Thank goodness he didn't take your advice LTSteve...
we would have missed one of the good laughs of the week !!
we would have missed one of the good laughs of the week !!
- Thread starter rhanson1
- Start date
Automotive air conditioning service
OH!!!
I see --- it's the nomenclature you are challenging....
Radiator coolant vs air conditioning fluid/gas
I see --- it's the nomenclature you are challenging....
Radiator coolant vs air conditioning fluid/gas
I don't know what a can of refrigerant gas costs here locally, but the price on Amazon is about $40. If I can get my AC system topped off locally for 250 or 350 pesos, then it probably makes no sense to do it myself.
Modern cars and a/c systems use R134a refrigerant and it's available for under $5 a can.
It is R22, pretty much prohibited and phased out, that is expensive. Many R22 systems have been converted to R134a.
I was not referring to r22. I understand that r134a refrigerant has been used on all cars since the mid 90's. I also understand that a small can of r134a can be purchased for less than $10. But unless you already have a a set of manifold gauges like the kid at the AC repair place, then you need to buy a can of refrigerant gas that has a pressure gauge like this one https://www.amazon.com/Interdynamic...words=a/c+pro&qid=1555870680&s=gateway&sr=8-9. The pressure gauge is necessary because adding too much refrigerant is just as bad as too little refrigerant - sometimes worse.
Just buy the gauges. It is not expensive, then use the cheaper cans of refrigerant. I is not a complicated process. But I'd just get the system fixed and be done with the constant hassle.
The prices for an AC manifold gauge set on Amazon runs from $28-50. I assume they would cost more here in the DR. But I agree with your sentiment that constantly refilling the system makes no sense, and I will certainly pursue repair if it appears that I have a significant leak. That's why I have no interest in buying gauges and refrigerant. But needing just 1 small topping off after more than 9 years is not yet serious enough to convince me that I need to have someone tearing apart my system to find a leak and hope that they repair it properly without damaging something else. If my AC is blowing warm air again next week or next month, then obviously I will need a real fix.
Went to a repair shop in Sosua generally believed to be gringo friendly. No cool air. They checked the level of 'gas' and said it was fine. They would need a half day ( at least ) to determine the problem, but they believed it was a malo compressor and would need to be repaired or replaced. Next day went to Mello. His kid checked the level of 'gas' - he said it was too low. Mello then came over and confirmed the same thing. I told him of my experience the previous day with the shop in Sosua. He said : lets top it up - and you drive for a week or so. If it stops being cold - he would look at repair. It's been 10 days - cold as H3LL still.
Is that so called mechanic in Sosua near a pizza delivery?
If so that's the same one who cracked my valve cover, either by dropping it or over-tightening it and failed to mention it - of course immediately afterward oil was noticed leaking profusely and the problem uncovered.
Word to the wise - the owner might know car repairs - but he's too busy to be bothered & puts very low skilled employees in charge of diagnosis & repairs.
Might be good for an oil change?
Anything requiring use of tools and analysis of actual issues - fuhgeddaboudit
As the OP for this thread, I'm offering an update. More than 4 months after Mello's boy genius added refrigerant to my non-functioning AC, my Honda CR-V is still blowing ice cold air even in this hot weather. Moral of the story: do not automatically assume that low refrigerant in your AC system means that the system needs to be torn apart to find and repair a leak, particularly if the car is nearly 10 years old. I'm not suggesting that my AC system is necessarily permanently fixed, but I certainly prefer to pay Mello or his son a couple hundred pesos every few months or years to top off the refrigerant instead of having them tear apart the system to try to figure out how the refrigerant escaped.
If you're in the Cabarete area, go see Mello. It's not worth the time, effort, and money to buy a refill kit and freon and charge it yourself. I think he charged my 500 pesos last time(?).
I've had several cars with slow freon leaks that only needed a can of freon every year or two. I recommend always trying a can of freon before repairing unless it has an obvious big leak like around the compressor seals. It's just not worth the money to repair a slow leak.
I've had several cars with slow freon leaks that only needed a can of freon every year or two. I recommend always trying a can of freon before repairing unless it has an obvious big leak like around the compressor seals. It's just not worth the money to repair a slow leak.
Can someone look at google earth and post the GPS coordinates for Mello's shop. I'd like to get A freon check.
Here it is, more or less. I'm estimating. He doesn't have a sign on the street. It's right across from the Amber Dune project that was never built.
https://goo.gl/maps/vb81tnL3kCTZTiKH7