An air conditioner has become one of the most important systems in everybody’s car. Driving in the hot sun can be stressful, and driving without ac is tiring. Also, using an AC to unfreeze windows is a must. So, we often take servicing an AC into our hands, we refill the coolant, and sometimes we go a little too far.
Is there a way to bleed off an overcharged AC in the car? A coolant for a car’s AC system is toxic, so conducting some DIY services can be dangerous. This is one of those things that we advise drivers to never do themselves. The best and safest way to bleed off an overcharged car AC is to leave it to the professional AC mechanic.
But if you have a lot of DIY experience and you love doing things yourself, stay with us. We will go through the whole process. We will point out all possible problems, and we will add a lot of tips. Enjoy!
Can You Put Too Much Freon In Your Car?
Yes, you can. It is a common mistake when filling the AC at home. Everyone can buy a canister of coolant and add it to the car’s AC system. The problem is in the lack of pressure gauge in most store-bought canisters.
You can easily make a mistake when you are unsure how much coolant you need to add. Add to that, that most of us will add more, to be sure. That way, they are overcharging the AC system and doing more harm than good.
How To Spot Overcharged Car AC?
An overcharged AC usually doesn’t work at all. Sometimes it lets some air go through to the car cabin. Either way, you will know that something is not right. There are three common symptoms of an overcharged air conditioner:
Lack of airflow
AC can take a few minutes to start blowing cool air, which is okay. But, if no air is coming after a couple of minutes, turn off the AC. Poor cooling is a definitive symptom of too much refrigerant and can cause serious damage.
Overall weak work
If the AC works weaker than before the refill, that is a sure signal of excess refrigerant. A weak cold and warm airflow is the most obvious sign of checking your AC.
Weird noise
If an unusual noise comes from the engine compartment after refilling an AC, safely stop the car. Lift the hood, and try to locate the AC compressor. It is usually found near the serpentine belt. The belt is easy to find because it has a recognizable shape. If the sound comes from the compressor, take the car to the AC mechanic immediately.
How Do You Fix An Overcharged Car AC?
It is a process that we would leave to a professional, but we will go through it step by step:
- Locate the low-pressure port – it is located on the lines near the AC compressor. If you can’t find it, look through the car’s manual.
- Connect the refrigerant can to the port – Use the canister you bought and connect it with the low-pressure port. When you connect it, there should not be any leaks in the system.
- Turn on the car – it is time to release the old Freon. When the car runs, it will help it move out of the system.
- Remove the canister – disconnect the canister from the low-pressure port once the system is refilled with a new Freon. Again check all connections and if there are any leaks.
- Start the AC – now you can turn on the car air conditioner and check if it works properly. Listen carefully to check for any noises, and check the vents for airflow.
How Much Freon Should You Discharge?
Before you start refilling the air conditioning system, you should first discharge the old Freon. The Freon amount depends on the vehicle’s type and size, but in most cases, it is around 80%.
How To Discharge Car AC At Home?
Before discharging the car’s AC system, you must ensure it is filled with pure refrigerant. There is an electronic tool that is connected to the AC service port. It takes a small sample of the refrigerant and checks its purity. If there is impure Freon in the system, store it in a separate container.
For the discharging process, you need an AC recovery and recharge machine. There are two connectors on the AC, and you need to connect the machine to them. There is a blue cap that indicates a low-pressure connector. The other, the red cap, indicates the high-pressure connector. The machine has hoses that are colored in the same manner.
When you connect the hoses to the connectors, they will measure the pressure, and you need to write it down. Now start the machine. The machine works automatically and will do all the work.
The vacuum pump will start working and move the Freon inside the tank. As the machine continues removing Freon, the pressure gauge will show lowered values of the ac coolant. When a gauge shows zero value, the vacuum pump empties the system.
Before recharging the system, you should check it for leaks. That way, once you refill the air conditioning system, it will hold the Freon longer.
Check Out How To Fix Overcharged A/C:
Can I Discharge Without A Vacuum Pump?
