Recharging my AC lines
 

edit update: look at my last post.

The SMALL one is the low side.Just fill it until it reaches the proper pressure,dont empty the lines or you will get air in them and that will lead to problems unless you vacuum the system out.

I hooked that gauge up and its bouncing around like pressure is building up then dropping.

Starts at green and goes up to 45 (yellow) stops at 45 and goes down. I can hear noise to match what I am seeing. It happens over and over.


ideas?

Your compressor is kicking on and off,most likely cuz its under charged,what is the pressure when the car is off? It should be around ambient temp, if its lower its still under charged.

I looked down and can see the compressor stop spinning in 7 second intervals. I have not gauged the pressure with the engine off.

I am a arefrigeration tech. Idealy you should find & reapir any leaks, use a vacume pump to get any air or non-condensables then recharge system w/ proper amount of refrigerant. Those cans you get from parts store also contain oil, be carefule not to get to much oil in system.
If your going to use little cans & jsut "top off" system then follow these directions.
The larger line is the low side. keep adding refrigerant w/ car A/C on high, windows open, until the pressure maintains about 35 lbs w/o compressor cycling on & off or weigh in (there will be a sticker stating the system charge & refrigerant used)refirgerant after evacuating (vacume pump).

good luck

the small line is always the high side in all refrigeration, the low side servicing is next to the firewall by the evaporator.

when you hook up it takes time, I replaced my condenser so I pulled a vacuum then added 134a, do not flip the can or you will flood it with liquid, open it and let the a/c work, it took about 1hr to suck in aprox 34oz, your pressure should be about 45 at idle, when you rev your motor pressure should drop to about 33-35 which is perfect.

LARGE line is the low side. The adapter will only fit on the proper line. I have been doing it for 30 years. Small line is liquid line, high pressure, large tubeing is low pressure (vapor) side.

My thing i bought only fits the small line, close to the fire wall.

Going to measure with car off and then car on again tonight.