[dmax]

it shouldn't. but keep driving without the filter cover and it will result in debris getting into your vents eventually possibly clogging something important.

And everytime it rains, the air filter will get soaked and water will get where it isnt supposed to be...as in getting sucked into blower motor...hard rain sucked into vents...dropping down...not good. u need to replace the part

 

[dmax]

:banghead:

I just tried this...I bought a can exactly like yours, and when I hooked it up, the pressure reading was WAAAYYYY in the red zone. like 150 psi. WTF thats impossible, I have never recharged it in the past, and have never had a problem with my ac until recently . So I just pulled the trigger real fast to see what happened and it went down to 0 I let go again and it went right back up to the same spot . did I get a faulty can perhaps? My system takes forever to start cooling, but when it does work, it works well. any pointers? :help:

Sorry, Jose, but I've got to say my best pointer would be take it to a shop that has a few thousand dollar machine and get it done right...with right machine and tech that knows about ac. Although you might get lucky like Delmarco...you might get unlucky like the guy that wrote a thread entitled something like "don't be an idiot...have professionals charge your expensive ac system"...actually it wasn't entitled that...but he bought new compressor coz he overcharged his system.

It sounds like your system might be way overcharged or that something is otherwise wrong with it. $100 for charge done right...or $20 for diy (with possibility of another $1500 charge for new compressor). Your decision, of course.

Also, ac system is charged with lbs. of 134a...and not by pressure. Your can doesn't measure pounds, but just psi, and evidently, the two may vary differently for a number of reasons.

Not worth the risk imho!

Doug

 

[dmax]

Hi!

Great write-up!

One question...

Is this type of refrigerant you mentioned ( R134a )
toxic or anything dangerous
if it comes in contact with bear hands ?

Should we use any type of protection like gloves or eye-glasses ???

Kostas

Giving,

With all due respect to Delmarco...if for nothing else other than his brave, pioneering effort to bring us the rear seat cupholder...I think you ought to read other threads on the AC system recharge--i.e., there are risks associated with diying...particularly with this one.

It's easy to mess up and will cost you, potentially, a new compressor and some days without your car. For the $80 usd you'd save, imho, it's not worth the gamble unless you happen to have an expensive ac recharging unit at your disposal...which I'm assuming you don't coz you're thinking of doing the recharge with a can.

Delmarco, hope you forgive me! I think you ought to add a strong caveat in your first post here or refer folks to that other thread on 'risks involved.'

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=769819&highlight=ac+recharging

You know the range of fanatics we have here in terms of skills and thoroughness of research. Frankly, I'm getting a little worried myself everytime I post something about the cooling system, for fear I'll forget something essential, or that reader will forget to read something essential.

Just saying...really nothing personal at all...but this is one of those things that a penny saved might be a $1500 cost!

Doug