While we are on a heritage tour, it was sunny outside. So that we all have closed the windows up and turn on the AC to get some cool air. But even after turning on the AC, we won’t receive any cooling air. I suspect that the freon level may have been gone down. Then I think of how to put freon in car air conditioner?
But when our AC stops blowing out cool air, then it must be checked for problems caused by low refrigerant which is the lower level of Freon in-car air conditioner. Just as our AC in home, the car AC also uses Freon to produce cool air.
There’s a compressor in the AC which pressurizes the Freon gas into a cool liquid which helps the AC to blow out cool air throughout the car. But when there occurs a leakage in this system, the AC may not blow out cool air anymore. This could be because of leakage of the Freon in the system.
You should watch out for the following signs to avoid further complications.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Leakage Of Freon In A Car Air Conditioner?
When AC on the car struggles to provide cool air then there must be a malfunction in the working of the freon. Leakage of symptoms can be found out using the following symptoms.
1. Blowing Out Hot Air
A potential AC has to blow out cool air when it’s turned on, but if you notice that your car is blowing out room-temperature air from the vents instead. Then it’s most likely a problem with the Freon level, which requires you to recharge or refill the gas.
2. Visible Leakage Of Freon
Sometimes the drivers would notice some kind of greasy oil-like liquid in and around the cabin of the car. Especially near the compressor, this could be a common thing. But if you get to notice it even after cleaning, then there is a visible leaking of Freon. This should be taken care of.
The Clutching Sound
You can hear a clutch engaging sound whenever you turn on a healthy car AC. This clutching sound is nothing but the sound of the compressor pressurizing the Freon gas into a liquid. But if you cannot hear this sound anymore when you turn your AC on, then that’s probably a sign for you to refill the gas.
Because the compressor works properly only with the proper amount of Freon inside. If the Freon level is found not enough, this clutch would not engage.
Presence Of Ice
If you can visibly notice ice on the compressor, then that’s yet another sign, yes. The ice is formed because the Freon gas in the AC has been used up and now been replaced with moist which turns into the form of ice when cooled.
If the problem is just about low Freon level, then it’s not a big deal. You can recharge the Freon all by yourself without any mechanical support from service shops. But if the problem is leakage of the Freon from your system, then you’ll have to find the leak and fix it asap. This requires a repair from service shops and then get it refilled with Freon in-car air conditioner.
How To Put Freon In Car Air Conditioner?
You may wonder how to put freon in car air conditioner? If you are good enough to sort this out manually on your own, then there is no need for an auto mechanic. Follow the below-mentioned steps to refill the freon in your car.
First Step
The first thing you should do is get yourself a refrigerant charge kit with at least 2 refrigerant cans from your local automobile shop. It must be suitable for your vehicle. This would be better if you get a kit along with UV dye as it makes it easy for you to detect any further leakage.
Second Step
Secondly, you’ll have to find the low side port of your air conditioner system which you can see in the larger tube between the evaporator and the compressor.
- Then all you need to do is screw the dispersion and fix it with the refrigerant can.
- After which you’ll have to run a verification process which involves starting the engine and turning on the AC at its maximum.
- Then, check whether the pulley on the compressor is spinning, if yes, then your compressor is engaged.
But if it’s not spinning then you’ll have to follow the following step.
- keep your engine on and AC at its maximum till you complete the procedures.
- Now locate the low-pressure side fill port that is supposed to be found left side of the engine bay. There will be 2 rubber hoses with different lengths.
- You’ll have to follow the larger hose to locate the low-pressure side fill port.
- Now take the dispersion and attach it to the refrigerant can and connect it with the fill port using a connector.
- The details and readings for different room temperatures.
- All come in a table of content provided with the recharge kit, make sure of the room temperature
- Determine the pressure range as per the readings.
- If the system pressure is below the pressure targeted. You can start to add the AC refrigerant or Freon into the AC system.
You should keep checking the pressure. And if the pressure shows you the readings you were targeting, you can stop adding the refrigerant and close it with the protective lid.
Is It Bad To Run AC with low Freon In Car Air Conditioner?
Running AC without the essential Freon level would be of no use. However, the air it blows out would be warmer or the same as that of your room temperature. You should recharge the Freon to fully make use of your AC. In-home AC’s you should recharge your refrigerant or if there’s any leakage of Freon, that sometimes can cause suffocation and needs to be fixed.
In either case, it’s better to call for a mechanical support service to repair. Because you need to know how to put freon in car air conditioner? If the refrigerant levels are too low, or if there is a leakage, it will make extra usage of electrical power to run the AC. Thereby will increase your chances for a high charge of electricity bill. Sometimes a prolonged leakage can cause malfunctioning of other inner parts of the system as well.
How Much Does It Cost To Put Freon In Car Air Conditioner?
As Freon gas is the major component required for the air conditioners as a refrigerant in normal. It is essential to make a regular check over its level of content in the fill port and its proper functioning.
Freon is responsible for the cool air that the AC vents blow out. So if there is no adequate amount of Freon inside it can blow out warm air or air just the same as that if the room temperature. To avoid such circumstances we need to refill the freon refrigerant from time to time.
Usually, the Freon recharge kit amounts to approximately 1500 rupees or even more with the Freon alone charging us an amount of 500 rupees or more. So if your car AC is running out of Freon, all you need to do is get the kit and at least 2 refrigerant cans from the nearby automobile shop and refill.
The refilling process can be done even by yourself at your home’s comfort if you are handy with stuff related to cars. But if you are not sure, avoid it. Because the internal parts of the engine and car can be a bit confusing. So to avoid any complications, it’s better to approach a repair shop and get it refilled which may cost you around 2000-3000 rupees.
Why Is My Car Not Taking The Freon In Car Air Conditioner?
If the inside of the fill port or hose is covered with moisture. Then the car won’t probably take the Freon in as it’s already filled with moisture. Sometimes, in this case, you can even see the build of icy substances in the compressor. These are signs that your fill port is filled with moisture, which requires you to evacuate the moisture.
For this, you have to vacuum the system clean for at least 10 minutes thoroughly. Sometimes you’ll even have to replace the drier. This could be the most common reason why you cannot refill your Freon. But if the issue persists then you’ll have to look for the pressure readings of the system and the room temperature. According to which you have to set the pressure to fill the refrigerant.
Conclusion
In the detailed article, you can learn how to put freon in-car air conditioner. AC fixes are profoundly particular. This kind of fix should be handled by an expert for proper fix and practice. It is just as holding the refrigerant back from leaking into the air and dirtying the air we breathe.
Now you know how to put freon in car air conditioner, if you have doubts, let us know in the comments below.
Safe Driving!
