Anyone ever use an AC recharge kit?

And if so, what were your experiences?

This would be for my 98 M3.

Rob

Worked fine in a '90 Miata. Was stupid easy.

Yeah, I've done it using a cheapo connector kit and a couple cans of appropriate refrigerant. Worked well enough. Of course, finding and fixing all 37 pinpoint leaks that are in every modern post-freon A/C system is a bitch's sister, but the actual recharge is no problem at all.

If there's no pressure in the system now then you're going to need to draw a vacuum in the system first to get the air out. The cheapo HF air-powered vacuum "pump" (eductor) actually does a great job for the $.

As long as there's still some stuff in the system and you're just topping off the recharge kit is caveman easy.

I've done it with mixed results. It completely rejuvenated the AC, front AND rear, in my 95 Grand Caravan. It worked in my 90 Miata and at least one of my Saturns. I think I had a car or two that it didn't work at all in. I'm planning to try it with my 91 Sentra SE-R, once temps get warm enough for me to actually tell if it's making a difference or not.

It really is stupid easy to do. Just find the low side connector, hook it up, and go. The low side connector is often covered with a cap with the letter L on it. Not to be confused with the high side connector, with the letter H. The connectors are different anyhow, so you should only be able to hook it up to the low side anyway.

I vacuumed out my R12 system in my 1989 Ranger which had a small leak in the condensor after replacing the faulty unit and just screwing on the R134 caps from one of the kits. After passing the vacuum test I was told to "clean the system out and change the filter screens"... Yeah, I drove it home and hit it with one can of Oil & Gas and two cans of gas (R134A) The AC was still beyond ice cold three years later.

I did it, it was easy.

Since i actually have a certification in car HVAC, i find the oversimplified explanations to be humorous.. but not untrue. It really is simple to shoot enough refrigerant into a system to get the clutch to engage once again..

I would recommend avoiding anything that has any claims of sealing anything at all, though. Just stick to the regular stuff. This may mandate that you avoid the cans with built-on hoses and buy a separate hose and cans.

I used an auto parts store kit to top off the a/c in my previous car. It worked as advertised and was easy to do.

I seem to use one every month or so in my 92 VW Golf. Maybe I should go see if I can hunt down the leaks. Strange thing is, even after going through the winter, it never seems to go to 0 pressure (I top it off occasionally to keep it working for defog). Maybe I should let it go, and use the vacuum prossess to find the leaks?

Not a rhetorical question, for once..y'all chime in! For one, I don't think I know how to apply vacuum to the system in the first place.

The vacuum step is missing in all the instructions in those kits. Otherwise, yea it's pretty durn easy to get enough pressure to engage the clutch switch.