1996 ACURA RL KA9 charging

A/C System Service

Recovery

Use only service equipment that is U.L.-listed and is cer-

tified to meet the requirements of SAE J2210 to remove

HFC-134a (R-134a) from the air conditioner system.

CAUTION: Exposure to air conditioner refrigerant and

lubricant vapor or mist can irritate eyes, nose and

throat. Avoid breathing the air conditioner refrigerant

and lubricant vapor or mist.

If accidental system discharge occurs, ventilate work

area before resuming service.

R-134a service equipment or vehicle air conditioner sys-

tems should not be pressure tested or leak tested with

compressed air.

Some mixtures of air and R-134a have been

shown to be combustible at elevated pressures and can

result in fire or explosion causing injury or property dam-

age. Never use compressed air to pressure test R-134a

service equipment or vehicle air conditioner systems.

Additional health and safety information may be obtained

from the refrigerant and lubricant manufacturers.

1. Connect a R-134a refrigerant recovery/recycling/

charging station to the vehicle, as shown, following

the equipment manufacturer's instructions.

2. Measure the amount of refrigerant oil removed from

the A/C system after the recovery process is com-

pleted.
RECOVERY/RECYCLING/CHARGING STATION

LOW-PRESSURE

SIDE

HIGH-PRESSURE

SIDE

NOTE: Be sure to install the same amount of new

refrigerant oil back into the A/C system before charg-

ing.ProCarManuals.com

A/C Syste m Servic e
Pressur e Tes t Char t
NOTE : Performanc e Tes t i s o n pag e 22-76 .
Test result s
Discharg e (high )
pressur e abnor -
mall y hig h
Discharg e pres -
sur e abnormall y
low
Suctio n (low )
pressur e abnor -
mally lo w
Suctio n pres -
sur e abnormall y
high
Suctio n an d dis -
charg e pres -
sure s abnormall y
hig h
Suctio n an d dis -
charg e pressur e
abnormall y lo w
Refrigeran t leak s
Relate d symptom s
After stoppin g compressor , pres -
sur e drop s t o abou t 20 0 kP a
(2. 0 kgf/cm
2, 2 8 psi ) quickly , an d
the n fall s gradually .
Reduce d o r n o ai r flo w throug h
condense r
Lin e to condense r i s excessivel y
hot.
Hig h an d lo w pressure s ar e bal -
ance d soo n afte r stoppin g compres -
sor . Lo w sid e is highe r tha n normal .
Outle t o f expansio n valv e is no t
frosted , low-pressur e gaug e indi -
cate s vacuum .
Expansio n valv e is no t frosted , an d
low-pressur e lin e is no t cold . Low -
pressur e gaug e indicate s vacuum .
Discharg e temperatur e is low , an d
th e ai r flo w fro m vent s i s restricted .
Expansio n valv e is frosted .
Receiver/drye r outle t i s cool , an d
inle t i s war m (shoul d b e war m
durin g operation) .
Low-pressur e hos e an d chec k
join t ar e coole r tha n th e tempera -
tur e aroun d evaporator .
Suctio n pressur e is lowere d whe n
condense r i s coole d b y water .
Hig h an d lo w pressur e ar e equal -
ize d a s soo n a s th e compresso r i s
stopped , an d bot h gauge s fluctu -
ate whil e running .
Reduce d ai r flo w throug h con -
denser .
Low-pressur e hos e an d meta l en d
area s ar e coole r tha n evaporator .
Temperatur e aroun d expansio n
valv e i s to o lo w compare d wit h
tha t aroun d receiver/dryer .
Compresso r clutc h i s dirty .
Compresso r bolt(s ) ar e dirty .
Compresso r gaske t i s we t wit h oil . Probabl
e caus e
Ai r i n syste m
• Clogge d condense r o r
radiato r fin s
• Condense r o r radiato r fa n
no t workin g properl y
Restricte d flo w o f refriger -
an t i n syste m
• Fault y compresso r dis -
charg e valv e
• Fault y compresso r sea l
• Fault y expansio n valv e
• Moistur e in syste m
• Froze n expansio n valv e
• Fault y expansio n valv e
Froze n evaporato r
Clogged expansio n valv e
Clogge d receiver/drye r
• Expansio n valv e ope n to o
lon g
• Loos e expansio n capillar y
tub e
Excessiv e refrigeran t i n sys -
tem
• Fault y gaske t
• Fault y high-pressur e valv e
• Foreig n particl e stuc k in
high-pressur e valv e
• Clogge d condense r o r
radiato r fin s
• Condense r o r radiato r fa n
no t workin g properl y
Clogge d o r kinke d low -
pressur e hos e part s
Clogge d high-pressur e lin e
Compresso r shaf t sea l leakin g
Leakin g aroun d bolt(s )
Gaske t leakin g Remed
y
Recover , evacuate , an d
