Anyone fix their own car's a/c?

Fedorgasm

Fedorgasm

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I'm debating on whether I should try tackling this myself or take it to a mechanic.

I'm not super mechanically inclined but I do fix the little things myself when I can.

I've watched about a dozen YouTube videos on how to do it and some guys say it's easy while others say it's more advanced and warn that you can fuck up your entire system if you do something wrong.

And to make matters worse, they don't all do the same steps. For example, some videos say never open the high pressure side at all, while others say to open both high and low.

So I'm torn. What say you, groundhog experts?
 
A long time ago I added freon or whatever it was called. It was super easy. They might not let you do it now b/c it's bad for the environment if you don't collect any leaks I believe.

I had a tiny leak and would just fill it up around May and by October if wasn't cold anymore but it was all good.
 
If you need to ask if you should, you probably shouldn't in this situation.

If you do decide to attempt it, be god-damn careful. Full hazard protection. Gloves, goggles (preferably a face shield as well), etc. If things go bad, or you crack the wrong valve, you can lose an eye easily or suffer severe burns.
 
Not all youtube DIY videos were created equal.
 
I did my own.

It was not as cold as it should be. Got a can with a gauge on it from the auto parts store that I saw on a YouTube video and went at it.

Super easy!

 
Well, it's not a cheap repair, so break out the Youtube and dive in. What's the worst that can happen?

I haven't tackled cars yet, but Youtube has saved me a lot of money on washers, dryers and toilets.
 
I charge my old Jeep every year. Trick is to run the a/c to drop the pressure on the low side, then charge through the low side. It says how to do it on the bottle.

Make sure it's 134a. They used R12 in vehicles made in 96 (IIRC) and before.

Edit: it was 1994
 
Try it. Fixed mine before, and I’m not the most handy fella myself.

Or spend the money. Whatever works for you. Though I would always recommend fixing anything yourself before hiring someone to do it for you.
 
FUCK NO. I'm not going to pop the hood of my car and guess what's wrong with the car and get frustrated since I don't really know what I'm doing. I'll pay the professionals to do the job as long as you have a good place to take your vehicle that isn't going to screw you over. And don't give me the how much money you're going to save on fixing it yourself. How many times do you have to fix your car yourself to make the money back on all of the tools you bought to use once every few years at best.
 
Fedorgasm said:
I'm debating on whether I should try tackling this myself or take it to a mechanic.

I'm not super mechanically inclined but I do fix the little things myself when I can.

I've watched about a dozen YouTube videos on how to do it and some guys say it's easy while others say it's more advanced and warn that you can fuck up your entire system if you do something wrong.

And to make matters worse, they don't all do the same steps. For example, some videos say never open the high pressure side at all, while others say to open both high and low.

So I'm torn. What say you, groundhog experts?
Click to expand...
It was a bitch to fix in my truck. It ended up being some sensor I had to replace in the steering column. And then after a few months it went out again. It controlled the on/off knob for the fan to blow AC or heat <6>
 
Spounman said:
It was a bitch to fix in my truck. It ended up being some sensor I had to replace in the steering column. And then after a few months it went out again. It controlled the on/off knob for the fan to blow AC or heat <6>
Click to expand...
Do you own a Chevy? This is common in Chevy trucks, and the sensor tends to be in a the steering column.

Chevy in general, at least their trucks, always seem to have ac issues
 
Installing a new compressor is easy but if your old one blew up you need to flush the whole system and condenser to clear the debris.
 
What is the year, make, model?
What’s it doing (or not doing)?
Blowing warm air, or not blowing at all
Fedorgasm said:
I'm debating on whether I should try tackling this myself or take it to a mechanic.

I'm not super mechanically inclined but I do fix the little things myself when I can.

I've watched about a dozen YouTube videos on how to do it and some guys say it's easy while others say it's more advanced and warn that you can fuck up your entire system if you do something wrong.

And to make matters worse, they don't all do the same steps. For example, some videos say never open the high pressure side at all, while others say to open both high and low.

So I'm torn. What say you, groundhog experts?
Click to expand...
 
You're talking about just charging your AC right? Not completely replacing your compressor and condenser?

If so, then yes it is easy to do. You can buy one of those bottles from AutoZone and just put a little bit in to get some cold air.
It doesn't take much, just like spraying it for a few seconds will give you cold air for a year if there aren't any leaks.

It's pretty retard proof. The low port on the line should be the only thing that the air hose will even connect to.

Do it with the car running and AC blowing full blast. And make sure you Google to make sure you're using the right refrigerant. Most all cars use the 134a but I know there are exceptions.
 
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