suggestions for recovery and vacuum pump

[SGKent]

Hi there all. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Background: As usual when you get rid of something you need it 3 weeks later. Yep. Just got rid of an older heavy duty vacuum pump I've had since the 1980's because I didn't see a need to service AC anymore. I have a great HVAC guy, and the cars didn't seem to need anything. The Sable is 15 years old, the Acura 4 years with 4 more years of full warranty, and the VW bus doesn't have AC. So Thursday Cathy said the AC in the Sable wasn't working then it was then it wasn't. It was 104 F and she was stuck in traffic. Thought about it that night, put the gauges on it the next day, and it seemed a bit low so I added R134a. Maybe the pressure was too low to make the switch work, or maybe the heat door hung, or a relay farted - who knows. It hasn't done it again. Took about 1 1/2 cans to get the pressure up to the chart range. Seems like a lot but I checked it again today and the high side was right on but like yesterday the low pressure side is a little low. (1800 RPM w/ fans on it, radiator and condenser cleaned with water and compressed air) ambient 85 F 25% humidity S=32 PSI / H=235 PSI). Should have been S= 40 - 50 PSI minimum according to Ford charts. That means tearing into the system when I have the time, unless the whole car dies first. With 120,000 miles on it who knows. Maybe the accumulator dryer or orifice tube screen have gotten a little clogged with age. The PAG oil seems very clean but colored like Fluorescein dye although it did not fluoresce under UV. I've owned the car since new and the ac is original. Maybe PAG 46 is yellow, I don't know.

Question: So - I guess it is time to consider getting some kind of recovery system, recovery tank, and another vacuum pump. But they have to be reasonably priced because they won't get a lot of use during the rest of my life. Maybe something I can buy used and sell without losing a lot. The tank probably will need to be new. I hate working on automotive AC anymore but around here you never know what you will get when someone works on your car.

Does anyone have recommendations as to specific equipment that might fit the need? I found this one on CL, https://sacramento.craigslist.org/tls/d/elk-grove-yellow-jacket-xlt-ac/6938200256.html they sell new for about $950 so maybe if I offered him $325 he might accept it, I don't know. But some of you out there know what equipment is available and what is needed for automotive AC. Open to suggestions. I posted here because Garage Forum is a great place and lots of folks here have broad experience. Couldn't find an automotive AC forum that looked like it had the quality of people we have here. Thanks again. Steve

 

[SGKent]

104 views and no one has a comment?

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Other than on the internet, you may find that no one will sell you the equipment if you're not certified.

Tommy

 

[BillK]

Merlin,
To me it seems like a total waste of money to buy a machine to use on one car one time. There has got to be a decent shop around that can do what you need. Even if it ends up needing parts just pay someone to hook up the machine and evacuate what is in the system, then replace whatever parts are needed and have them charge it back up.

 

[QwikKotaTx]

Merlin,
To me it seems like a total waste of money to buy a machine to use on one car one time. There has got to be a decent shop around that can do what you need. Even if it ends up needing parts just pay someone to hook up the machine and evacuate what is in the system, then replace whatever parts are needed and have them charge it back up.

I think I paid about $85 a few years back to have a shop put dye in my system, charge it back up and tell me where the leak was. I did not pay the $500 they wanted for new parts and labor but the diagnostic fee found the leak I couldn't.

 

[SGKent]

Thanks for the suggestions. The problem looks to be solved. I e-mailed my HVAC guy whose company is a 100 point customer service do it right company to see if he had any mobile AC friends. He called to say he didn't and he thought all the automotive AC shops around here were way over priced, but that he'd be happy to lend me their spare recovery unit and pump for a couple days when I get ready to do the work. So that part is solved. I do have a EPA Section 609 certification. I don't have a 608 cert which is why I keep a good relationship with a HVAC company. Around here a shop would have charged $3K for the automotive work I can do for a couple hundred dollars plus R134A. They get about $400 an hour labor and markup parts about 400%. Really.

 

[greenskeeper]

I'd keep topping off the A/C unless it becomes cost prohibitive. My 99 F250 needs about a can of refrigerant every cooling season...$8 a year is manageable.

If it ever came time to repair components, I'd take the truck to a shop for full recovery, then replace components as needed and use my harbor freight vacuum pump to pull a vacuum before recharging.

 

[SGKent]

I'd keep topping off the A/C unless it becomes cost prohibitive. My 99 F250 needs about a can of refrigerant every cooling season...$8 a year is manageable.

If it ever came time to repair components, I'd take the truck to a shop for full recovery, then replace components as needed and use my harbor freight vacuum pump to pull a vacuum before recharging.

Thanks. Good suggestion.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I think I paid about $85 a few years back to have a shop put dye in my system, charge it back up and tell me where the leak was.

That is more like $100-$150 now a days.

 

[SGKent]

That is more like $100-$150 now a days.

That wouldn't be bad if you didn't find nuts and bolts laying around when they were done. I talked to a shop today about the work. They want a non-refundable investigation fee first, then they will decide what is wrong, then they will make a recommendation. Then they will do the work. You leave the car for 2 days. They will not do the work you request they do until they do their inspection first. It was 105 F today, there are 3 million people here, and their shop was empty, wonder why....

If someone walked into a shoe store and said, I need a size 10 1/2 D Nike model XYZ to replace the ones I am wearing, I would not expect the sales person to say we charge $29.95 to measure your feet. That includes a new pair of socks. Then we will tell you what shoes we think you should buy. The $29.95 does not apply to anything you do or do not buy, and it is non-refundable. We can't sell you shoes until we measure your feet.

If I walk in and tell a Service Underwriter what I want them to do I expect it. Below is the color of my air and cabin filter on my Acura after the local dealer did their we'll change the oil and inspect the car thoroughly to see if there is anything else that needs to be done as part of the price. My MPG went up 5 mpg when I changed these filters (new are on the left).