fbtased2002 Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 OK This is my first encounter with A/C... bought a "recharge kit" from a parts store but when I hook the can up the system won't charge... I have the fan on high and the a/c set on max. I understand the clutch won't engage when the system has low pressure so I used a jumper wire to the battery and got it to engage but still won't charge! :???: Any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimoshel Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 If the system was empty it will take 1 can (16 oz) to recharge before the pressure switch will kick in. Hold the can. If after 10-15 seconds it should be cold. If it is cold then it is charging. If it doesn't get cold then something isn't working. It takes 2, 16 oz cans to fully charge. Assuming you are using 134a. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbtased2002 Posted June 8, 2011 Author Share Posted June 8, 2011 yeah its not flowing at all... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimoshel Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Take something, the head of a nail, and see if you can depress the core stem on the valve. That's the valve where you fill the system at. You should be able to push it down. Is the can fully screwed onto the fill adapter? Is the adapter fully seated on the valve? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbtased2002 Posted June 8, 2011 Author Share Posted June 8, 2011 Good idea... I'll check the valve in the morning. The can is attached correctly when I open the valve on the can the gauge that on the hose immediately goes into the red and stays there, so I'm guessing the hose is pressurizing but nothing else is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffN Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 It has a valve you have to open, your charge port should look something like a "T". There are 2 caps on each port you have to take the steel cap that is in line with the hose and there is a square head that you need to open or it will never take freon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 It has a valve you have to open, your charge port should look something like a "T". There are 2 caps on each port you have to take the steel cap that is in line with the hose and there is a square head that you need to open or it will never take freon  This is correct. And the valve is reverse threaded; turn clockwise to open, ccw to close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimoshel Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 I must be missing something here. In the last week I've charged 2 ZJ'S. Neither one of them had a square head, fitting and there was only one cap on the port. they both took a charge when i pulled the lever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 It has a valve you have to open, your charge port should look something like a "T". There are 2 caps on each port you have to take the steel cap that is in line with the hose and there is a square head that you need to open or it will never take freon  This is correct. And the valve is reverse threaded; turn clockwise to open, ccw to close.  Standard thread on all my stuff mate. I am actually sitting next to the machine in my shop and both fittings to screw the hose ends on the system are righty-tighty, lefty-loosey. :dunno: As for the question about the cans of stuff from the parts store... here is a response I gave someone else:  viewtopic.php?f=2&t=30129&p=302368&hilit=refrigerant#p302368  Yep. Make sure it has no obvious problems, and take it somewhere.  The cans at the parts store are bad ideas... Since you have no way to draw a vacuum to rid the system of unwanted air and moisture, you are just making things worse. Especially if you put in the cans with the stop leak. They are horrible for the compressor, and most places won't even evac your system if you've used the stuff, as the stop leak additive can ruin their vacuum pump on their AC machine. Air/moisture are the biggest killers of the AC system.  Best thing to do is to make sure that visually all of your components are properly working, and that all the lines look good. Take it in to someone who can draw it down into a vacuum, remove the moisture and check for leaks, then charge it with the proper amount of AC and oil. Its not as expensive as you would think if all you need is a suck-down, leak test and recharge. R-134 is cheap, all you are really paying for is the machine they use. Ours at the shop is all automatic, I just set it and walk away. It draws the crap out, pulls it into a vacuum to boil the moisture out, then holds the vac and waits to see if it leaks, if it passes, it charges it with the proper amount of dye and oil.  In reality, you have to be EPA certified to even take the cap off the service port (because that's technically opening the system if the Schroeder is leaking). If they wanted to nit-pick you, its a $32,500 fine for each time you could have released any sort of refrigerant into the air. I've ran into a local shop who got busted for not following the proper procedure and the EPA went through their records checking for any AC parts replaced. They counted up each time they replaced an AC part (A LOT over time) and charged them the $32,500 fine for each part. Bankrupted the business. Granted, the guy was a piece of work anyway, but none the less, that's a lot of money.  Rob  Coming from EPA certified tech. Rob :wrench: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 I'm just talking about the valve (square stem) that is reverse threaded. On my 91 w. factory air anyhow it is for sure, and also on all the Benz's I've had throughout the years. Even says so in the FSM if I'd bothered to look the first time I recharged it. I suppose nothing's written in stone though.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratrapp Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 the zj's don't have any type of valve like the mj or older xjs.by the time chrysler took over jeep they done away with the valves.i never saw a point of these valves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbtased2002 Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 Thanks for the help guys!! The system is blowing ice cold now! And also my valve was reverse thread. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 :wrench: :thumbsup: Is the aux fan kicking in with the A/C also? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbtased2002 Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 yeah it sure is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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