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Freon and the AC -- scam?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Q
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Q

Q

Lifer
I have a 96 Accord that I love. It's only got ~150k miles and engine in great condition. I'm going to drive this until it's dead.

That being said, with summer approaching, I used my AC today, and noticed it's not very cold. It does 'cool' the cabin down, but only enough to where it's bearable, but not comfortable/cool.

Would getting the AC 'recharged' with new freon be worth it, or is this a scam? I've always thought the former, but do not know. I've read that new freon/recharge is only a temporary fix, and there might be a leak. I was quoted $100 for total cost.

Thoughts, help? Thanks AT.
 
If your AC is not performing up to par it is either low on freon, due to a leak, or your compressor is going out. If you have a leak it needs to be fixed first or putting refrigerant in it is simply a temporary fix. Even though the compressor may be OK it might be leaking at the seal for the shaft that connects to the clutch. If this is the case most places are going to replace the whole compressor as it is getting hard to find anyone who will simply put a seal in it.

That $100 quote is likely nothing more then putting some refrigerant in it without actually fixing the leak.
 
The system is a sealed system and if it has lost freon, it's because there's a leak somewhere. The freon doesn't just get old or wear out or get used up.

Ron's pretty much covered it all.

ZV
 
Ronstang said:
If your AC is not performing up to par it is either low on freon, due to a leak, or your compressor is going out. If you have a leak it needs to be fixed first or putting refrigerant in it is simply a temporary fix. Even though the compressor may be OK it might be leaking at the seal for the shaft that connects to the clutch. If this is the case most places are going to replace the whole compressor as it is getting hard to find anyone who will simply put a seal in it.

That $100 quote is likely nothing more then putting some refrigerant in it without actually fixing the leak.
Click to expand...

:thumbsup: This.
 
OK, that's what I read too Ron. I will have them inspect it first, then let me know of any problems for either a leak or compressor. Thanks!
 
You will need to get a recharge, and they can put something on the all the connections and see where the leak is coming from, if there is one. Its was a liquid that looked like Predator blood. I bought an old Civic that supposedly needed the AC fixed, and when I had the diagnosis done it turned out there was no leak or issue with the compressor, it just needed to be recharged. It was under $100 for the recharge and leak test. If I knew there was no leak I could have recharged it for much less. I don't know if they still sell freon at places like Walmart or Kragen. You might be able to do it yourself for cheap, and if there is an issue do the leak test.
 
Zenmervolt said:
The system is a sealed system and if it has lost freon, it's because there's a leak somewhere. The freon doesn't just get old or wear out or get used up.

Ron's pretty much covered it all.

ZV
Click to expand...

Eh, nothing is completely "sealed". Refrigerant still leaks through the o-rings over time...
 
It's possible it's a very slow leak in which case you could recharge and be good to go.

I had AC go out one day on me all of a sudden. This told me it was a fast leak/breach.I took it to the stealership, they said they ran a test, couldn't find leak, and just recharged it. I wasn't overly optimistic. A couple weeks later it got warm again. Bastards! This was like the third thing they misdiagnosed, and being the only dealer in the area of that brand, I shortly thereafter ditched the vehicle.
 
My 2000 GMC Jimmy has a slow leak. A recharge will get it through the season, which is good enough for me. A can will generally last me 2 seasons, so I have no desire to get the leak properly diagnosed on such an old vehicle.

If the system is low, the clutch will likely cycle regularly. You may need to pull the wiring harness off the evaporator, and jump the 2 terminals on the harness with a wire to engage the clutch, as the clutch needs to be engaged to draw the refrigerant into the system.
 
foghorn67 said:
Really? My friend has an eighties 929 with real freon. Never recharged. Damn, that thing is ice cold.
Click to expand...

That real freon probably destroys the o-zone layer 😉

All polymeric/rubber/elastomer seals deteriorate over time. I guess the life of these seals all depend on the materials used, operating conditions, climate, and many other factors. Keep in mind that AC systems run at relatively high pressures...

We owned a '96 accord that had ice cold AC when we bought it in '99. The AC definitely wasn't as cold after years of operation. Didn't bother to recharge it.
 
Last edited:
Mxylplyx said:
My 2000 GMC Jimmy has a slow leak. A recharge will get it through the season, which is good enough for me. A can will generally last me 2 seasons, so I have no desire to get the leak properly diagnosed on such an old vehicle.

If the system is low, the clutch will likely cycle regularly. You may need to pull the wiring harness off the evaporator, and jump the 2 terminals on the harness with a wire to engage the clutch, as the clutch needs to be engaged to draw the refrigerant into the system.
Click to expand...

IMHO that's probably not good for the compressor. The circuitry/computer tells it to disengage because running the AC compressor without enough refrigerant will damage the compressor.
 
Mxylplyx gave the best answer for you to start with, grab a can of freon at your local parts store(one that comes with a hose and connector), charge it back up and see how long it lasts.

NOTE:Wear safety glasses and gloves.

Between vehicle vibration and bumps freon can leak ever so slowly over time, so a recharge can last a while with no repairs.

A vehicle gets alot more abuse then a refrigerator.
 
I would just buy a can of refrigerant for now. if it gets worse before the end of the summer, it's probably worth fixing the leak. If it stays cold into next summer, then $15/ recharge is not a bad deal.
 
Turning on the A/C in the old 929 answers a couple of questions I never knew to ask.
1)Can A/C's remain sealed? Yes. For decades.
2) I keep hearing about how R-134A sucks compared to R-12. Is this true? Yes. This thing is colder than anything I have ever been in. This used to be the norm. Name any new vehicle. It won't match it. Doesn't matter the engine, compressor size or the name behind the badge.
 
My 2008 Jeep GC has the coldest A/C I or any of my friends has ever felt. It can get too cold for me even on a 95 degree day. That's been the case since I bought it new.

I can still run people out of it if I turn off the Auto climate control and just set it to max cold.
 
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