Great videos as always! I have one more tip to share- I suggest purging the yellow hose before charge the system so no air is introduced. To do this, open the valve on the can tap to pressurize the yellow hose, then loosen the yellow hose at the gauge set for 2-3 seconds depending on the length of the hose. This will push all the air out of the line so it doesn't get into the system. Purging hoses is perfectly legal, it's specifically exempt from the ban on releasing refrigerants. Just a suggestion!
One Of the Best A/C repair videos I have seen to date. Even better than 99% of the training videos I was subjected to watching while working in the field.
Your thermometer is not bad. You can calibrate that thermometer with either a cup of ice water or boiling water. That is why there is a nut on the back of the gauge face. Just use a wrench and turn it 32 degrees. It is safer to calibrate it to the cold setting. Hope that helps. Thanks for the videos and keep up the good work.
The way you put oil in the system is genius. I tried getting oil in by pouring it in my yellow hose and sucking it in with the vacuum already in the system. Why I didn't think of vacuuming from the high and just sucking it in the low, I don't know. Seems really obvious now! That tip is much appreciated!
yeah, mee, too... I did all kind of stuff to get the oil in, mostly resulting in a big mess or some small amount of air in the system.because I simply put it in the hose before charging .. this one is really a great idea
Thank you! SO many people will not teach AC, it is wonderful to find someone who really knows what he is doing, and is willing to share that. After paying $165 not once, but twice to get my AC fixed by local shops, who both ignored my request for them to find, and fix the leak in the system, and both just shot some sealant into it, and recharged it, I decided to buy the equipment, and fix it myself. That was about 8 years ago, and the system worked fine for 5 years afterwards. I now have 2 different cars, neither one has properly working AC. I will be making great use of these videos!
Congratulations on the RV you deserve it !!!! Thanks for the videos Paul, I've (oops theres one of them slang words) I Have learned so much from your channel......I cannot thank you enough.... Enjoy your trip out west, My wife & I hauled our boat to Lake Mead (Hoover Dam) and Lake Powell. It was the most beautiful surroundings I HAVE ever seen. No matter where you travel in the west... It will be a treasured memory. ENJOY and BE SAFE !!!!! P.S. I'm the Marine (BOAT) Mechanic with the Kohler Genset MAP/CKP Correlation issue....No fricki'n codes.... But that was the problem.
This is the locksmith that you met at the meet up at Eric's. pretty good video enjoy watching you. I have a manifold gauge set just like yours just a pointer I might put out there if you get refrigerant in a 30 pound jug you may not have to deal with that silly O ring that you had and measuring temperature from the center Air vent with the thermometer like what you had is a really good way to do it. And I've actually been able to get mine down closer to 35° when the temperature outside is cooler and the humidity is much lower. And I ended up having to replace all the components in my air-conditioning system over appeared of time but as you know my truck is kind of an older vehicle so I just had to replace the parts that were wore out. I also like your diesel Series that you been doing on your motorhome I think that's a great thing as well look forward to more videos.
Absolutely amazing tutorial. Your teaching skills are impeccable...I actually watched all three videos back to back...I learned so much and you covered everything...totally impressed. Helps us poor people out a lot.
Thanks so much! Really appreciate this comment. I've been teaching at a technical college for the past 16 years so I like to think that I can stay on track when I'm speaking. :-)
I regularly see vent temps around 30 degrees while driving, even here in Las Vegas where it's HOT!!! 115 in the shade. I use the system capacity as a general idea, but rely on the system pressures and the vent temps to get the A/C as cold as possible. Near the end I add about a half of an ounce at a time, wait a minute for the system to stabilize and repeat until I reach the maximum coldness. Been doing this for years and everyone comments on how cold my A/C is compared to theirs. Last year I picked up a couple of 30 pound jugs of 134 at Sams club for $80 each. This is the way to go IMO. Anyways, always enjoy your videos and hope you get the Jeep all sorted out!
very informative video i work on ac systems for 6 years now and 2 things i learned from you first is that you can check the compressor by using air. that i was afraid to do and the second thing about putting oil by using the vacuum i always put oil manually through the shreeder valve. thank you for your effort.
It's important to note older manifold gauge sets won't have that check valve in the charge line and you will need to purge the line of air any time you remove it (from the vacuum pump or a refrigerant can). Otherwise you'll push air in with the refrigerant charge. First make sure both the low and high side valves on the gauge set are closed. Connect the can to the charge line and open the valve on the can (with the valve facing up so you're charging as a vapor). Then loosen the yellow charge line at your gauge set just until you hear refrigerant escape (1 to 2 seconds is fine) then tighten the line back up. This will ensure only refrigerant is in your charge hose.
Bushougoma also if your just charging on the set hes using has a Shrader valve on the inlet T close everything,. connect system open low side valve an purge air from manifold lines via Shrader valve?
Gotta pay attention to where there is air and where there is refrigerant. Watch your eyes, liquid refrigerant on your arm ( ouch ouch ) liquid refrigerant in your eyes BAD NEWS
I wish this sort of info was available to me back in '99! I had to figure alot of it out on my own back then. No internet for me then! Lots of reading books, and talking with techs in Phoenix, AZ. :) This is great stuff for beginners - keep it up man. I highly approve. I enjoy watching to see how everyone does things a little different. I'm always learning - never stops no matter how long we do this work. For example, I was watching Eric The Car Guy, and realized I had been using one part of my brake spring pliers totally wrong for the past 25 years, LOL! That's why I love all you guy's vids. I'll be forever learning this OBD-II crap - I still hate it, but thanks to you guys, I'm getting a better handle on it. I still have the same gauge set I bought 17 years ago. No check valves, and no isolation valves on my 134a adaptors. Once they click on the ports, they're open. I have to purge the lines of air each time I connect, but I normally use a 30 lb. jug, so only have to do it once per vehicle. Makes things a bit easier.
