Overcharged A/C
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Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 5,374
Likes: 46
From: Palm Bay, Florida
Overcharged A/C
I think I may have overcharged my A/C compressor was cycling a bit so without checking pressure with my cheapie guage I dumped a can of R134into the system and now it cycles VERY rapidly like click on/click off click on/ click off so I think I over charged it so the question is how can I let some refrigerant out without loosing any oil--I understand that the R134 is ozone friendly so if I let some out I don't figure that it will hurt much. Thanks!
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,776
Likes: 5
From: Lorain County, Ohio
I won't tell you to connect your cheapie gauge to the low side port and crack the can tap valve slightly. That would be telling you to do something less than legal. What I will tell you is to take it to a shop and have the system evacuated and properly charged.
It sounds like your clutch was cycling because of high discharge pressure but it coould be the low side pressure switch. You need to get the pressures on both the high and low sides to troubleshoot the problem.
It sounds like your clutch was cycling because of high discharge pressure but it coould be the low side pressure switch. You need to get the pressures on both the high and low sides to troubleshoot the problem.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 592
Likes: 1
Yeah. It's still low on refrigerant. Any attempt at working on it without the proper gauge set will many times give you lower performance of the cooling and quicker failure of the A/C parts, especially since r-134a does not carry the component oil in it.
and while R134 may or may not be ozone friendly, it is cancer causing, especially for your *********. The bulk of scientist now admit that R12 was never a problem for the environment as the ocean itself puts out a billion times more chlorine gas than released R12.
and while R134 may or may not be ozone friendly, it is cancer causing, especially for your *********. The bulk of scientist now admit that R12 was never a problem for the environment as the ocean itself puts out a billion times more chlorine gas than released R12.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 6,940
Likes: 2
From: Eastern WA
You cannot properly charge your A/C by simply dumping a can into it and hoping for the better. If you look at the system capacity and what is in the can, you will see that you inserted mucho. For roughly 25 years, auto manufacturers systems have been using what is known as a critical charge. They don't have recievers like they did in the 60's and the 70's; they are not set up to accomidate an extra can or two without very adverse performance issues. They need the correct amount. This can be done by weighing and inserting the charge, or by using gauges to determine determine the correct charge.
I'd say your next step is to put gauges on it and slowly discharge the excess until the low side pressure is within the correct operating range. Don't worry about the birds, the fish, forest critters, ozone layer, or tree hugging/M smoking hippies. They will all be just fine and will survive the consequences of your work. Also, the oil you let out will be a miniscule percentage compared to the amount in the system. Discharging from the low side will be more gradual than the high side and will release less oil.
I'd say your next step is to put gauges on it and slowly discharge the excess until the low side pressure is within the correct operating range. Don't worry about the birds, the fish, forest critters, ozone layer, or tree hugging/M smoking hippies. They will all be just fine and will survive the consequences of your work. Also, the oil you let out will be a miniscule percentage compared to the amount in the system. Discharging from the low side will be more gradual than the high side and will release less oil.
