Having a fully functioning AC system is essential for your vehicle’s health and performance. Dust, moisture, and humidity can build up inside the AC system, creating the perfect environment for fungal spores and bacteria to grow. As part of maintaining your vehicle’s AC and ensuring optimum performance, it is advised drivers vacuum the AC system every two years.
In this article, we share how to vacuum a car AC system without a pump. We also cover why it is important to vacuum your vehicle’s AC system and provide useful answers to several questions frequently asked about car AC systems.
A car’s air conditioning system allows you to cool down the air inside your car in warmer weather and helps to create a more comfortable temperature for the driver and their passengers inside the vehicle. Many drivers start thinking about sanitizing their AC system at the beginning of the Spring, as it will be used frequently once the temperature starts to rise.
Vacuuming your car’s AC system is more important than you may think. Air, moisture, and dust can all build up in the system and this can cause damage over time. Any water inside your AC system can freeze during colder weather, causing expensive damage to your system. Also, any condensed water particles trapped inside the system can also cause harmful corrosion.
An AC system that has not been cleaned can also pose a health risk to drivers and their passengers. The moisture and trapped humidity can create the perfect breeding ground for mold, bacteria, and fungal spores. When you switch your AC system on, the microscopic spores will be blown directly into your face and you will be breathing in contaminated air.
Learning how to vacuum your vehicle’s AC system yourself at home, will save you time and money as you can avoid having to get this essential maintenance done by a professional. One method of vacuuming a car AC system is to create a deep vacuum using a pump and boiling any contamination away. Vacuum pumps can be bought or rented for use at home, however, there is another method you can try if you want to vacuum a car AC system without a pump.
If you are thinking about vacuuming your car’s AC system without a pump, here is an easy to follow, step-by-step guide. It is important to read all instructions carefully and develop a good understanding of the process before attempting any maintenance work on your car’s AC system at home.
1. Park the car on a level surface. Switch off the engine and wear gloves and plastic goggles for protection. Check your car air conditioning system is switched to the ‘off’ setting.
2. Depress the access valves on the AC system by installing access valves on the high and low sides of the compressor. You will need to close the high side access valve and also specify compressor pressure on the low side.
3. Pressure will build and this will then shut off the compressor.
4. You now need to charge the low-side valve. Adjust the pressure to 14 psi on the low side valve, run the friction for a few minutes to bring both the high and low sides to a more balanced equilibrium.
5. Next you need to disconnect the pressure from the high side valve. To do this you will need to turn the compressor located behind the access valve and depress it against the high side valve.
6. Now you need to close the high valve and the compressor and wait until the low side reaches the correct operating pressure.
7. For the next three minutes you will need to repeat the process of setting the low side to 14 psi and equalizing the pressure (steps 4,5 and 6)
8. Turn the compressor back to ‘On’ and now depress the high side valve. If you notice any air, moisture, or gas escaping that is not coming from the high access valve, you will need to shut the valve.
9. The final step is to add refrigerants to charge your air conditioning system. Refer to your car owner’s manual to learn exactly how much refrigerant is needed for your car model.
10. Once you have added enough refrigerant, shut down the compressor.
Vacuuming the AC system in your car may seem like a complicated process but it will become easier over time. Your car, your passengers, and your wallet will all thank you for sanitizing the AC system.
It is important that vehicle owners vacuum their AC system once every couple of years. If you don’t air and moisture can build up inside and cause damage. Trapped moisture can freeze and cause corrosion. Damp environments also make the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and fungi which can lead to drivers and their passengers breathing in harmful spores in the expelled air when the AC system is turned on.
PAG oil is placed into a car AC system to lubricate the compressor. If you add too much PAG oil to the air condition system, pools of oil can form in various places around the system. Pooling oil in the air condition system can cover the condenser coils and the oil can coat the inner walls of the evaporator.
The best way to work out how much PAG oil you need in your AC system is to drain the old oil from the compressor. You can then measure the old oil and refill the system with the exact amount.
It is important to keep your air condition system well lubricated to ensure optimum performance and reduce the risk of damage. The AC compressor needs oil to keep all of the parts lubricated and running smoothly. As with other parts of the car, when there are metal pieces rotating and sliding next to each other, proper lubrication is essential.
A car’s AC compressor has to work hard to compress refrigerant and allow it to expand and deliver the cold air into the car. If there is no oil lubricating the system, this process can cause a lot of heat to build and this can cause damage to the AC compressor.
If you do not keep up to date with the maintenance of your car AC system, you may end up needing to pay for repair work to be done by a professional. Each car model is different and the extent of the damage will impact the bill you will be paying to get the work done. Sometimes the AC system can be found to be beyond repair and will need replacing entirely.
Extensive AC system repairs, including full replacement of parts, can cost in the region of $1000 – $4000. Only a mechanic will be able to give you an accurate price for repair work and will also be able to provide you with a realistic quote for a new AC system for your car model.
It is possible to vacuum a car AC system without a pump. The process may seem a little difficult for a novice mechanic but you can refer to your car owner’s manual to accurately locate certain parts and our step-by-step guide walks you through exactly how to vacuum your AC without a pump. Sanitizing your AC system will help to keep the parts performing at their best and the process will mean that cleaner air is circulating inside your car whenever you switch the AC on.
Here are some other topics you might be interested with:
5 Signs Your Car AC Is Low On Freon
Dodge Ram Air Conditioning Problems – Common Causes and Solutions
Blend Door Actuator Symptoms – Steps To Test and Fix