I recently found your videos and I have to say thank you for giving us an informative tutorial on troubleshooting and repairs. I tell everyone about you and again thank you. I've worked on cars my whole life as a farmboy shade tree mechanic and always stayed away from AC work. But I ordered a nice set of gauges and vacuum pump and can't wait to expand my shade tree knowledge. Have a blessed day
I thought it comes out of the can as a vapor. The one I had said not to turn it upside down or to shake it. (If I remember right. It's been a while). Wow! I'm learning a lot of info that I wasn't aware of. Ha ha, just noticed the last post was me 4 yrs ago... Also, about the discharge air temp. I had a 1965 Mustang with an aftermarket AC system and that thing would blow so cold that frost would accumulate on the fins on the dash. Never checked with a thermometer so I don't know what the actual temp was... Done rambling, Doing some AC maintenance and needed a refresh. This did the trick. Thanks!
thanks Danner....I know I've only been working on cars for 2 years plus but the cool techniques you've shown here are pretty cool and effective....thanks for the great thorough explanation on working on a/c systems!
Wolves at the gate!? A friend use to be their drummer. That’s awesome man. Been loving your vids! I’m a Jeep guy myself with a 06 Rubicon with the 4.0. I’m just a do it yourselfer as a hobby and your vids have given me a ton of knowledge!
I really enjoyed this video series. It's nice to see some other technical repairs thrown in with the electrical. I say keep them coming and keep us updated with the jeeps progress.
Thanks Paul. I learned a new trick! I have never put my PAG oil in from the line that way, it will work great for the dye too!. i normally find the receiver/drier or another line I can unbolt and pour it in there. This is a LOT easier and a time saver, and time = money! My yellow line doesn't have the built in shut off valve, but i just purge the line a little, before I open the low side and let it in.
Thkx for all your troubleshooting videos! Watching is fun and at the same time so much more instructive, while it involves real practice. And combined with the theoretical background, when applicable!!. All the important details are there to be noticed by me so that I can apply them myselve. Even though in the Netherlands we are not allowed to charge R134a cans ourselves. But leak testing and checking pressures I can do myselve.
Important things first, great to see the wife pop in for a second (your doing well my friend). Please do us all a favor and give her a big thank you for the support she gives you. With out that, all this may not be happening. So yes, thank you Mrs Danner! Oh, and great ac series!
Great video. You covered all the basics and put emphasis on safety and all the GOTCHAS that can happen. At time 23:30 you indicate that the A C system uses a thermal expansion valve to regulate the flow of refrigerant into the evaporator. That is the reason the compressor does not cycle on and off. That is incorrect. The expansion valve attempts to keep a constant pressure drop across the evaporator despite a variable compressor speed and subsequent variable refrigerant flow. With ambient temperature around 75 deg F if you accelerated the engine to about 1500 rpm, the compressor would cycle off due to the evaporator being at or below freezing temperature for an extended period of time. If you had been performing this system A C charge on a 95 deg F day or higher, the compressor would run continuously at idle and probably even at 1500 rpm.
I have a 2000 Jeep Cherokee. Will Not Take Freon...im showing power on both hot and ground on the compressor. Is that right? Even when its unhooked from the plug coming from the wiring harness. It has no power on it until its hook up to the A/C . Also low pressure switch shows both inserts to have power. Is that right? Can you help me please...
Hi Paul, just letting you know I look forward to your videos on the motor home!! I felt for you when that can tap started leaking. The gauge set actually looks pretty impressive to me. Good to see the tricks of getting all the refrigerant in the system... EDIT in my job I come across several systems with O-rings like this. Assemble them dry and they are guaranteed to leak. Assemble them with some silicone paste / silicone grease -> 100% OK. You could give that a try on this one too. I'm sure the tap itself will perform nicely with a good new O-ring and a small dab of the silicone stuff.
Paul I just finished watching the third video on your old Jeep and as retired heavy diesel mechanic I had to chuckle when you made a excuse about using a Cresent wrench. Heck I still have about a half dozen adjustable and the the biggest is a 24 inch. In Texas that wrench is called a Mexican ratchet. LOL 😆
A very informative and riveting video. An extemporaneous and intelligent production, covering a lot of basics, SD. I think I have a blockage in my Sprinter system, as it take 15 min to equalize after "off." However you said a TXV takes longer than the orifice. Makes me think twice about my erroneous swap of the H-valve yesterday. Did not work. Blows slightly cool on start with half gas but then fails miserably with full charge. So much crap for a novice to diagnose. But you are the best so far at achieving an education for DIYers! You should remove (emigrate) to Florida, where flip-flops (slip-slops) and shorts are the required dress year round. Your feet will thank you!
very nice and thorough lesson. these cheap a.c. service components are great for getting the proper tools into people's hands at an affordable price, but as you showed they really are light duty! like a plastic $60 chainsaw... enough to get started, then you can decide what you really need down the road.
Shoulda done 40 years ago but trying to collect the tools to work on this stuff. Can’t do much without some realistic tools.( real gauges, can taps etc and next a vacuum pump ! ) It’s good to watch good ole Danner doing it in the real world. I seriously like the use of compressed air for empty system tests. Seen you do it a few times, came in real handy. Going to try and set up center hose for hooking air to. ( Your Jeep blower motor sounds like the ‘ oil less’ bearing syndrome where the shaft just vibrates around and makes howling noise.)
