Long story I may share later in a new thread on this AC compressor journey, but in short, had a completely dry system and compressor was out of oil. Filled it up manually, found the leak and fixed it, pulled vacuum for an hour, then charged system w/ 134a using the gauges. It was difficult to get the refrigerant in and took awhile, but I did get 2 cans in finally. However, I wanted to add a bit more oil after the system was closed so I got an oil charge can.
These are all the new style self sealing cans. I have 3 different can adapters that have the piecing heads, and a separate adapter that says it is supposed to be for using those with the new style can. However, no matter which adapter or combo of them I used, I just could not get much if any of the 3oz (2oz oil, 1oz 134a) can into the system.
With the 12oz 134a cans, it was difficult, but I was able to do it just using one of the traditional can taps hooked to the yellow line on the gauges. I DID NOT need to use the can adapter I mentioned before.
The process I used was hooked gauges up to high & low. Kept high open at line & closed on gauges. Kept low the same initially, hooked can up to yellow line, used purge valve on gauges to try and purge the air but on the oil charge, not much came out but it did sound like air and there was no visual oil or refrigerant in the site glass on the gauges. Then I opened up the low side on the gauges (with AC running) to try and such the oil in. Several times in trying different options, I had to close the low and try another can adapter combo on the oil charge can. Each time I purged before opening low side back up and each time there was a bit of air but no visible oil. However, I did have a decent amount of oil drip out of the line each time I unhooked to try another can adapter. So the can was not empty when I finally gave up and I convinced that maybe "some" of the oil got into the system, but the rest dripped out of the line.
I even unhooked the gauges and tried one of those cheap short low-side only charge lines with several of the same can taps and had the same result.
What is the right way to have done this and is this just a bummer of these new style, self-sealing cans?
ALSO, what the the process (unrelated) when using AC gauges...I opened the high-side at the gauges after I removed them and it scared me by purging all the pressure in the line and spewing oil all over. I guess as part of the process of using the gauges you have to purge the lines after each use once they are removed from the car?
These are all the new style self sealing cans. I have 3 different can adapters that have the piecing heads, and a separate adapter that says it is supposed to be for using those with the new style can. However, no matter which adapter or combo of them I used, I just could not get much if any of the 3oz (2oz oil, 1oz 134a) can into the system.
With the 12oz 134a cans, it was difficult, but I was able to do it just using one of the traditional can taps hooked to the yellow line on the gauges. I DID NOT need to use the can adapter I mentioned before.
The process I used was hooked gauges up to high & low. Kept high open at line & closed on gauges. Kept low the same initially, hooked can up to yellow line, used purge valve on gauges to try and purge the air but on the oil charge, not much came out but it did sound like air and there was no visual oil or refrigerant in the site glass on the gauges. Then I opened up the low side on the gauges (with AC running) to try and such the oil in. Several times in trying different options, I had to close the low and try another can adapter combo on the oil charge can. Each time I purged before opening low side back up and each time there was a bit of air but no visible oil. However, I did have a decent amount of oil drip out of the line each time I unhooked to try another can adapter. So the can was not empty when I finally gave up and I convinced that maybe "some" of the oil got into the system, but the rest dripped out of the line.
I even unhooked the gauges and tried one of those cheap short low-side only charge lines with several of the same can taps and had the same result.
What is the right way to have done this and is this just a bummer of these new style, self-sealing cans?
ALSO, what the the process (unrelated) when using AC gauges...I opened the high-side at the gauges after I removed them and it scared me by purging all the pressure in the line and spewing oil all over. I guess as part of the process of using the gauges you have to purge the lines after each use once they are removed from the car?
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