The AC needs charged on my 2000 Ram but I haven't gotten around to scheduling it with the mechanic I use. My son bought a recharge kit at a local parts store and is going to try to recharge his little Chevy car. He offered to do my pickup also but I'm not sold on the idea. With my limited knowledge of AC I thought you needed the hose assembly with gauges and whole nine yards to do the job. The kit my son bought has a single hose to attach the can to. Can it really work? What are your opinions? It still doesn't address possible leaks or other mechanical issues with the AC system.

 

i thought that a hose screwed into the schroeder valve on the line, and the can emptied itself to a certain backpressure, but i could be wrong...

 

That's what my son claims. He has put in 3-4 cans and I'm not sure if he's getting results or not. Like I mentioned earlier, it still doesn't solve the problem if there's leaks or mechanical failures somewhere else.

 

i think that if you have a 2000 and youre in need of freon, there must be a leak...[&:]

 

Check on your placard under the hood and it will tell you if it takes r-134. If it was an r-12 system doesn't have the new fittinngs then it needs to retro fitted. If it is an old sytem the adapter for the recharge can will not fit. You can buy a hose kit at any parts store that has a gauge built into it. Your son is right your ac can be charged on the newer sytems with the hose kit and cans bought at a parts store. the key to it is not to over charge the system. Over pressureized systems can cause leaks and possible seal failure. As long as the sytem is in sound shape with no mechanical failure recharging will not hurt as long as its not over charged. When done is a sho they basicly do the same thing all but the system is drained and recyled and then recharged. When you buy cans of coolant make sure to buy the cans with oil in them as they hel lube the seals and system. You can also buy cans of leak detector in it.

 

most of the time the seals get cracked from lack of use. in the freon there is a special lubricate that lubs the seals. even in the winter time it is a good idea to run the ac for a couple of minutes this keeps the seals lubed and freon in the veins. i run my ac once a month and have yet to have a problem. i own a 97 dodge ram and a 2005 dakota,

 

i know that i have seen in super walmart a recharge kit that seals and plugs leaks, when it the freon hits air it hardens on the opening, i have used it when i was in high school in one of my teachers jeeps and it worked great and the kit wasn't that expensive