Michael I use a compressor from a refrigerator and it works great! You just have to figure out which is suction and which is the discharge line which is pretty simple and then you need to adapt it to fit your hose!from your gauge set! I use a hose off of an oxygen concentrator! Its a medical grade soft hose with quick connect fittings ! Believe it or not it works better than a lot of store bought vacuum pumps i have seen!
Yes. I have considered that. I have a good auto compressor kicking around, I was going to see if I could do something with that. A refrigerator compressor would probably be easier.
I can't wait for some diesel videos, there are no schools near me and I really want to get more familiar with them. Thanks for the great video! I'm ASE certified in A/C and heating and didn't know about that cool line clearing technique, very useful info
Doug Kinsman the EPA 609 IA an OPEN BOOK TEST but EPA 608 IS 3 HOURS NO FRIGGING OPEN BOOK. Scratch paper & a PT CHART , NEEED 80 % to pass cheers 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Oh boy you put on a show when you were charging that AC in your video and how you get so lucky to have a beautiful wife who's so funny. But you explained what I needed to know about setting up how to fix AC problem thanks like the videos keep up the good work Danner👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Excellent video Paul. At the 16 minute interval, you mention the beneficial length of the gauge set hose in regard to not liquid slugging the compressor. I would just add that the boiling point of r134a is -15F at sea level, so the chances are very good that the liquid refrigerant underwent a phase change to vapor prior to its arrival at the compressor. Keep up the great work.
That mechanical linkage is called a Watt's Linkage after James Watt patent specification year 1784. He was the steam engine guy. I have the same linkage on my Mercury Grand Marquis, still works after all these years. Keeps your differential centered while moving up and down. Oh by the way, great A/C video, I'm learning. Thanks
Paul. Great video. If you don’t have check valve in yellow hose once you connect Freon with low and high side manifold valves close. You can purge yellow line at manifold by either depressing shader valve at manifold or slightly loosening yellow hose at manifold to purge atmospheric air
Wow! Very, very well explained 3 videos. I learned a lot from these vedeos made 5 years ago. I learn very fast and listened to every word you said. Now i feel more confident, to check toy. tundra 2004 a/c system today Sept. 2021.
You have made the most sense ! Im looking at these other AC repair veds and they have me all upside down . Two of them say open up both guards to pull vacum . One other is stating leave high side close and pump from the low side . they don't know how to use these guages . You know .
I cleaned the condenser (straightened all the fins too) and evaporator fins on all my vehicles and it greatly improved the vent temp when the AC was on
Really good information Paul. You've explained the process clearly and if I ever do this at home this is a repeat video for sure. Good luck with the other projects on the Jeep.
i would love to see more of this stuff on your channel and thank you for sharing your knowledge to help the ones that want to learn and grow like myself!
If you put silicone grease (aka faucet grease) on the O-rings in your can tap, they'll last a lot longer! It's also great for stubborn radiator hoses. It's better to use the PAG oil on the A/C O-rings though.
Plus one on that. I've got my cheap Chinese hose and valves kit. For a few years now. Right out of the box, I disassemble the valves/connections lube it all with silicone. Put it all back together. Everything work perfectly smooth and never missed a bit, so far! Totally worth the 5 minutes of TLC I put into it. I like my tools to perform as best as possible 100% of the time. ;-)
Nice ... I like the part about closing off the high side at the end of the hose and opening the low side when it's still connected to the system to clear the liquid out of the lines...
Great video again Paul. The more videos the better. Even though I know most of this stuff, it's always good to see how another mechanic's go about the repair. There's always some little trick that you may learn. I noticed you put your charge port caps back on without checking them for leaks!! Over the years i have found too many leaking charge port valves, even on new hoses. Anyhow, great work and i'm looking forward to seeing more of the videos on the RV and Tow vehicle.
Great video series Paul, i learned a lot. one thing you mentioned the blower motor and possible mice nest- well that means mouse poop, and you really don't want to breath that stuff when it dries out and becomes airborne. I know it's 3 years too late, but if you still drive this jeep with the blower motor running for heat or AC please clean it out.
Two things we cant do in Australia. 1) Do our own A/C work, cant even buy R134a unless you are licensed to do refrigeration work 2) Have handguns sitting in the foot well of our cars. Well done Paul, keep up the good work, look forward to seeing that RV.
Great real life videos from you Paul, you do a great job. Usually we would put the refrigerant in the high side first then start the engine to put the rest in the low side. With the temperature you should have a temperature probe on your Fluke meter that would have given you a true reading, just keep up the good work mate
Paul, thanks for this video! I really enjoyed the talk about the liquid charge and adding oil. I'm guess for those of us with GM's accumulator systems with the low side port on the accumulator, liquid charge isn't as much a concern since you are basically dumping liquid into a can. Nice to see that strong smooth inline six in the engine bay; under your care I'm sure it will go another 100k or so!
Hey Paul, your thermometer is right, looks like it got colder when the rats in the squirrel cage started the noise. I love your videos man, also looking forward to you tinkering on that rv. I watched all 3 videos today. Thanks much for educating us .
thanks for a great video, replacing compressor, condenser, drier and some of the tubing on my 2002 Jeep Wrangler AC system, after an engine exchange. Your 3 videos were great help, took alot of notes and will re read them and hit the ground running. Thanks a bunch.
Nice video Paul, I was thinking about the o-ring that was leaking ( hence the burning smell) you could try and use some petroleum jelly to help lubricate the seal and help create better seal. Maybe worth ago!
keep going we want more videos in this channel when you put a new video i leave all my work and my reading and i don't return until i finish watching the video.
talk about beater's. when you have no car,there is an appreciation for beater's. I have a 300 dollar beater I drive daily. Beats walking. had times,i have surgery October 19th this month and glad I have a beater that rides smooth ish.