recharg e wit h specifie d amount .
Evacuation : se e pag e 22-8 8
Charging : se e pag e 22-8 9
• Clean .
• Chec k voltag e an d fa n rpm .
• Chec k fa n direction .
Restricte d line s
Replac e th e compressor .
• Replace .
• Recover , evacuate , an d
recharg e wit h specifie d amount .
Replac e th e expansio n valve .
Ru n th e fa n wit h compresso r
off , the n chec k evaporato r
temperatur e sensor .
Clea n o r replace .
Replace .
Repair o r replace .
Recover , evacuate , an d
recharg e wit h specifie d amount .
Replac e th e compressor .
• Clea n condense r an d radia -
tor.
• Chec k voltag e an d fa n rpm .
• Chec k fa n direction .
Repai r o r replace .
Repai r o r replace .
Replac e th e compressor .
Tighte n bolt(s ) o r replac e com -
pressor .
Replace th e compressor .
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Charging
Use onl y servic e equipmen t tha t i s U.L.-liste d an d is cer -
tifie d t o mee t th e requirement s o f SA E J221 0 t o remov e
HFC-134 a (R-134a ) fro m th e ai r conditione r system .
CAUTION : Exposur e t o ai r conditione r refrigeran t an d
lubrican t vapo r o r mis t ca n irritat e eyes , nos e an d
throat . Avoi d breathin g th e ai r conditione r refrigeran t
an d lubrican t vapo r o r mist .
I f accidenta l syste m discharg e occurs , ventilat e wor k
are a befor e resumin g service . Additiona l healt h an d
safet y informatio n ma y b e obtaine d fro m th e refrigeran t
an d lubrican t manufacturers .
Selec t th e appropriat e unit s o f measur e fo r you r refrig -
eran t chargin g station .
Refrigeran t capacity :
700 to 75 0 g
0.7 0 to 0.7 5 kg
1.5 t o 1. 6 lbs .
24.7 to 26. 5 oz.
CAUTION : D o no t overcharg e th e system ; th e compresso r
wil l b e damaged .
Connec t a R-134 a refrigeran t recovery/recycling/chargin g
station to th e vehicle , a s shown , followin g th e equipmen t
manufacturer' s instructions .
RECOVERY/RECYCLING/CHARGIN G STATIO N
LOW-PRESSUR ESIDE
HIGH-PRESSUR ESIDE
Lea k Tes t
Use onl y servic e equipmen t tha t i s U.L.-liste d an d i s cer -
tifie d t o mee t th e requirement s o f SA E J221 0 t o remov e
HFC-134 a (R-134a ) fro m th e ai r conditione r system .
CAUTION : Exposur e t o ai r conditione r refrigeran t an d
lubrican t vapo r o r mis t ca n irritat e eyes , nos e an d throat .
Avoi d breathin g th e ai r conditione r refrigeran t an d lubri -
can t vapo r o r mist .
I f accidenta l syste m discharg e occurs , ventilat e wor k
are a befor e resumin g service .
R-134 a servic e equipmen t o r vehicl e ai r conditione r sys -
tem s shoul d no t b e pressur e teste d o r lea k teste d wit h
compresse d air .
Som e mixture s o f ai r an d R-134 a hav e
bee n show n t o b e combustibl e a t elevate d pressure s
an d ca n resul t i n fir e o r explosio n causin g injur y o r
propert y damage . Neve r us e compresse d ai r t o pressur e
tes t R-134 a servic e equipmen t o r vehicl e ai r conditione r
systems.
Additiona l healt h an d safet y informatio n ma y b e obtaine d
fro m th e refrigeran t an d lubrican t manufacturers .
1 . Connec t a R-134 a refrigeran t recovery/recycling /
charging statio n to th e vehicle , a s show n in th e pre -
viou s colum n followin g th e equipmen t manufactur -
er' s instructions .
NOTE : B e sur e t o instal l th e sam e amoun t o f ne w
refrigeran t oi l bac k int o th e A/ C syste m befor e charg -
ing.
2. Ope n th e high-pressur e valv e t o charg e th e syste m
t o th e specifie d capacity , the n clos e th e suppl y
valve , an d remov e th e chargin g syste m couplers .
Selec t th e appropriat e unit s of measur e fo r you r
refrigeran t chargin g station .
Refrigeran t capacity :
700 to 75 0 g
0.7 0 to 0.7 5 k g
1.5 t o 1. 6 lbs .
24.7 to 26. 5 oz.
3. Chec k th e syste m fo r leak s usin g a R-134 a refriger -
an t lea k detecto r wit h a n accurac y o f 1 4 g (0. 5 oz )
pe r yea r o r better .
4 . I f yo u fin d leak s tha t requir e th e syste m to b e opene d
(t o repai r o r replac e hoses , fittings , etc.) , recove r th e
syste m accordin g to th e Recover y Procedur e o n pag e
22-75 .
5. Afte r checkin g an d repairin g leaks , th e syste m mus t
b e evacuate d (se e Syste m Evacuatio n o n pag e 22-88 ).
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