Anyone know anything about recharging a/c on hdj81?

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

S

Simonas

Joined
Jun 17, 2016
Threads
2
Messages
6
Location
Victoria, BC
Just like the title says, anyone have any experience about recharging a/c on hdj81?
Any luck with buying R12?
Thanks
 
I just did ac on my hj61 and a 91 celica...can of 12a mystery potion.

Had kit leftover from when I had an 81(recharged it too). just crappy tire kit, but works ok if system is only a little low on refrigerant. Certainly not the best way, but 20 bucks got both vehicles blowing cold again.

We'll see how long it lasts...:lol:
 
Last edited:
Been learning from a friend who has been taught himself some pretty advanced a/c tech. There are a few different options to re-charge. All have pros and cons obviously. R12 is the best as it was what the system was designed for but no longer available, or swap to r134 which is difficult but not impossible to find (these options you need to buy your own gauges and read a little bit), or the redtek mystery cans which yes can do the trick but as stated not quite as efficient and is more of just a temporary patch (you will have to continue buying kits most likely).
 
I used the crappy tire Red-Tek kit also, and it got my system working. It is sort of a temporary solution and is not as cold as it should be I don't think. Usually getting all the seals replaced, new dryer, evacuation and proper refrigerant is the way to go. But that is lots more expensive of course. I have heard that A/C shops don't like the Red-Tek stuff and sometimes won't touch your system if they know it's in there.
 
X2

I'm also going to need to have two lines repaired, the system purged, and the system recharged. It'll take a lot more than a can of R12.

BTW, KMS tools has seal, refrigerant, and guages for A/C system recharges.
 
GTSSportCoupe said:
I used the crappy tire Red-Tek kit also, and it got my system working. It is sort of a temporary solution and is not as cold as it should be I don't think. Usually getting all the seals replaced, new dryer, evacuation and proper refrigerant is the way to go. But that is lots more expensive of course. I have heard that A/C shops don't like the Red-Tek stuff and sometimes won't touch your system if they know it's in there.
Click to expand...

I think the shops worry that people will have put the wrong stuff in. 12a into 134 system, and vice versa.

I gather some of the different chemicals don't really jive with each other, and can turn into a gooey mess. They also don't like the mystery and hocus pocus of it all to be dispelled.

And then theres swmbo's Honda CRV...who most dealers won't put a gauge on regardless because most CRV compressors have the "black death" .

Blithely ignored by Honda of course, despite the spectacular failure rate of their ac compressors. Class action lawsuits in the states, all that good stuff. No recall of course. :rolleyes:

At this point, a new clutch on her compressor might fix it, but it's safer to just leave the damn thing alone so it doesn't blow up. :bang:



I don't mind the ct kit too much. Once you have it, you only need to buy a $20 can once in a while. Can is cheap enough that you can throw one in to see if it comes back to life, or if it stays dead and has more $$ problems.

Just remove all evidence if you take it to a shop. :lol:

That, and the chances are pretty good that it's already been monkeyed with by this time.
 
I just did my daughters Matrix today with the C.T. Red Neck system. We got lucky and when I hooked up the gauge it showed some 134 still in system and it didn't take much to go from luke warm to frost on the pipes. The C.T. service counter said it would be about 500 bucks to evac, test for leaks and recharge. Best $59.95 I have ever spent(except for that time in Vegas)
Simonas-- if you want to borrow it or if you want me to come over do it for you(now that I am an expert) PM me
 
Ok, I'll bite. I am a strong believer in hydrocarbon refrigerants like Red-Tek. But yes, often just adding a can doesn't fix the problem.

