Anyone use those R-134 refil kits for air conditioning?

I am on the road and noticed my AC isn't performing well. Local shops
want close to a $100 for an R-134 refil (97 Honda Accord). I saw an
R-134 refil kit at Walmart for $20. Has anyone had success with these
inexpensive refil kits?
Thanks

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>I am on the road and noticed my AC isn't performing well. Local shops
> want close to a $100 for an R-134 refil (97 Honda Accord). I saw an
> R-134 refil kit at Walmart for $20. Has anyone had success with these
> inexpensive refil kits?

Is it R-134 in the can, or just propane?

wrote:
> I am on the road and noticed my AC isn't performing well. Local shops
> want close to a $100 for an R-134 refil (97 Honda Accord). I saw an
> R-134 refil kit at Walmart for $20. Has anyone had success with these
> inexpensive refil kits?
> Thanks
>

Look at it this way. The shop will hook up gauges to the vehicle, check
the actual pressures and then vacuum the system down and check for
leakage. Then add in the correct amount of refrigerant and usually give
you credit for the amount they removed (IF it isn't contaminated). Then
will check the operating pressures to make sure the system doesn't blow
apart from excessive pressure.

The Wal~Mart kit on the other hand will connect to the low side port and
you can add in an unmeasured amount of R-134A, which may help OR could
cause the system to be way over safe pressures depending on the actual
problem. If you overcharge the system (VERY easy to do without proper
gauges) your first sign will likely be the loud bang as the compressor
fails, or the condenser or evaporator cores blow.

--
Steve W.
Near Cooperstown, New York

> I am on the road and noticed my AC isn't performing well. Local shops
> want close to a $100 for an R-134 refil (97 Honda Accord). I saw an
> R-134 refil kit at Walmart for $20. Has anyone had success with these
> inexpensive refil kits?
> Thanks


It isn't the right way to do it, but chances of finding a shop that
would do it any different are pretty low.

Get the can with the pressure gauge built in. Make sure you have a
high idle when you charge it and watch the pressure on that gauge. I
would stop at no more than half a can the first time and see if the
cooling is back to normal. Overcharging is worse than being
undercharged on the system.

Steve B.

On Jun 4, 5:35 pm, " >
wrote:
> I am on the road and noticed my AC isn't performing well. Local shops
> want close to a $100 for an R-134 refil (97 Honda Accord). I saw an
> R-134 refil kit at Walmart for $20. Has anyone had success with these
> inexpensive refil kits?
> Thanks

You can get good results. Or cause sufficient problems to cause you
to seek professional help.

Verify that the contents are R-134 without "sealer," "leak detection
dye," "oil," or other crap. You just want the pure stuff, and that's
fairly hard to find. (Guess what's cheaper than R-134?)

The cheapo cans with gauges attached are for the low side of the
system only. That gauge only tells you only part of the picture, and
I'd rather see high side if limited to just one gauge, but is probably
good enough to get you through. The low side gauge is just cheap to
manufacture.

Watch the gauge as you install the new R-134. Put a thermometer on
the a/c vent and check the temp before you start anything; let the a/c
go on max hi (external air) and watch the termp go down as you add.
If it goes down a while and then starts rising again, you've added too
much and the system is choking on it. (Or else the compressor may be
cycling on/off, especially when the charge is very low, in which case
you'll probably want to continue adding.)

The newer systems have a relatively small window of "correct" level,
unlike the R-12 systems where a half-can one way or the other might
hardly make a difference. Now it is just a few ounces tolerance, and
these new systems are therefore very intolerant of even a small leak.

If there's no real change in temp as you add, you probably have an
internal problem.

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> I am on the road and noticed my AC isn't performing well. Local shops
> want close to a $100 for an R-134 refil (97 Honda Accord). I saw an
> R-134 refil kit at Walmart for $20. Has anyone had success with these
> inexpensive refil kits?
> Thanks

Yes, I have and do use them when needed for a little boost. The kit with
the
gauge on it will help you top up the system without overcharging.

It IS R134a that you get in these cans, by the way, and is clearly labeled
as
such.

wrote:
>
> > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> > I am on the road and noticed my AC isn't performing well. Local shops
> > want close to a $100 for an R-134 refil (97 Honda Accord). I saw an
> > R-134 refil kit at Walmart for $20. Has anyone had success with these
> > inexpensive refil kits?
> > Thanks
>
> Yes, I have and do use them when needed for a little boost. The kit with
> the
> gauge on it will help you top up the system without overcharging.
>
> It IS R134a that you get in these cans, by the way, and is clearly labeled
> as
> such.

That wheat flour / melamine mix from China was clearly labeled as wheat
gluten... It's up to you to check the brand and origin of what you
purchase to determine the risk of it being counterfeit.

Steve W. wrote:

If you overcharge the system (VERY easy to do without proper
> gauges) your first sign will likely be the loud bang as the compressor
> fails, or the condenser or evaporator cores blow.
>

Probably just the safety port will blow out (usually on the drier,
sometimes on the compressor discharge port. But yeah, either way you're
looking at a totally dead (and open- subject to moisture and further
damage) system if that happens..

"Pete C." > wrote in message
...

> > Yes, I have and do use them when needed for a little boost. The kit
with
> > the
> > gauge on it will help you top up the system without overcharging.
> >
> > It IS R134a that you get in these cans, by the way, and is clearly
labeled
> > as
> > such.
>
> That wheat flour / melamine mix from China was clearly labeled as wheat
> gluten... It's up to you to check the brand and origin of what you
> purchase to determine the risk of it being counterfeit.

That melamine contamination was a total ********, and I have not yet
heard a satisfactory explanation of it.

I think that with any product, it will do you no good to check the brand
and origin. Manufacturers buy and relabel R134a under their own name.
Contamination shouldnt happen but you and I both know it CAN happen,
no matter who supplies it.

wrote:
>
> "Pete C." > wrote in message
> ...
>
> > > Yes, I have and do use them when needed for a little boost. The kit
> with
> > > the
> > > gauge on it will help you top up the system without overcharging.
> > >
> > > It IS R134a that you get in these cans, by the way, and is clearly
> labeled
> > > as
> > > such.
> >
> > That wheat flour / melamine mix from China was clearly labeled as wheat
> > gluten... It's up to you to check the brand and origin of what you
> > purchase to determine the risk of it being counterfeit.
>
> That melamine contamination was a total ********, and I have not yet
> heard a satisfactory explanation of it.

It was a counterfeit product. What was sold as wheat gluten, a processed
derivative of wheat, was in fact plain old wheat flour with scrap
melamine added to trick QC tests the buyer might do.

>
> I think that with any product, it will do you no good to check the brand
> and origin. Manufacturers buy and relabel R134a under their own name.
> Contamination shouldnt happen but you and I both know it CAN happen,
> no matter who supplies it.

Two separate issues, product contamination and counterfeit product.