I read the Haynes manual when I first got my 97R Escort, as it was the first (non-company-)car with aircon I've had. Once I'd grasped an understanding of how a/c works (it's easy once you've grasped the idea of Latent Heat Of Evaporation) I tried using a £30 can of refrigerant with a pressure gauge, from Halfords. The instructions are really clear and easy to follow.
The refrigerant I added promptly squirted out from a small split in a high pressure hose (these run at 150psi ish) so I bought a double-ended brass pipe joint (suitable for pressures up to 200psi) and two jubilee clips, from a local hydraulics specialist for a couple of quid. I sliced the HP hose either side of the split and connected it all back together without the split section. Another £30 can of refrigerant later and it was cooling nicely, and still is 10 months later. No draining, vacuum drawing or anything required.
It's only an old banger really (as is an 11 year old Vectra, I'm afraid!) so if it hadn't worked I wouldn't have been too bothered. But fixing aircon isn't a mystic, dark art at all. Think how worried we all were 10 years ago about how to go about fixing cars with ABS, fuel injection and catalysts, and how much we take those in our stride now.
Hth,
Dave TD
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The high pressure side of the air con fitted to my Citroen Xantia can run at up to 24 bar +/- 3. This equates to 352,8 psi +/- 44,1 psi. These figures are with the system correctly charged. I don't know the official pressures are for your Vauxhall but I suspect that they are similar. The recharging cans plug onto the low pressure side. This will give you no clue to the high pressure being developed or whether you have over or under charged the system. I hope that your 200 psi fitting has a good safety factor built into it.
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I tried using a £30 can of refrigerant with a pressure gauge .... The refrigerant I added promptly squirted out from a small split in a high pressure hose ....I bought a double-ended brass pipe joint.... Another £30 can of refrigerant later and it was cooling nicely
You don't mention how long ago you undertook the repair, but for the past 2 or 3 years KwikFit have been doing AC refills for around £40 to £45, with the guarantee that if the system leaks when they test it, they won't charge you anything.
What I'm basically saying is that the price of these DIY cans is on par with paying someone to do the job for you. Why get your own hands dirty when you can pay someone else to get theirs dirty instead.
Oh, and then there are the other factors to consider that Dave N has previously mentioned:-
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=42800&...e
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=22...1
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=17944
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 16/05/2009 at 15:12
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>>If it won't old pressure then probably not worth fixing as most aircon repairs cost £££s
>>
As a guide my 98 Mondeo non OE compressor was about £200 plus labour plus regas.
As recommended I had the dryer replaced at the same time.
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