  • R12 supposedly depletes the ozone layer. But the amount in a car is like...... a small balloon full. Honestly, I think this is a case of environmentalists over-reacting. Anyway they banned it. But of course they still use it in other parts of the world..... not like we share an ozone layer or anything.........
  • R134a is not ozone depleting, but it is toxic. I heard it can kill you if you inhale too much. It doesn't cool as well as R12, so they made the systems bigger to compensate. Approximately 1993+.
  • Hydrocarbon stuff is not ozone depleting, and not toxic to inhale. It's basically purified propane. It is slightly warmer than R12 but colder than R134a. So if you put it in a car that was designed for R134a it will cool better than stock.
  • The scare is that "propane is flammable/explosive." The truth is, so is R134a under pressure (as it is in the system.) Anyway, the amount of refrigerant in a car is like..... less than a party balloon full. Even if it exploded, nothing much would happen. And when I Google it, I can't find any examples of it exploding in real life.
So how to get your system working?
  • Air doesn't work as a refrigerant. If your system has been opened then it has air in it. If you add a can or two of Red-Tek, you now have air+refrigerant. Not going to cool properly. Therefore, you have to suck the air out first.
  • If your system has leaked a little out (with the car turned off and settled, system pressure should be about 70 psi) you can add some Red-Tek to top it up. But it will probably continue leaking slowly and you'll be adding more cans.
  • The molecules of the hydrocarbon refrigerant are larger than R12 or R134a, so they won't leak as easily, but obviously this depends on the nature of your leak.
  • Depending where the leak is located, the oil in your system may leak out too. There used to be a whole issue about PAG vs. mineral oil not being compatible with each other, etc. Red-Tek will mix successfully with any oil. Red-Tek also sells their own oil cans which you can supposedly add to a pressurized system and will mix with any oil. Best case would be to take the system apart (compressor and condenser out) dump out the oil, and add new. Doesn't matter at this point PAG or mineral oil as they will both mix with Red-Tek fine. You can buy PAG oil at Lordco in an 8oz bottle and I assume you can find mineral oil somewhere too. 8oz is enough to keep the compressor lubed. If you add tons too much oil, you are taking away volume that could be used for refrigerant and it would therefore not cool as well.
  • The compressor pumps refrigerant into the condenser to cool it, then to the receiver/dryer which holds it and collects any moisture that may be present before the expansion valve regulates it into the evaporator. As the dessicant chemical in the receiver/dryer fills up with moisture (every time the system is opened) it makes it harder for the refrigerant to flow. So that will cause the compressor to work harder and the system to not cool as well. The receiver/dryer is like $25 at Lordco for most cars, and should be replaced any time the system is opened. Try blowing through your old one and you will see why it needs replacing.
Steps to a working system
  1. Release pressure on system. I just attach the Red-Tek hose outdoors on a windy day, crack the valve, and walk away. If it's R12 maybe I'll get a better tan tomorrow. If it's R134a hopefully it blows away before it kills me.
  2. Fix leaks. Maybe you noticed where it was leaking before you let the refrigerant out. If not, you can pressurize the system with air and use soapy water to look for leaks. I've seen leaky O-rings at joints and also leaky condensers where something has hit/rubbed them. Also seen cracked aluminum lines. You can buy new O-rings at Lordco (get the green ones meant for A/C). You can get someone to tig-weld aluminum lines. And you can buy a new condenser if you need it. Re-man from Lordco or eBay. I have successfully repaired a condenser by applying a vacuum to it and dabbing on JB weld and letting it get sucked in so it hardens inside the hole. YMMV.
  3. Replace compressor if it's blown up. Pour in some new oil if you think there's less than 8-10 oz.
  4. Install new receiver/dryer.
  5. Once leaks are fixed, pull a vacuum on the system. You can get a cheap venturi vacuum thingy off eBay which runs off an air compressor. Probably need fairly high CFM - I have a 20 gallon shop compressor that works fine. The system should hold -15 psi vacuum (that's as low as my gauge goes) indefinitely. Maybe leave it while you have a beer and make sure it holds.
  6. Add 2 cans of Red-Tek. My experience is that 99% of vehicles take 2 cans. Basically you just want the low side Red-Tek hose gauge in the blue zone. I think around 30 psi if memory serves. High side is usually around 300 psi, but this changes with ambient temperature so don't worry about it too much.
  7. Done-der-mifflin! Enjoy a cold beer and a cold car. Just not at the same time!!! Take the $800 you saved at the shop and buy yourself a new fly rod, hunting rifle, surfboard, or other leisure equipment of your choice.
 
themorb said:
Ok, I'll bite. I am a strong believer in hydrocarbon refrigerants like Red-Tek. But yes, often just adding a can doesn't fix the problem.

