DIY A/C Recharge

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- You will need R134 Refrigerant, the one you posted above

- Locate the Low Presure Charging Port on the refrigerant line on your car(in 4th gens, I think its next to the power steering fluid reservoir with cap labeled "L")
- then Follow Product Instructions.

Actually, with those recharge kit, is a hit and miss. I messed up one of my car's AC system one time. I ended up spending more.
By just simply recharging the AC system, theres is no precise way to determine the exact amount of refrigerant remaing in the system. You can easily overcharge it, resulting in another trial and error solution and might cause the compressor to fail.(it cost $800 LOL!).The 4th gens I think needs .55kg to .65kg of refrigerant for its sytem to work properly. That would be hard to hit by relying only on pressure reading which have greater percentage of error compared to draining all the old refrigerant and charge it with a predetermined weight.

There are certified AC shops who will do it for as low as $65...
:)
 
Last edited:
kosan said:
1. What freon recharge is needed?

I assume this -> Buy Interdynamics R-134a EZ Chill Refrigerant plus Oil (18 oz.) MAC-134 at Advance Auto Parts

2. Where is the connection line?

Any pictures appreciated!

Thx!
Click to expand...

Would NOT recommend you charge your system using those single cans of R134 from the auto parts store. R134 Systems are very sensitive and need the correct amount of R134 to work properly. You also have to check the high side and low side pressure which requires a two gauge tool if you are having problems with your AC System. Take it to a AC professional.
 
I agree with the above. I did it on my truck and got lucky because it worked good. Then I had to replace the condensor due to a hole. I purged the system then filled it. It worked ok at best, but not near like it should because you really need to have a guage on the low and high side and you also need to evacuate the system.
 
I tried doing this myself but even with the gauge it was difficult to know whether I had the right amount in the system. Take it to a shop and spend the $100 or so bucks to have it emptied and replaced correctly. My .02
 
Yea, I've been taking it to the shop and it usually lasts me the whole summer.

This year, I feel I need to refill it again. And since these shops do the same thing (go out and buy the r134), I figure I do it myself.

Based on the responses, sounds like there's some risks involved. Perhaps, its best to continue to go the shop route.

Thx for the comments!
 
You should not be doing it every summer. You might wanna ask what procedure are they going to perform. They should test for possible leak, repair, evac and recharge.

A DIY test recommended for the 4Runner is the "Sight Glass" method. I think, procedure is in this forum. Its the only method I found in the manual to check the refrigerant.
 
borgzman said:
You should not be doing it every summer. You might wanna ask what procedure are they going to perform. They should test for possible leak, repair, evac and recharge.

A DIY test recommended for the 4Runner is the "Sight Glass" method. I think, procedure is in this forum. Its the only method I found in the manual to check the refrigerant.
Click to expand...

Thx - I've been to 3 shops, each has tried the dye method and can't find the source of the leak. We know there's a tiny leak but can't determine location. I find it was just cheaper for me to do a refill since I only need it during the summer.

Will search on 'Sight Glass' method - thx!
 
BlackWorksInc said:
Some of those quick charge cans have sealant in them that can clog up expansion valves and such.
Click to expand...

Also, many of them come with A/C compressor oil included. It can cause problems with the compressor if too much oil is added to the system. Since there is no 'quick' method of determining how much oil is in a compressor, I only get the 134 cans that have no oil included, so I am just adding refrigerant.

It's been a 'while' since my auto A/C training, but as I recall, the only way to determine the amount of oil in a compressor was to remove the compressor and empty the oil into a measuring container. You then reinstalled the compressor, and added the recommended amount of oil to the system when recharging.
 
Thanks for the help

Thanks for the info guys!

I love the DIY stuff, but I also love when avoiding the DIY is the better route. My guy only charges like $20 more than the can of 134 costs- no biggie there.
 
By chance can the refrigerant get "old" over time and as maintenance, lets say every 10 years have it vacuumed out and replaced with fresh refrigerant?
For you A/C pros do you see any value to this?
 
Medvedko said:
By chance can the refrigerant get "old" over time and as maintenance, lets say every 10 years have it vacuumed out and replaced with fresh refrigerant?
For you A/C pros do you see any value to this?
Click to expand...

Nope, it does not wear out. Have you ever heard of someone doing that on a home refrigerator or ac?
 
T5RUNNER said:
Nope, it does not wear out. Have you ever heard of someone doing that on a home refrigerator or ac?
Click to expand...

Actually apparently home A/C systems do lose charge somehow. Was talking to a HVAC tech who was fixing our A/C and he mentioned that they can leak over time.
 
Obviously anything with fittings can leak, but 25 year-old refrigerators that still work are pretty common. We have a one in our garage going strong.

Appliance and home AC systems have two advantages over automotive systems when it comes to leaks.
1) A lot less vibration
2) The motor is sealed inside the coolant system, so there are no shafts that have to be sealed where they pass through to the outside world.
 
A/C Recharge

Here's one that I cannot believe.
MY 04 V6 A/C quit working last summer and had the telltale leak on the garage floor. On a quick fix effort, I bought a can of refrigerant and charged the system. It lasted a while, then quit, total hot air. I did not try it all winter and spring, since it was not that hot.

I was coming home from a short trip about two months ago and it was hot and I was on the highway, so I tried the A/C and it worked perfectly! I was in complete disbelief, and figured that it would not last. Here I am months later and it has been working flawlessly ever since. This can't last.

I suspect that the refrigerant with stop leak may have worked, and cross my fingers every time I put the A/C on.
 
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