Paul you can check that thermometer. Put it in a cup of ice water. That is always 32 DEG. They you can calibrate the thermometer by turning the back of the thermometer.
Great Vids Mate. You guys in the US are very lucky that in fact that you can go to the local Walmart and get you disposable Refrigerant cans. IN Australian. Need to be Certified, Registered, Accredited and licensed to play with any refrigerant. Love your Videos. And yeah its cool your doing different stuff. A/C work is a fresh change. Great work. Just a side note and this is no way a dig at you, maybe use gauges that show Grams, MM, and degrees Celsius. I haven't used the imperial calculations for ages. Again, not a dig . Love your Videos. Stay safe use those safety gloves that leaking can o'ring is boiling off at approx -21.6 *C. Thanks Max from Perth Western Australia
Great video and to be honest I thought you was just going to take the hi side off without recovering the Freon, Great job! I had snow coming out of my vents one time so your thermometer is probably OK. I am sure you probably know this but to properly charge AC you should check your sub cool and super heat but I very seldom do that. If you ever need dye Dont use that crap advance sells in a can with a hose already on the can!! I read the reviews online and there were a lot of complaints about it being a piece of shit well I figured they just didn't know what they was doing. The push button on top of the can for charging the dye and oil leaked everywhere!! all over my hands and all over the car!! Ill never use that stuff again. I would love to see more RV videos Thanks Paul and have a awesome weekend
Yep , it is a track bar. Is how it centers the axle. With lift kits, there is either a relocation bracket to keep it aligned, or you can get an adjustable track bar for the amount of lift (better way IMO). Had to learn on Wranglers for my job.
Just an FYI you are supposed to wear safety glasses (and gloves) because if a drop of liquid refrigerant gets on your eye it immediately boils and the latent heat of vaporization comes out of your eyeball and it gets a frostbit spot.
Very well done series, Paul. I do a lot of A/C repairs sometimes and these video's shook some cob webs loose. After so many years you forget the fine points.This video also reminded me not to shop for A/C repair tools at elite stores like Wal-Mart....{:-)
Also you can get a side can tap. They work great. I work at a place in AZ for about 3 years at a place that did nothing but automotive AC repairs and compressor rebuild
O and btw for a shade tree mechanic ,a compressor from a refrigerator works pretty darned good for a vacuum pump! Mine pulls 29hg and holds it forever!
here's a quick tip regarding the can tap grab a wrench and tighten that nut it's a packing nut I had a can tap do this to me and tightening that nut stopped the leak I still use it to this day!
To calibrate your temperature gauge. find a wrench that fits the bottom of your gauge. get a drinking cup fill it with ice fill it with cold water when the cup begins to sweat put your gauge in for 10 minutes. this is 32 degrees put the wrench on the nut and turn the face of the gauge till it reads 32 degrees, it's calibrated.
I know this is an old post and likely you already threw the thermometer away or threw it into a drawer in the toolbox. If you still have it (or for future reference) you can easily calibrate the thermometer using a liquid with a reliably known temperature (usually ice & water). Your thermometer appeared to have a hex underneath the head, which means it can be calibrated. Put the thermometer stem in the ice water for a couple minutes. Holding the hex with a wrench, turn the head until the needle is pointing at 32 degrees F (0 Celcius).
I'm totally okay with you putting this sort of stuff on this channel--heck, I encourage it! This was a great series, and a lot more "real world" than some of the stuff I see out there. :)
Great videos as always! I have one more tip to share- I suggest purging the yellow hose before charge the system so no air is introduced. To do this, open the valve on the can tap to pressurize the yellow hose, then loosen the yellow hose at the gauge set for 2-3 seconds depending on the length of the hose. This will push all the air out of the line so it doesn't get into the system. Purging hoses is perfectly legal, it's specifically exempt from the ban on releasing refrigerants. Just a suggestion!
Purge the supply always
One Of the Best A/C repair videos I have seen to date. Even better than 99% of the training videos I was subjected to watching while working in the field.
Your thermometer is not bad. You can calibrate that thermometer with either a cup of ice water or boiling water. That is why there is a nut on the back of the gauge face. Just use a wrench and turn it 32 degrees. It is safer to calibrate it to the cold setting. Hope that helps. Thanks for the videos and keep up the good work.
The way you put oil in the system is genius. I tried getting oil in by pouring it in my yellow hose and sucking it in with the vacuum already in the system. Why I didn't think of vacuuming from the high and just sucking it in the low, I don't know. Seems really obvious now! That tip is much appreciated!
yeah, mee, too... I did all kind of stuff to get the oil in, mostly resulting in a big mess or some small amount of air in the system.because I simply put it in the hose before charging .. this one is really a great idea
why didn't he poured oil directly into the compressor when it was still off the car i wonder. My understand is oil needs to be inside the compressor.
Thank you! SO many people will not teach AC, it is wonderful to find someone who really knows what he is doing, and is willing to share that. After paying $165 not once, but twice to get my AC fixed by local shops, who both ignored my request for them to find, and fix the leak in the system, and both just shot some sealant into it, and recharged it, I decided to buy the equipment, and fix it myself. That was about 8 years ago, and the system worked fine for 5 years afterwards. I now have 2 different cars, neither one has properly working AC. I will be making great use of these videos!
Congratulations on the RV you deserve it !!!! Thanks for the videos Paul, I've (oops theres one of them slang words) I Have learned so much from your channel......I cannot thank you enough.... Enjoy your trip out west, My wife & I hauled our boat to Lake Mead (Hoover Dam) and Lake Powell. It was the most beautiful surroundings I HAVE ever seen. No matter where you travel in the west... It will be a treasured memory. ENJOY and BE SAFE !!!!! P.S. I'm the Marine (BOAT) Mechanic with the Kohler Genset MAP/CKP Correlation issue....No fricki'n codes.... But that was the problem.