Yes, there is a way, but the option of using a vacuum pump is the best and simplest way. Nonetheless, we will now explain the process without the pump:
- Park the car on a level surface. Use safety equipment such as plastic goggles and gloves. Turn off the car.
- Depress the high side valve on the compressor. To do this, install the valves on the high and low sides of the compressor. Depress the high side of the compressor, and monitor the lower side pressure. Once the high-pressure valve hits the lowest value, close the valve and turn off the compressor.
- Now you need to charge the low side valve by adjusting it to a 14 psi value. Monitor both pressure values for a couple of minutes. The pressure on both sides should reach the same level.
- Turn the compressor on and depress the high side valve like in the second step. Once the high side valve is closed, monitor the low side. It should reach the correct pressure of 14 psi.
- Repeat this process for a couple of minutes. To be sure that the discharge went okay, the low side pressure will not go low as in the previous steps. You can shut it off when the high side releases no gas. Now the system is empty.
- Check the owner’s manual for information about the amount of refrigerant needed. That information is essential, so you can avoid adding more refrigerant than needed. Add the recommended amount and turn off the compressor.
How To Remove Refrigerant From Car Without A Machine?
If you are not familiar with the AC systems, we will not recommend doing this without the machine. In any case, before starting this process, turn the air conditioner off, and gather all the safety equipment. That includes gloves and goggles. Also, you will need a safe container for the Freon, a wrench, and a hex key.
- After you are sure that the air conditioning system is off, you need to find the suction side of the compressor. It is always on the condensing unit. Also, find the low-pressure side with the Freon itself. Connect the low-pressure side with the suction.
- Close the low side with the wrench. If the wrench is not good enough, use the hex key to better grip the valve. After you close the low side, proceed to the high-pressure side. You need to close it, but not completely.
- Now it is time to get to the compressor. Use the lower voltage jumper, and you will notice that the lower side is emptying. This process can go on for several hours. After it is empty, close it with a wrench.
- Check for any leftover Freon in the high-pressure valve before closing it. Also, remove any excess Freon from the jumper and compressor. Freon is highly toxic and will destroy gradually if left on any surface.
How Does A Professional Bleed Off An Overcharged Car AC?
A professional uses a machine that creates an airtight seal and then vacuums the whole refrigerant content from the system. The whole process is safe, and that is important because the refrigerant is toxic.
How Much Does It Cost To Bleed Off An Overcharged Car AC?
Renting an air conditioner recovery machine costs between $300 and $500. The price of a specialized mechanic is between $150 and $300.
Safety Measures In Discharging An Overcharged Car AC
Discharging an overcharged car AC can be very dangerous. Gas found in the air conditioner is toxic, and it is not recommended to touch it. Also, you should avoid breathing it directly.
If you want to discharge your car’s AC yourself, you must get a proper canister for that purpose. Refrigerant or Freon shouldn’t be released into the atmosphere, which is an offense. You can get a fine if someone reports you.
Key Takeaway: If you, after all this, still want to discharge the car ac system yourself, get some safety equipment. That includes safety gloves, plastic goggles, and an outfit you will use specifically for this operation.
FAQs
Is it illegal to release r134a in the air?
Yes, it is. The fine can go to $27.500 per day per violation.
How to purge air from the car’s ac system?
The simplest way is to attach the vacuum to the low-pressure side and suck as much air as possible.
Does Walmart put freon in the cars?
No, but they are selling refrigerants that you need for the refilling of the car’s AC system.
Can overcharging the air conditioner damage the compressor?
Yes, it can. It can cause significant damage to the compressor and other parts of the car’s AC system.
Final Considerations
Bleeding off an overcharged car AC can be dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing. There are a lot of steps that need to be followed to get everything right. Doing this for the first time can, in the end, cost more than paying a professional to handle the entire process.
We wanted to describe the DIY process for anyone who thinks they can manage it. We don’t recommend it because refrigerant is toxic if not handled correctly. We always recommend letting the professional handle the whole AC system.
For all other car mechanic tips, stay with us; we have a lot of stuff prepared for you!
