318SixPack

UAC ($164.79) vs Four Seasons ($167.79) vs GPD ($187.79), all "new" kits with condenser, each kit has slightly different stuff all within about $20 of each other.

Anybody know any real performance differences between these brands?

5-Speed

I just redid the AC system on one of my other cars. From the research I have done, the UAC and GDP are 100% brand new. The Four Seasons can be a refurbished model depending on which one you get. I went with a UAC.

318SixPack

Thanks!

Any thoughts on the best brand of A/C oil? Found one reference that my year takes 100 weight.

5-Speed

I really dont think the brand matters on the oil. From what I have seen, most compressors come with PAG45 in them. If you are going to flush the system, I would run whatever oil comes in the compressor. Most of the time you wont need to add any oil if you are just doing a compressor swap.

318SixPack

The UAC kit, compressor, clutch, accumulator, and condenser comes with PAG100 oil, at least it is pictured that way. A blurb at Rock Auto, when I added the version without condenser, said that the new condensers can't be flushed, so it is recommended that be replaced too. (Scotty Kilmer said the same thing in his video on A/C flushes.)

Assuming that I should flush all the old lines before installing the new parts.

5-Speed

Depends.... Why are you replacing stuff? Did the compressor blow up? Just run out of fluid cause of a leak? Preventative maintenance?

318SixPack

The clutch went out years ago, and hung on making racket for years too. Compressor and clutch together are close to the same price as just the clutch. Back about 8 years ago, the sight glass on the accumulator showed green, but it is just black now.

Might see if O'Reilly or someplace can check the pressure and if I am out of refrigerant, I don't have to worry about having it removed. Guess is, if it leaked out it went out through the compressor.

5-Speed

If you have a little bit of extra money to spend, get this kit.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/R134-HVAC-A...item1ecbe0c61f

Super easy to use and it will pay for itself on the first use. You can go to Autozone and buy the little bottles of R134 to fill it with (do not get the ones with sealant in them!). They are $20 each and you get $10 back as a core charge when you return them. Should take about 3 bottle to fill the system. So call it all in $120 to do it your self the first time and $30 each time after that. Or you can just fork out $115 for a 30 lb bottle of R134 and refill it many many many times.

If your site glass is now black, then ya, sounds like a flush is next (black = metal particles in the oil). Replacing the condenser would be recommended but the flush may get everything out.

318SixPack

I thought not green meant it was empty of refrigerant?

IIRC, a 1996 Jeep XJ uses 32 oz. of refrigerant and total and 7.75 oz of PAG100 oil (from a chart I can't find today). I need to look harder, because all the r134 bottles I found yesterday were 18 oz. and I know if anybody can manage to overfill it, that would be me. Plan on using the cans that have dye in them for easier leak spotting. Slowly but surely, I am getting dye into everything that holds anything in that vehicle.

5-Speed

Black means contaminated (could be empty or full)
Clear means empty
Green means good

The last bottles I got from AZ were 12oz. My vehicle takes 24oz so 2 bottles are perfect. However, different brands do come in anything from 12-24oz. Most of the bottle with dye in them have sealant too. So just make sure you get some without the sealant.

318SixPack

By "black" it could be clear too, since there isn't much light going down that glass. Did not check with a flashlight, just wiped the dust off and looked and it is not green anymore.

That vacuum kit looks great and sounds like a good deal too. Does it blow air too, or is it vacuum only? For flushing I am going to need air and probably more air than you get from a little 12v tire filler pump.

Going to have to hunt for 8 or 16 oz bottles I guess.

5-Speed

Haha yes if you didnt shine a light into it, it does appear black. I will give you that one. Looking at the oil that comes out of the compressor might be a better indicator.

The pump only does VAC. You will need a real air compressor for flushing out everything.

Ebay and Amazon are the cheapest for R134 bottles (Rockauto isnt bad either but they wont ship them to me in CA). They also have a good selection on how big the bottle is.

318SixPack

Found this at Walmart, dye with 2 oz of r134a $10
https://www.walmart.com/ip/FJC-4921-...R134a/51253591

They also have a "super tech" line 12 oz cans under $5, but not sure what is up with that. It is less than half the price of anything else I've noticed. It is in-store purchase only with a out of stock flag.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/SuperTech...unce/171500775

Looks like finding true-blue DuPont Suva r134a is a trick online. Looking at the 1 and 2 star comments, something else is shipping and other problems.

How do I stop at 32 ounces in the system when the last can is only going to be a partial can?

Rambler65

The UAC compressor I installed in my daily driver six years ago is still going strong, and that car runs it all the time by default. As I recall I used FJC PAG-100 oil in it, the weight specified by the compressor manufacturer. I've used the Wal-Mart "SuperTech" R134a and it works just fine. To charge in a partial can you can do it a little at a time and monitor the weight of the can until the proper amount has been reached. That's the right way to do it. Alternatively you can charge in a little at a time until pressures and outlet temperature are good and call it a day.

318SixPack

What is the deal with the new cans and needing a new special can connector for the new resealable cans? Some of the comments mention another can connector, seems like it is about $4 at Walmart if that is the right one.

The Rock Auto compressor/accumulator/condenser kit is UAC. only maker they offer with all three in one kit ($187). I mentioned on another thread, a Scotty Kilmer video makes the case for replacing the condenser just like Rock Auto recommends too.

With that pressure and vacuum set linked above, all I need to figure out it how to blow everything out after shooting cleaning fluid through it. Maybe a cheap-o Harbor Freight oil-free compressor is in order. I still have all manner of air doodads, including a water catcher and regulator, from when I primed a car years ago.