Too much freon?

[SMEGMA STENCH]

I'm sure you've all heard it before. The amazed AC tech telling you that he just couldn't believe how much freon you had in your AC system. That it was just way too much. Problem is, I don't think I've ever had AC work done, anywhere, that didn't tell me that. What the hell? Is it just some common fallacy that ignorant unqualified AC techs think that they are seeing when they're looking at the readouts on their equipment? I'm just getting tired of hearing this, and its starting to make me wonder if these places that I'm taking my stuff to know what the hell they're doing to my car. Is this really a common problem? Do people overfill AC systems all the time or something? I never do it myself cause I don't want to be the one responsible for killing the system.

[JC316]

Well, with the cans that you get from autozone that don't have any gauges, it's possible. A clogged expansion valve can give readings that look like it's overfilled. I always fill to the manufacturers specs, or if only a can low to about 200-250 PSI on the high side.

[shumpertdavid]

With R-134-a, my experience has been that it can have pressure readings that would make me think that it's overcharged when in fact it was low. For myself and the shop I work for, we always recover the refrigerant to measure the exact amount in the system, if the pressures look off. I've found them undercharged with high pressures showing and overcharged with low pressures.

when it comes to people servicing there own system with cans I have found a vast majority of vehicles overcharged. The worst case was a dump truck that had about an extra 3.5 lbs in the system.

[stephen4785]

Systems are overcharged/under charged constantly. Lots of people and mechanics think a car runs out of freon and just needs more or if the airs not blowing cold it just needs a little more freon.
There really arent that many techs out there that understand ac systems(or cars in general for that matter). Iv worked at a ton of shops and a universal truth is that there will be 1 or 2 mechanics out of 10 that really now what they're doing.

[BP]

GM used to have a habit of overfilling them from the factory. We used to reocover and recharge them all the time to correct cooling complaints. I mean what do you expect for $45 an hour labor?

What I'd expect more often though is people using too much or even the incorrect oil. I watched a tech one time lock up 3 compressors in a row by dumping oil into the inlet port, even though they came factory filled.

[SMEGMA STENCH]

I've worked at a ton of shops and a universal truth is that there will be 1 or 2 mechanics out of 10 that really now what they're doing.

I believe this 100%. Always have. These days the young ones need some schooling to work on stuff. And some of the old ones probly just always sucked. Its real hard to find a good mechanic. There is one that I know of, in my whole town. But even with him, you have to be somewhat selective about what you take to him because even he will tell you, that some things lie outside his expertise. But he can pretty much fix it about 98% of the time. I have taken my stuff to pretty much everywhere else in town, and they have ALL failed me. Pretty badly.

Its gotten to the point that I'll take my stuff to the dealership before I'll trust the average mechanic. At least the dealership has to warranty their work and won't try to argue their way out of it. I freaking hate that about mechanics. Anway, rant over I guess.

[shumpertdavid]

What I'd expect more often though is people using too much or even the incorrect oil. I watched a tech one time lock up 3 compressors in a row by dumping oil into the inlet port, even though they came factory filled.

I've never understood why people think they need to add oil to the system. The only time I add any is if there is a component replaced that will require it, like the heat exchangers, compressor, or accumulator/drier. I understand a person adding refrigerant when it's low, but just because it lost it's charge doesn't mean it needs and extra 6 or 8 ounce oil charge.

And stop leak, the only thing it's going to potentially do is destroy one of my $3500+ refrigerant machines. I understand a person trying to save some money, but there are just some things that shouldn't have been marketed for sale and stop leak is one of them.

[91CoupeMike]

I've never understood why people think they need to add oil to the system. The only time I add any is if there is a component replaced that will require it, like the heat exchangers, compressor, or accumulator/drier. I understand a person adding refrigerant when it's low, but just because it lost it's charge doesn't mean it needs and extra 6 or 8 ounce oil charge.

And stop leak, the only thing it's going to potentially do is destroy one of my $3500+ refrigerant machines. I understand a person trying to save some money, but there are just some things that shouldn't have been marketed for sale and stop leak is one of them.

Whenever someone tries to buy ac stop leak, I do my best to talk them out of it. I tell them that if they were to take it in for service and they see stop leak, they can/will refuse service or reccomend replacing the whole system because it makes a Mess and contaminates the system.

[shumpertdavid]

Whenever someone tries to buy ac stop leak, I do my best to talk them out of it. I tell them that if they were to take it in for service and they see stop leak, they can/will refuse service or reccomend replacing the whole system because it makes a Mess and contaminates the system.

I appreciate that greatly, wish all my parts people would pull it off the shelves.

[JimD]

I hate that stop leak bullshit, fkn waste of money and doesn't ever work.

[stephen4785]

I hate that stop leak bullshit, fkn waste of money and doesn't ever work.

It works to clog up my gauges dang it!