Can I fix my A/C?

Question

95 Toy Corolla

Blows air, doesn't cool.

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I don't need to do it personally. But can it be repaired?

I was told you can't recharge freon anymore. Against environmental regulations or something...

Answer 1

A '95 model will have the new refrigerant, R-134A. Yes it can be repaired. Just take it to a shop and get an estimate. Then take it to another shop and do the same. May seem a waste, untill you compare estimates. Then tell each shop what the other guy says, may get a bidding war going and save a buck!!

Answer 2

You can absolutely get it fixed. Your car was built right around the time R-12 refrigerant, commonly known as Freon, was phased out in favor of R-134a. I would bet your car has the newer R-134a, but please do not take mine or anyone's word for it here. The two refrigerants are not compatible, and cannot be interchanged without modifying your A/C system. In fact, the fittings are even different, so you can't accidentally put the wrong refrigerant in unless you really try hard. R-12 is now very expensive and hard to find, and can only be purchased by qualified technicians. R-134a, on the other hand, is cheap and is available in any auto parts store. Before you do any work on your A/C system, you need to know absolutely which kind of refrigerant your car uses. If it is R-12, your best bet is to have the system retrofitted so you can use R-134a. The next thing you need to do is to find out if there are any leaks in your system. One way to find leaks is to put a dye in the refrigerant and see where it leaks using an ultraviolet light, and to determine if there are any leaks at all, you need to connect a vacuum pump to the system to see if it holds a vacuum. If it does, no leaks. If not, there are leaks that need to be fixed before you recharge the system. Pulling vacuum on the system also dries out any moisture in the system, which would cause corrosion if it were not removed. The equipment needed to properly service A/C systems is specialized and expensive and requires training, which is why most, if not all repair manuals do not have A/C service procedures. Servicing A/C systems can be dangerous, and with older R-12 systems, the refrigerant is regulated and considered an environmental hazard and must be reclaimed and stored rather than vented into the atmosphere. Your issues may go beyond just leaks, and could be a defective compressor, expansion valve, receiver/drier, or any of several other components. Unlike many systems on your car, the A/C system is best left to pros. You can dump a cheap can of R-134a in to top off the system, or you can buy a do-it-yourself retrofit kit for your older car, but either way it may be a waste of money if there is a leak or a bad component. I had my 1985 LTD retrofitted, but it also needed a new compressor and receiver/drier. Total cost was about 600 bucks. More than the car was worth, but worth every penny.

Answer 3

Possibly, but it is best to take the car in to a qualified repair shop. You have a leak in the system and the leak needs to be fixed before you add any more freon. That would be the correct way to do it.

Answer 4

Yes, it may need freon. However, there may be a leak in the system or a faulty part. If you do have a leak, it wont make sense to pay your money refilling it yourself. Have a local shop (someone you can trust) look at it. They spray a dye in the system and check for leaks with a black light. So, you can see for yourself where the leak is. (if there is one). Best of luck to you.

Answer 5

No. You do not have the training to do it right. You must have a leak.
You need to find and fix it. Then you MUST have a vacuum pump on the system for 30 minutes. The you can charge the system with the exact amount of refrigerant.
Do it your self kits are available, but you will over charge it or under charge it and introduce air into the system. You do not want any air. That is why you need a vacuum pump.
Plus there could be other problems with it that only training will help you find.
Only qualified people should be working on AC as the label under the hood says.

Answer 6

Yeah run by the parts place and pick up a couple of cans of R134a and put one can in the big pipe I thank that the hose and Freon will only fit that one put one can in and see if it feels better, If not real cool put the other one in but no more if that don't get it cool see your mechanic you might have a leak. hope this helps

Answer 7

It might just need some freon

Answer 8

you can get recharge kits at auto parts stores.