Good evening all.
Seeking some advice...I'm working on the subject line car and have put in new parts (compressor, liquid line w/ o tube, and accumulator) after getting the report that car slowly was losing freon over time.
Vacuum test did not hold, dropping about 1-2 mmhg in 4 hrs. Can see periodic wisps coming out of vac pump...
Added dye with PAG46 oil to help find leak. I began charging the system with the intent of getting enough inside to locate dye leak, then recover at shop to work on leak. With a vacuum on the system, I bled line and added 12oz R134a, getting to about 80 psi static pressure engine off. Ambient is 76F.
Started car and had can in some water with a rag, pressure rose to about 85 psi... and compressor is not turning on.
Underhood sticker says charge level is .96 kg which I estimate at 2.16/2.2 lb/26 oz (correct?).
*Later edit: the headache, heat and anger must have addled my brain. I was using the 12oz can as my pound instead of the 16oz pound standard...
.96kg should be what I kept seeing online @ 34 oz.
Edited further below.
I still would like to know when I could expect the compressor to kick in. If I haven't destroyed it by stupidity.
Impatience unfortunately did prevail here, as I jumped the compressor to move the dye around to find the leak. Stablized at about 18 psi lo side, 150 psi hi side, then with compressor off, stabilized at 92-93 psi both.
I jumped it again after looking around with the UV light, not seeing the leak. This time lo side 10 psi, hi side kept climbing at 225 psi which concerned me and I quit. At last I located the leak on the liquid line from compressor but now am concerned I may have done wrong by jumping the compressor. By this time, the can is empty and compressor still sits still. Pressure stablizes at about 85 psi both sides (I presume I lost some pressure due to leak). I know I'll need new lines now but am concerned there may be other problems here.
I did jump one more time, getting about 15 psi lo side and about 200 psi hi side.
Questions:
-The stable 85 psi seems high...should the compressor be running by now, or do I just need more freon? At what amount should I expect it to turn on, if that can be known?
Very grateful for any advice and recommendations. If there were actions I took that I should not have, please advise on this as well...I want to work on these in the correct way. This is a charity case for a friend...trying to save her money but this has been a real headache.
Thanks