Repairing/replacing the Mercedes Benz 300D Air Conditioning
Posted By RichC on May 29, 2013
I’ve been accused of knowing a little about a lot of things, but not very much about anything.
This becoming exceedingly clear when it comes to understanding automotive air conditioning systems and I’ve been getting quite frustrated.
The first hurdle is getting over the “leave that to the pros” and “it is illegal to discharge refrigerant” comments when seeking advice when it comes to tools or components. The do-it-yourself-er is definitely at a disadvantage when trying to tackle AC when it comes to both acquiring supplies, getting advice or trying to learn about automotive AC. The second problem is universal when it comes to any project – the advice garnered from the Internet has to be considered suspect. Third, when you do find recommended products, they are packaged or designed for the auto repair businesses who uses tools and equipment on multiple jobs … not just the onesy, twosy most home garages are involved in. Even the online repair shop videos tend to discourage tackling automotive AC due to the expensive equipment and government regulations involved. Wouldn’t we all love a machine that will recycle the old refrigerant, pull a vacuum to dry out the system, add the appropriate oil and then charge the system with new refrigerant … not to mention analyze for leaks … but that’s not in the normal shop’s budget. Even the separate manifold with gauges and connections, a vacuum pump with the ability to add dye to look for leaks and help in recharging is pretty pricey for the couple times I’d use it. (but still might opt for one … and could donate to the CinciTDI toolbox?)
To the question at hand … since the R12 system was already fully discharged, I’m not concerned about recycling old refrigerant and I’ve already purchased the compressor, expansion valve and receiver dryer/accumulator … I need to tackle the next step of how to fully flush the old oil, moisture and debris from the lines, condenser and evaporator?
Q: Will the $16.99 A/C Pro Power Clean & Flush product along with compressed air do the job appropriately so I can put things back together with the new component prior to drying by pulling a vacuum, checking for leaks, adding the appropriate amount of oil (???) and recharging the system?
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