This is the locksmith that you met at the meet up at Eric's. pretty good video enjoy watching you. I have a manifold gauge set just like yours just a pointer I might put out there if you get refrigerant in a 30 pound jug you may not have to deal with that silly O ring that you had and measuring temperature from the center Air vent with the thermometer like what you had is a really good way to do it. And I've actually been able to get mine down closer to 35° when the temperature outside is cooler and the humidity is much lower. And I ended up having to replace all the components in my air-conditioning system over appeared of time but as you know my truck is kind of an older vehicle so I just had to replace the parts that were wore out. I also like your diesel Series that you been doing on your motorhome I think that's a great thing as well look forward to more videos.
Absolutely amazing tutorial. Your teaching skills are impeccable...I actually watched all three videos back to back...I learned so much and you covered everything...totally impressed. Helps us poor people out a lot.
Thanks so much! Really appreciate this comment. I've been teaching at a technical college for the past 16 years so I like to think that I can stay on track when I'm speaking. :-)
I regularly see vent temps around 30 degrees while driving, even here in Las Vegas where it's HOT!!! 115 in the shade. I use the system capacity as a general idea, but rely on the system pressures and the vent temps to get the A/C as cold as possible. Near the end I add about a half of an ounce at a time, wait a minute for the system to stabilize and repeat until I reach the maximum coldness. Been doing this for years and everyone comments on how cold my A/C is compared to theirs. Last year I picked up a couple of 30 pound jugs of 134 at Sams club for $80 each. This is the way to go IMO. Anyways, always enjoy your videos and hope you get the Jeep all sorted out!
very informative video i work on ac systems for 6 years now and 2 things i learned from you first is that you can check the compressor by using air. that i was afraid to do and the second thing about putting oil by using the vacuum i always put oil manually through the shreeder valve. thank you for your effort.
It's important to note older manifold gauge sets won't have that check valve in the charge line and you will need to purge the line of air any time you remove it (from the vacuum pump or a refrigerant can). Otherwise you'll push air in with the refrigerant charge.
First make sure both the low and high side valves on the gauge set are closed. Connect the can to the charge line and open the valve on the can (with the valve facing up so you're charging as a vapor). Then loosen the yellow charge line at your gauge set just until you hear refrigerant escape (1 to 2 seconds is fine) then tighten the line back up. This will ensure only refrigerant is in your charge hose.
Busho you need to make some more videos.
Sorry about that it's been a busy year. I have a transmission swap and possibly rebuild (if the footage came out alright) coming soon.
Good to hear!
Bushougoma also if your just charging on the set hes using has a Shrader valve on the inlet T close everything,. connect system open low side valve an purge air from manifold lines via Shrader valve?
Gotta pay attention to where there is air and where there is refrigerant.
Watch your eyes, liquid refrigerant on your arm ( ouch ouch ) liquid refrigerant in your eyes BAD NEWS
I wish this sort of info was available to me back in '99! I had to figure alot of it out on my own back then. No internet for me then! Lots of reading books, and talking with techs in Phoenix, AZ. :)
This is great stuff for beginners - keep it up man. I highly approve. I enjoy watching to see how everyone does things a little different. I'm always learning - never stops no matter how long we do this work. For example, I was watching Eric The Car Guy, and realized I had been using one part of my brake spring pliers totally wrong for the past 25 years, LOL! That's why I love all you guy's vids. I'll be forever learning this OBD-II crap - I still hate it, but thanks to you guys, I'm getting a better handle on it.
I still have the same gauge set I bought 17 years ago. No check valves, and no isolation valves on my 134a adaptors. Once they click on the ports, they're open. I have to purge the lines of air each time I connect, but I normally use a 30 lb. jug, so only have to do it once per vehicle. Makes things a bit easier.
Wow - three videos and totally worth every minute! Thanks ScannerDanner! You are one excellent instructor!
Thank you!
Best DIY AC repair video I have seen yet. Keep up the good work Paul. I always look forward to all your videos here and on your paid channel.
this has got to be the absolute best video for anyone doing a/c work at home without any knowledge. awesome job. keep these great videos coming.
I recently found your videos and I have to say thank you for giving us an informative tutorial on troubleshooting and repairs. I tell everyone about you and again thank you. I've worked on cars my whole life as a farmboy shade tree mechanic and always stayed away from AC work. But I ordered a nice set of gauges and vacuum pump and can't wait to expand my shade tree knowledge. Have a blessed day
Nice! Thank you and welcome to the channel
I thought it comes out of the can as a vapor. The one I had said not to turn it upside down or to shake it. (If I remember right. It's been a while). Wow! I'm learning a lot of info that I wasn't aware of. Ha ha, just noticed the last post was me 4 yrs ago... Also, about the discharge air temp. I had a 1965 Mustang with an aftermarket AC system and that thing would blow so cold that frost would accumulate on the fins on the dash. Never checked with a thermometer so I don't know what the actual temp was... Done rambling, Doing some AC maintenance and needed a refresh. This did the trick. Thanks!
thanks Danner....I know I've only been working on cars for 2 years plus but the cool techniques you've shown here are pretty cool and effective....thanks for the great thorough explanation on working on a/c systems!
Wolves at the gate!? A friend use to be their drummer. That’s awesome man. Been loving your vids! I’m a Jeep guy myself with a 06 Rubicon with the 4.0. I’m just a do it yourselfer as a hobby and your vids have given me a ton of knowledge!