  • R12 supposedly depletes the ozone layer. But the amount in a car is like...... a small balloon full. Honestly, I think this is a case of environmentalists over-reacting. Anyway they banned it. But of course they still use it in other parts of the world..... not like we share an ozone layer or anything.........
  • R134a is not ozone depleting, but it is toxic. I heard it can kill you if you inhale too much. It doesn't cool as well as R12, so they made the systems bigger to compensate. Approximately 1993+.
  • Hydrocarbon stuff is not ozone depleting, and not toxic to inhale. It's basically purified propane. It is slightly warmer than R12 but colder than R134a. So if you put it in a car that was designed for R134a it will cool better than stock.
  • The scare is that "propane is flammable/explosive." The truth is, so is R134a under pressure (as it is in the system.) Anyway, the amount of refrigerant in a car is like..... less than a party balloon full. Even if it exploded, nothing much would happen. And when I Google it, I can't find any examples of it exploding in real life.
So how to get your system working?
  • Air doesn't work as a refrigerant. If your system has been opened then it has air in it. If you add a can or two of Red-Tek, you now have air+refrigerant. Not going to cool properly. Therefore, you have to suck the air out first.
  • If your system has leaked a little out (with the car turned off and settled, system pressure should be about 70 psi) you can add some Red-Tek to top it up. But it will probably continue leaking slowly and you'll be adding more cans.
  • The molecules of the hydrocarbon refrigerant are larger than R12 or R134a, so they won't leak as easily, but obviously this depends on the nature of your leak.
  • Depending where the leak is located, the oil in your system may leak out too. There used to be a whole issue about PAG vs. mineral oil not being compatible with each other, etc. Red-Tek will mix successfully with any oil. Red-Tek also sells their own oil cans which you can supposedly add to a pressurized system and will mix with any oil. Best case would be to take the system apart (compressor and condenser out) dump out the oil, and add new. Doesn't matter at this point PAG or mineral oil as they will both mix with Red-Tek fine. You can buy PAG oil at Lordco in an 8oz bottle and I assume you can find mineral oil somewhere too. 8oz is enough to keep the compressor lubed. If you add tons too much oil, you are taking away volume that could be used for refrigerant and it would therefore not cool as well.
  • The compressor pumps refrigerant into the condenser to cool it, then to the receiver/dryer which holds it and collects any moisture that may be present before the expansion valve regulates it into the evaporator. As the dessicant chemical in the receiver/dryer fills up with moisture (every time the system is opened) it makes it harder for the refrigerant to flow. So that will cause the compressor to work harder and the system to not cool as well. The receiver/dryer is like $25 at Lordco for most cars, and should be replaced any time the system is opened. Try blowing through your old one and you will see why it needs replacing.
Steps to a working system
  1. Release pressure on system. I just attach the Red-Tek hose outdoors on a windy day, crack the valve, and walk away. If it's R12 maybe I'll get a better tan tomorrow. If it's R134a hopefully it blows away before it kills me.
  2. Fix leaks. Maybe you noticed where it was leaking before you let the refrigerant out. If not, you can pressurize the system with air and use soapy water to look for leaks. I've seen leaky O-rings at joints and also leaky condensers where something has hit/rubbed them. Also seen cracked aluminum lines. You can buy new O-rings at Lordco (get the green ones meant for A/C). You can get someone to tig-weld aluminum lines. And you can buy a new condenser if you need it. Re-man from Lordco or eBay. I have successfully repaired a condenser by applying a vacuum to it and dabbing on JB weld and letting it get sucked in so it hardens inside the hole. YMMV.
  3. Replace compressor if it's blown up. Pour in some new oil if you think there's less than 8-10 oz.
  4. Install new receiver/dryer.
  5. Once leaks are fixed, pull a vacuum on the system. You can get a cheap venturi vacuum thingy off eBay which runs off an air compressor. Probably need fairly high CFM - I have a 20 gallon shop compressor that works fine. The system should hold -15 psi vacuum (that's as low as my gauge goes) indefinitely. Maybe leave it while you have a beer and make sure it holds.
  6. Add 2 cans of Red-Tek. My experience is that 99% of vehicles take 2 cans. Basically you just want the low side Red-Tek hose gauge in the blue zone. I think around 30 psi if memory serves. High side is usually around 300 psi, but this changes with ambient temperature so don't worry about it too much.
  7. Done-der-mifflin! Enjoy a cold beer and a cold car. Just not at the same time!!! Take the $800 you saved at the shop and buy yourself a new fly rod, hunting rifle, surfboard, or other leisure equipment of your choice.
Click to expand...

This is very helpful information.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom