Things You'll Need:
- A/C charging kit (available at most auto parts stores)
- Pressure gauge attached to a filling hose
- A few cans of R-134 refrigerant
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Step 1
To begin, you'll need to adjust the ambient temperature arrow on the gauge to the approximate temperature of the air outside.
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Step 2
Twist the gauge clockwise to prevent the loss of R-134 refrigerant already in the system.
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Step 3
Turn on the vehicle with the A/C on high.
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Step 4
Attach the hose to the low-pressure line spout. In most cases, the hose will not fit on the high-pressure spout. Attaching the hose to the high-pressure line could result in disaster.
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Step 5
Once attached, read the gauge. If the indicator is in the green area, your system needs little, if any, refrigerant. As a general rule, if it's green then it's fine. Don't mess with a good thing. If it is below the green area, detach the hose and then twist the gauge counterclockwise until the puncturer underneath is above the threads.
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Step 6
Screw on the can of refrigerant, then attach the hose back to the low-pressure line.
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Step 7
Twist the gauge all the way down to puncture the can, then all the way up to allow the R-134 access to the system. You should see the indicator rise. If it rises to the green area after the can is empty, you're finished. Detach everything and dispose of the can in a safe, environmentally friendly manner. If not, detach everything, screw on a new can and repeat these easy steps. It will probably take you less time to complete this job than it did to read these instructions.