You, my friend, are the best bar none. Now my Camaro will be cold this summer(non T-Top) thanks to you.
sweet! thank you
I really enjoyed this video series. It's nice to see some other technical repairs thrown in with the electrical. I say keep them coming and keep us updated with the jeeps progress.
Absolutely. Thank you!
Thanks Paul. I learned a new trick! I have never put my PAG oil in from the line that way, it will work great for the dye too!. i normally find the receiver/drier or another line I can unbolt and pour it in there. This is a LOT easier and a time saver, and time = money! My yellow line doesn't have the built in shut off valve, but i just purge the line a little, before I open the low side and let it in.
Thkx for all your troubleshooting videos! Watching is fun and at the same time so much more instructive, while it involves real practice. And combined with the theoretical background, when applicable!!. All the important details are there to be noticed by me so that I can apply them myselve. Even though in the Netherlands we are not allowed to charge R134a cans ourselves. But leak testing and checking pressures I can do myselve.
happy to help and thank you for your comment!
Dude, your teaching method is top notch. All need to know info, no bs. Kudos!
It's fun to have a beat up practical car that you can make mechanically sound - less time spent worrying, more time driving!
Important things first, great to see the wife pop in for a second (your doing well my friend). Please do us all a favor and give her a big thank you for the support she gives you. With out that, all this may not be happening. So yes, thank you Mrs Danner! Oh, and great ac series!
I'll share this with her, thank you!
Great video. You covered all the basics and put emphasis on safety and all the GOTCHAS that can happen. At time 23:30 you indicate that the A C system uses a thermal expansion valve to regulate the flow of refrigerant into the evaporator. That is the reason the compressor does not cycle on and off. That is incorrect. The expansion valve attempts to keep a constant pressure drop across the evaporator despite a variable compressor speed and subsequent variable refrigerant flow. With ambient temperature around 75 deg F if you accelerated the engine to about 1500 rpm, the compressor would cycle off due to the evaporator being at or below freezing temperature for an extended period of time. If you had been performing this system A C charge on a 95 deg F day or higher, the compressor would run continuously at idle and probably even at 1500 rpm.
I have a 2000 Jeep Cherokee. Will Not Take Freon...im showing power on both hot and ground on the compressor. Is that right? Even when its unhooked from the plug coming from the wiring harness. It has no power on it until its hook up to the A/C . Also low pressure switch shows both inserts to have power. Is that right? Can you help me please...
Hi Paul, just letting you know I look forward to your videos on the motor home!! I felt for you when that can tap started leaking. The gauge set actually looks pretty impressive to me. Good to see the tricks of getting all the refrigerant in the system...
EDIT in my job I come across several systems with O-rings like this. Assemble them dry and they are guaranteed to leak. Assemble them with some silicone paste / silicone grease -> 100% OK. You could give that a try on this one too. I'm sure the tap itself will perform nicely with a good new O-ring and a small dab of the silicone stuff.
Paul I just finished watching the third video on your old Jeep and as retired heavy diesel mechanic I had to chuckle when you made a excuse about using a Cresent wrench. Heck I still have about a half dozen adjustable and the the biggest is a 24 inch. In Texas that wrench is called a Mexican ratchet. LOL 😆
A very informative and riveting video. An extemporaneous and intelligent production, covering a lot of basics, SD. I think I have a blockage in my Sprinter system, as it take 15 min to equalize after "off." However you said a TXV takes longer than the orifice. Makes me think twice about my erroneous swap of the H-valve yesterday. Did not work. Blows slightly cool on start with half gas but then fails miserably with full charge. So much crap for a novice to diagnose. But you are the best so far at achieving an education for DIYers! You should remove (emigrate) to Florida, where flip-flops (slip-slops) and shorts are the required dress year round. Your feet will thank you!
I like that thought! (Flip-flops all year)
very nice and thorough lesson. these cheap a.c. service components are great for getting the proper tools into people's hands at an affordable price, but as you showed they really are light duty! like a plastic $60 chainsaw... enough to get started, then you can decide what you really need down the road.
Shoulda done 40 years ago but trying to collect the tools to work on this stuff. Can’t do much without some realistic tools.( real gauges, can taps etc and next a vacuum pump ! )
It’s good to watch good ole Danner doing it in the real world.
I seriously like the use of compressed air for empty system tests. Seen you do it a few times, came in real handy. Going to try and set up center hose for hooking air to.
( Your Jeep blower motor sounds like the ‘ oil less’ bearing syndrome where the shaft just vibrates around and makes howling noise.)
Michael I use a compressor from a refrigerator and it works great! You just have to figure out which is suction and which is the discharge line which is pretty simple and then you need to adapt it to fit your hose!from your gauge set! I use a hose off of an oxygen concentrator! Its a medical grade soft hose with quick connect fittings ! Believe it or not it works better than a lot of store bought vacuum pumps i have seen!
Yes. I have considered that. I have a good auto compressor kicking around, I was going to see if I could do something with that. A refrigerator compressor would probably be easier.
Refrig compressors are a dime a dozen as well! Not sure if Paul is recommending a specific brand of vacuum pump if he is buy that instead!
I can't wait for some diesel videos, there are no schools near me and I really want to get more familiar with them. Thanks for the great video! I'm ASE certified in A/C and heating and didn't know about that cool line clearing technique, very useful info
Doug Kinsman the EPA 609 IA an OPEN BOOK TEST but EPA 608 IS 3 HOURS NO FRIGGING OPEN BOOK. Scratch paper & a PT CHART , NEEED 80 % to pass cheers 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Oh boy you put on a show when you were charging that AC in your video and how you get so lucky to have a beautiful wife who's so funny. But you explained what I needed to know about setting up how to fix AC problem thanks like the videos keep up the good work Danner👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
You have the best explanation yet on A/C, very complete!
