Regas Air Conditioner in GQ

[coxy321]

Hi all, this thread is mainly to help anybody on the hunt for this info. I had no luck finding anything close to what i was after as far as information on the www OR OL, so here it is.

When i bought my GQ (December 2007), i was told by the previous owner that the A/C needed to be regassed.

When i got the car home and started to strip it (as you do with a new toy), i quickly found out that the air conditioning DID need regassing. I worked this one out as i had all sorts of gas and oil squirting on my hand just after loosening one of the refrigerant lines of the front heat transfer. Nice.

Turns out that the idler pulley bearing had seazed, so some turkey had just loosened the belt off.

Anyway, long story short, if you are going to get your GQ regassed (be it legitimately or otherwise), we ended up using 980gm of R134a refrigerant. We calculated it to have about 1000gm capacity, but the feller doing mine said it was pretty damn close at 980, and he was happy with it.

We had a fairly hot day on saturday - and it worked a treat. I just need to keep using it more as the valve (TX) is sticky due to 10 months of an "empty" system.

Enjoy....

Coxy

[azzad]

i quickly found out that the air conditioning DID need regassing. I worked this one out as i had all sorts of gas and oil squirting on my hand just after loosening one of the refrigerant lines of the front heat transfer.

What did you expect would come out when you loosened a refrigerant line?

By having all sorts of gas and oil squirting out, how did this mean it needed regasing?

Dazza

[coxy321]

Given that the air con system was stuffed (or so i was told), basically there should have been nowhere near as much gas come out.

As far as the oil goes, refrigeration systems have oil in them to lube valves, stop corrosion, and lube other various parts of the system (a/c compressor). There are PROPER exact measured amounts of oil, and over 40 different types of oil that is used in a/c systems - all of which should be left for the proffessionals to install.

And the short answer - my system didn't need regassing. I took the information given to as true without looking at it properly myself. Normally i would have gone over the system 100% first before saying it was stuffed, but as i was replacing all of the belts and hoses in the front of the car i didn't bother.

So, instead of having no a/c for 10 months, and having to get it regassed, i could have looked harder and replaced a $10 bearing and been all good.

The thread was mainly aimed at anybody seeking gas weights if they plan on "finding other means" of getting their a/c regassed.

Coxy

[coxy321]

i quickly found out that the air conditioning DID need regassing. I worked this one out as i had all sorts of gas and oil squirting on my hand just after loosening one of the refrigerant lines of the front heat transfer.

What did you expect would come out when you loosened a refrigerant line?

By having all sorts of gas and oil squirting out, how did this mean it needed regasing?

Dazza

I was just having a dig at myself for being stupid there....

[azzad]

Wasnt having a go at all

I know how refrigeration system works, just wanted it explained a bit for others.

Be aware that there are hefty fines for anyone caught working on any system that isnt licenced and is not following correct trade practices.

This kind of work should be done by qualified trades people not home handymen. I know you had someone do yours.

Dazza

[coxy321]

Yep, someone did it. All legit.