourself if you have the tools. Borrow a vacuum pump and gauge set from someone or rent them, read a bunch of how to's on the web and then go for it. or find a local shop that specializes in AC and have them do it. Here in Tucson, Century Auto Air, charges 75 bucks for a standard service. to me it is totally worth it, and I own the proper tools. Good luck.
 

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