How to Add Oil to an Auto Air Conditioner Compressor
Oil in the system is lost when the seals in the system shrink in the cold winter months. As the seals are heat cycled (heated up and cooled down) through normal use, they lose some of their elasticity and unable to completely seal when cold. Efforts are made to prevent this from occurring. Systems cycle the compressor even when the heater is on to circulate oil, and specialized rubber is used in the manufacture of the seals themselves. Add oil to the system to replace losses from leaks and help your compressor last longer.
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Instructions
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Attach your A/C gauge set to the low pressure side of the system. The valves on the gauge set should be closed to prevent loss of refrigerant. The low pressure port can be found by following the larger line on the back of the compressor. The port may be on the line, or on the accumulator, which is the cylindrical shaped part attached to the system near the fire wall.
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Install a can tap on the center hose of the gauge set. This hose is usually yellow in color and is where refrigerant or oil is added to the system. Install a can of oil onto the can tap; turn the thumb screw all the way in and all the way out to open the can.
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Start the engine and set the A/C controls to max A/C and medium blower speed. Then open the valve on the gauge set to allow the oil to be sucked into the system. When adding oil to a system, install no more then half the originally specified amount. This prevents oil lock-up of the compressor. The specified amount may be found on a yellow tag under the hood near the service port, or in a service manual.
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4
Turn off the engine and allow the pressure to lower a few seconds before removing the gauge from the car. This prevents damage to the service ports and total loss of refrigerant.
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