An air conditioning recharge removes the old refrigerant, pulls the system into a deep vacuum to boil off moisture, and refills it with the exact weight of refrigerant and oil your vehicle specifies. AutoTech Clinic does this at our shop on Michigan Ave in Dearborn, and we find the leak first.
Refrigerant is not consumed. A system that is low has lost refrigerant somewhere, so recharging without finding the leak just sets a date for the next recharge.
- How Long
- About 1 to 2 hours including leak testing.
- Same Day
- Usually finished the same day.
- Vehicles
- Foreign and domestic, cars through trucks.
Signs You Need A/C Recharge
- The air conditioning blows cool but not cold
- It cools when you are moving but not at a stop light
- The compressor clutch cycles on and off rapidly
- It worked last summer and is weak this summer
- An oily residue around an air conditioning fitting or hose
- The system blows cold for a few minutes then goes warm
What We Do
- 01
Measure First
We connect gauges and read high and low side pressures with the system running, and measure vent temperature. Those numbers tell us a great deal before anything is added.
- 02
Find the Leak
We use UV dye, an electronic leak detector or a nitrogen pressure test. Common leak points are the condenser, the schrader valves, hose crimps and the compressor shaft seal.
- 03
Repair the Leak
We repair what we found before charging the system. We will tell you honestly if we cannot find a leak and what that means.
- 04
Evacuate and Hold Vacuum
We pull the system into a deep vacuum and hold it to boil off moisture and confirm the system is sealed. Moisture in a system forms acid and destroys compressors.
- 05
Charge by Weight and Verify
We charge the exact weight the manufacturer specifies, not by pressure or by eye, then verify vent temperature and pressures at idle and at speed.
Why We Will Not Just Top It Up
Adding refrigerant to a leaking system is quick and it does make the air cold for a while. It also means the compressor keeps running with low oil, because the oil circulates with the refrigerant and leaves with it.
A compressor that runs low on oil fails, and when it fails it sends metal debris through the whole system. That turns a hose or a seal repair into a condenser, drier, expansion valve and compressor job. Finding the leak first is the cheaper path, even when it does not feel like it on the day.
Those Cans From the Parts Store
The refrigerant cans with a gauge on top are sold as a quick fix. The gauge reads low side pressure only, which cannot tell you whether the charge is correct, and overcharging a system reduces cooling and raises pressures to the point where parts fail.
Many of those cans also contain a stop leak additive that contaminates recovery equipment and can plug the expansion valve. If you have used one, tell us, because it changes how we have to service the system.
What Affects the Cost
We quote your vehicle specifically after inspecting it, because these are the things that move the number up or down:
- Whether the system uses R-134a or the more expensive R-1234yf
- System capacity, which varies with vehicle size and rear air conditioning
- Whether a leak repair is required first and which part is leaking
- Dye and detection time on hard to find leaks
- Receiver drier or accumulator replacement when the system has been open
Call (313) 277-7200 with your year, make and model and we will tell you what to expect before you come in.
Why AutoTech Clinic
AAA Approved
An inspected facility that has to meet AAA standards for equipment and training.
Photos First
You see what we found and approve the price before anything is taken apart.
Same-Day Service
Parts on hand for the vehicles we see most, so you are not waiting on a delivery.