Excellent video Paul. At the 16 minute interval, you mention the beneficial length of the gauge set hose in regard to not liquid slugging the compressor. I would just add that the boiling point of r134a is -15F at sea level, so the chances are very good that the liquid refrigerant underwent a phase change to vapor prior to its arrival at the compressor. Keep up the great work.
That mechanical linkage is called a Watt's Linkage after James Watt patent specification year 1784. He was the steam engine guy. I have the same linkage on my Mercury Grand Marquis, still works after all these years. Keeps your differential centered while moving up and down. Oh by the way, great A/C video, I'm learning. Thanks
Paul. Great video. If you don’t have check valve in yellow hose once you connect Freon with low and high side manifold valves close. You can purge yellow line at manifold by either depressing shader valve at manifold or slightly loosening yellow hose at manifold to purge atmospheric air
Wow! Very, very well explained 3 videos. I learned a lot from these vedeos made 5 years ago. I learn very fast and listened to every word you said. Now i feel more confident, to check toy. tundra 2004 a/c system today Sept. 2021.
Great stuff as always! I think the RV videos will be just as interesting as anything you do. You have real talent as a teacher.
Thanks so much
Thank you Paul. I really appreciate all that you do.
best a/c video I ever seen thank you Mr Danner GODBLESS
You have made the most sense ! Im looking at these other AC repair veds and they have me all upside down . Two of them say open up both guards to pull vacum . One other is stating leave high side close and pump from the low side . they don't know how to use these guages . You know .
I've really enjoyed this series, I knew nothing about Auto Aircon, and this has helped in my understanding. Thanks Paul.
Nice video series Paul in showing folks how to work with a/c systems. Have a great weekend!
I do like the way you explain and teach. Thank you very much!!
One of my favorite videos by you. Helped me a lot too. Thanks!
I cleaned the condenser (straightened all the fins too) and evaporator fins on all my vehicles and it greatly improved the vent temp when the AC was on
LOL. You and James are the two best mechanics on UA-cam keep up the good work
Really good information Paul. You've explained the process clearly and if I ever do this at home this is a repeat video for sure. Good luck with the other projects on the Jeep.
Paul , Great series look forward to more A/C videos. Nice to have you take the mystery out of these systems. Thanks
Thanks for your time , learned a little more than I knew . Hope I can remember half , then I’ll be doing good ! Good luck with the Jeep .
i would love to see more of this stuff on your channel and thank you for sharing your knowledge to help the ones that want to learn and grow like myself!
If you put silicone grease (aka faucet grease) on the O-rings in your can tap, they'll last a lot longer! It's also great for stubborn radiator hoses.
It's better to use the PAG oil on the A/C O-rings though.
Plus one on that. I've got my cheap Chinese hose and valves kit. For a few years now. Right out of the box, I disassemble the valves/connections lube it all with silicone. Put it all back together. Everything work perfectly smooth and never missed a bit, so far!
Totally worth the 5 minutes of TLC I put into it. I like my tools to perform as best as possible 100% of the time. ;-)
I will never understand why it's called a "squirrel cage" when its always mice that I pull out of them! Lol
Loved this series, and I'd love to see more videos of the jeep and the RV.
Hey scanner l learned a lot from your extra little bit of info on the liquid on the high side.Great video GOD bless you
Any and all of your content is informative ! The home videos are just fine .
Nice ... I like the part about closing off the high side at the end of the hose and opening the low side when it's still connected to the system to clear the liquid out of the lines...
Great video again Paul.
The more videos the better. Even though I know most of this stuff, it's always good to see how another mechanic's go about the repair. There's always some little trick that you may learn.
I noticed you put your charge port caps back on without checking them for leaks!! Over the years i have found too many leaking charge port valves, even on new hoses.
Anyhow, great work and i'm looking forward to seeing more of the videos on the RV and Tow vehicle.
Great video series Paul, i learned a lot.
one thing you mentioned the blower motor and possible mice nest- well that means mouse poop, and you really don't want to breath that stuff when it dries out and becomes airborne. I know it's 3 years too late, but if you still drive this jeep with the blower motor running for heat or AC please clean it out.
I like seeing the rv videos on here ,keep putting them up..can't wait for the next one..
Two things we cant do in Australia. 1) Do our own A/C work, cant even buy R134a unless you are licensed to do refrigeration work 2) Have handguns sitting in the foot well of our cars. Well done Paul, keep up the good work, look forward to seeing that RV.
Great real life videos from you Paul, you do a great job. Usually we would put the refrigerant in the high side first then start the engine to put the rest in the low side. With the temperature you should have a temperature probe on your Fluke meter that would have given you a true reading, just keep up the good work mate
Paul, thanks for this video! I really enjoyed the talk about the liquid charge and adding oil. I'm guess for those of us with GM's accumulator systems with the low side port on the accumulator, liquid charge isn't as much a concern since you are basically dumping liquid into a can.
Nice to see that strong smooth inline six in the engine bay; under your care I'm sure it will go another 100k or so!
Hey Paul, your thermometer is right, looks like it got colder when the rats in the squirrel cage started the noise. I love your videos man, also looking forward to you tinkering on that rv. I watched all 3 videos today. Thanks much for educating us .
thanks for a great video, replacing compressor, condenser, drier and some of the tubing on my 2002 Jeep Wrangler AC system, after an engine exchange. Your 3 videos were great help, took alot of notes and will re read them and hit the ground running. Thanks a bunch.
That's why I use the squeeze type that pierce the side of the can. Great video.
