OK, so yesterday I installed my new compressor. Several cuts and scrapes later, its all installed, belts back on, and its all hooked up. I used a new A/C delco compressor filled with 60ml of oil as per the instructions. I also purchased a new receiver/dryer but I have not installed it yet. I was going to wait till I knew how to recharge the system.

I have a guage that connects to the low side port with provisions for connecting a can of R134 to it, but how could I hook up a vacuum pump to this system? I saw one at Harbor Freight for like $16 but it hooks up to a shop compressor, which I do not have but can borrow. The question I have is, has anyone ever used one of these? Do I need to buy manifold guages? How much vacuum and how long do I need to do it?

How much R134 to add total?

 

2lbs.....

 

2 lbs. is correct for how much refrigerant the system holds, the A/C recharge kit you buy at stores wont hook up to a vacuum pump. I have used the air compressor operated vacuum pumps, and they will pull a vacuum but it make my air compressor run constant doing it. I bought a electric vacuum pump $400.00, A/C gages $80.00 ( cheap set ) might be cheaper for you to pay someone to vacuum and charge it for you unless you want to invest that kind of money. Local independent shop here charges $60.00 to vacuum and charge system.

 

Yeah... most of the cheap vacuum pumps require an air compressor. My buddy made one out of an old refrigerator compressor pretty cheap. The vacuum part is pretty important especially since you had all the lines open. Since air is all in the lines water vapor is too. Under a vacuum the water vapor in the air will boil and the vacuum will suck it out. I would just take it somewhere with the right equipment also.

 

By the way, how hard should the center section of the clutch be to turn? The pulley itself spins fairly easily on both compressors, but on my old compressor if i take my hand and try to spin the compressor itself, it spins with a little resistance. The new one though, the center part doesn't seem to want to move. I am not sure which exactly is the right behavior or if both are. The new compressor is right out of the box A/C Delco compressor (actually Delphi) and has never even been touched before I did. I'm wondering if it feels different just because its never been run.