siren001

Does anyone know how to properly drain and refill the AC for a 2001?


Any Pictures or how to's?

What tools are needed?

How long does it take, est, time?

siren001

any one know?

Weimar Ben

iTrader: (5)

umm, you don't drain it and refill it like engine oil. R134 is the coolant and is a gas at STP and liquid when pressurized or when it drops below a certain temp.

go here to learn how an A/C (or refridgerator) works
http://home.howstuffworks.com/ac.htm

This coolant also contains a lubricant that lubricates the a/c compressor. There is no maintainance schedule for the A/C. The coolant needs to be in a certain pressure range to operate properly. If the pressure is too low, than you will have reduced performance. You can buy the cans of R134 at any auto parts store as well as the pressure gauge.

2MuchMAX4U

iTrader: (7)

I was thinking that mine needs a recharge and someone at work said that there must be a leak. I don't think that there is a leak just after 4 years it needs some more. He said that the coolant has no place to go and therefore you it could only have a leak, if I need more. Is this true or over time does the system need a recharge?

Weimar Ben

iTrader: (5)

There's some bottles of the coolant that has some special dye in it that helps you detect leaks. I believe you need to have a black light to detect the residue that it leaves.

Rubber seals tend to dry up and crack over time and begin to leak coolant. I doubt that 4 years would be enough time to cause any significant leak. Nothing seals 100% and it will lose pressure over time just like tires, even if the seals aren't bad. Some of the places like jiffy lube will read the pressure and tell you if you need a recharge or not.

Alternatively, you could buy one of those refill cans with a gauge already built into it at autozone for $10-$20.

Having said that, my sister has a 92 Corolla and has never had the A/C recharged and it still blows cold air.

2MuchMAX4U

iTrader: (7)

My AC is still cold but it takes a little while to get cool and it just doesn't feel as COLD as it was when it was new.

Weimar Ben

iTrader: (5)

It always takes a few minutes to start blowing cold air, even on a brand new car.

Check the tension of the compresser belt. Check the pressure.

The FSM has a table of what the temperature of the air should be at various ambient temperatures and humidities.

At a 95deg air intake temp in recirc...

50-60% humidity 64-70deg
60-70% 70-77deg

Bensmax00

Hey man--why are you trying to drain and refill your a/c system---shouldnt have to touch the a/c system unless it isnt blowing cold enough for you--I use a machine to evacuate the system and put the system into a vacuum to see if it holds--if pressures drop while holding there is a leak somewhere--fix the leak or not then charge the system back up--Nissans use only 1.43 +/- 0.11 pounds of r134a--i usually put in 1.45lbs

Bensmax00

hey man those numbers are a little high should be a little lower and measured with outside temp--cuz air intake temp is going to be hotter than 95 degrees in summer time--I was looking at consult on mine today and it was only 90 degrees outside but intake air temp was at like 120 degrees---usually on a 95 degree day you can get the a/c to blow around 50 degrees mine blows at 45-49

Weimar Ben

iTrader: (5)

Those aren't my numbers, I was just quoting part of the FSM. The intake temperature in recirc. is in the cabin. If in recirc, you can reach 45-49 after it has cooled it down a few times.

When I say "intake" temperature, I'm not talking about the intake where the MAF and TB is, I'm talking about the intake for the blower, the ventilation system.

siren001

I live in hawaii so I run the a/c about 3-4 hours every day 365 days a year, and it doesnt seeem to get cold anymore, and when it does it takes a very long time to get semi cold.