Nice video Paul, I was thinking about the o-ring that was leaking ( hence the burning smell) you could try and use some petroleum jelly to help lubricate the seal and help create better seal. Maybe worth ago!
Jonny Hoareau - Even better, silicone grease.
Apply when the valve/O-ring is new, right out of the box. The valve will last a lifetime. ;-)
Cheers
Mr. Danner I've been learning a lot from your videos thanks a lot... You are a master technitian, keep teaching us and thanks again
In regards to AC, great tips. I'm trying to learn AC as we speak. Great timing on video for me.
keep going we want more videos in this channel when you put a new video i leave all my work and my reading and i don't return until i finish watching the video.
That's super cool man. Thank you!
talk about beater's. when you have no car,there is an appreciation for beater's. I have a 300 dollar beater I drive daily. Beats walking. had times,i have surgery October 19th this month and glad I have a beater that rides smooth ish.
Paul you can check that thermometer. Put it in a cup of ice water. That is always 32 DEG. They you can calibrate the thermometer by turning the back of the thermometer.
Great Vids Mate.
You guys in the US are very lucky that in fact that you can go to the local Walmart and get you disposable Refrigerant cans.
IN Australian. Need to be Certified, Registered, Accredited and licensed to play with any refrigerant.
Love your Videos. And yeah its cool your doing different stuff. A/C work is a fresh change. Great work. Just a side note and this is no way a dig at you, maybe use gauges that show Grams, MM, and degrees Celsius. I haven't used the imperial calculations for ages. Again, not a dig . Love your Videos. Stay safe use those safety gloves that leaking can o'ring is boiling off at approx -21.6 *C.
Thanks
Max from Perth Western Australia
Thanks Paul great part 3. Keep em rollin !
Great video and to be honest I thought you was just going to take the hi side off without recovering the Freon, Great job! I had snow coming out of my vents one time so your thermometer is probably OK.
I am sure you probably know this but to properly charge AC you should check your sub cool and super heat but I very seldom do that.
If you ever need dye Dont use that crap advance sells in a can with a hose already on the can!! I read the reviews online and there were a lot of complaints about it being a piece of shit well I figured they just didn't know what they was doing. The push button on top of the can for charging the dye and oil leaked everywhere!! all over my hands and all over the car!! Ill never use that stuff again.
I would love to see more RV videos
Thanks Paul and have a awesome weekend
Thanks Mate !! I love your honesty & showing "the way it is" .....I'm thinking I have found a new channel to follow! 👍
Thank you Rod!
Yep , it is a track bar. Is how it centers the axle. With lift kits, there is either a relocation bracket to keep it aligned, or you can get an adjustable track bar for the amount of lift (better way IMO). Had to learn on Wranglers for my job.
Great video. Learned a few things in this series. Thanks.
Bring on the RV videos! I have plans to do the same thing with the family....and us mechanics have to do this stuff on the cheap.
Will do!
Just an FYI you are supposed to wear safety glasses (and gloves) because if a drop of liquid refrigerant gets on your eye it immediately boils and the latent heat of vaporization comes out of your eyeball and it gets a frostbit spot.
Great video, Thank you.
Very well done series, Paul. I do a lot of A/C repairs sometimes and these video's shook some cob webs loose. After so many years you forget the fine points.This video also reminded me not to shop for A/C repair tools at elite stores like Wal-Mart....{:-)
Also you can get a side can tap. They work great. I work at a place in AZ for about 3 years at a place that did nothing but automotive AC repairs and compressor rebuild
THANKS A LOT MATE, I Am lerning so much about the A/C system.
Thanks Mr Paul. I really enjoyed the video. More wisdom and understanding. You are very great 100%. Love you
O and btw for a shade tree mechanic ,a compressor from a refrigerator works pretty darned good for a vacuum pump! Mine pulls 29hg and holds it forever!
thanks paul always learning new tips from you.record it all !!!!!
Danner very well done vid series fot the diy crowd thanks
i can not thank you enough sr. great videos, GOD bless you
Can valve leak failure is good to see. No worries if you get good equipment.
The stabilizer bar is called a Panhard rod at least in the UK anyway
here's a quick tip regarding the can tap grab a wrench and tighten that nut it's a packing nut I had a can tap do this to me and tightening that nut stopped the leak I still use it to this day!
To calibrate your temperature gauge. find a wrench that fits the bottom of your gauge. get a drinking cup fill it with ice fill it with cold water when the cup begins to sweat put your gauge in for 10 minutes. this is 32 degrees put the wrench on the nut and turn the face of the gauge till it reads 32 degrees, it's calibrated.
very good information.. thank you.. i have a question, how to find out if enough (or not enough) oil in the system??
you don't know, there is no real way to know, it is why you put a certain amount of oil back in when you change components
I know this is an old post and likely you already threw the thermometer away or threw it into a drawer in the toolbox. If you still have it (or for future reference) you can easily calibrate the thermometer using a liquid with a reliably known temperature (usually ice & water). Your thermometer appeared to have a hex underneath the head, which means it can be calibrated. Put the thermometer stem in the ice water for a couple minutes. Holding the hex with a wrench, turn the head until the needle is pointing at 32 degrees F (0 Celcius).
funny thing is, I knew that, I just had a brain fart :-) Thanks to you guys, I've been reminded of that procedure
Thanks for all your video, I am learning a lot from you.
well done mate, i am learning so much from you good teacher .and thanks a lot for your time and knowledge .
Really great video's on the jeep so far. Take the blower apart...I want to see the issue!!!!
I'm totally okay with you putting this sort of stuff on this channel--heck, I encourage it! This was a great series, and a lot more "real world" than some of the stuff I see out there. :)