Low side service port leaking, bubbles of oil.

[olliec420]

So my a/c is leaking at least out of the low side service port. I am planning on fixing. I have the vacuum pump and gauges. Im going to replace the service shrader valves and pull vacuum and recharge. My question is how much (by weight) refrigerant do I put it in it? I have been unable to easily find the amount searching around for a 98 Yukon WITHOUT rear air. Im assuming it would be the same as any 98 silverado/sierra, can anyone provide me the amount of refrigerant by weight please? Also, see the attached media file. You can see the oil bubbling out of the leak. Is that a concern? Does oil need to be added? I dont want to add too much of course. Any input from some experienced a/c folks?

https://imgur.com/a/3lVcu4i

EDIT: click on the this image and watch the video on imgur. should the oil be bubbling there? should it be at that point in the system or only in the compressor?

 

[George B]

Isn’t it on the data tag for the ac under the hood?

 

[olliec420]

Isn’t it on the data tag for the ac under the hood?

Its faded.

 

[George B]

Its faded.

10-4

 

[George B]

A/C refrigerant capacity??

Replacing the compressor on 1997 Tahoe LT 2 door 5.7L, it has C60 front A/C. The old accumulator has the factory sticker on it and it says the refrigerant capacity is 3lbs. of R134. I can't find any chart that agrees with the factory sticker, they all say 2 or 2.25lbs. Could someone look at...

www.tahoeyukonforum.com

 

[olliec420]

A/C refrigerant capacity??

Replacing the compressor on 1997 Tahoe LT 2 door 5.7L, it has C60 front A/C. The old accumulator has the factory sticker on it and it says the refrigerant capacity is 3lbs. of R134. I can't find any chart that agrees with the factory sticker, they all say 2 or 2.25lbs. Could someone look at...

www.tahoeyukonforum.com

Thanks for that!

 

[east302]

Images from a 98 manual are below, maybe it will help on the oil. Full manuals for most years can be downloaded here:

88-98 Service Manuals

Over the years I have collected a bunch of GM service literature. Links to PDF Scans of service and STG manuals and a links to the Parts manuals. You'll need the FREE Adobe Acrobat reader to open these files. Get it directly from Adobe here {http://get.adobe.com/reader/} If you're not...

www.gmt400.com

 

[Snowbound]

I wouldn’t add any oil if your not replacing accumulator or compressor. Only time I add oil is when I know the system is completely clean from flushing and I’m replacing hard parts.

Most compressors, if not all, come with oil in them. And after new compressor install you should always put vacuum on system to make sure there are no leaks. When you do that, you don’t have to add any more oil. That should tell ya that you will not vacuum out the oil. All the vacuum pump does is put system on a negative pressure. If you were to open one end and vacuum the other you could possible pull the oil out but I wouldn’t worry about the PAG oil. Just make sure it holds vacuum for 20 minutes at a minimum and put your freon in and you’re good to go.

 

[Eman85]

One of those links is to my thread about refrigerant capacity. The 2.25lbs worked great on the Tahoe with C60 frt. AC only. I would add some flourescent dye when I charged it for future leak detection. Compressors are notorious to leak. If the system is empty you might want to replace the orifice tube, it will give you a good indication of compressor condition. If you find debris on the screen you might be in for a compressor replacement soon.

 

[olliec420]

One of those links is to my thread about refrigerant capacity. The 2.25lbs worked great on the Tahoe with C60 frt. AC only. I would add some flourescent dye when I charged it for future leak detection. Compressors are notorious to leak. If the system is empty you might want to replace the orifice tube, it will give you a good indication of compressor condition. If you find debris on the screen you might be in for a compressor replacement soon.

Helpful. I bought 4 cans of r134a and one with the dye. The compressor is a replacement but I don't know when it was replaced. I'll look in to the orifice replacement too. Thanks.

 

[89Suburban]

When you guys fill with the small cans how do you know the pressure in the can is making it into the system besides the gauge readings of course. What I mean is as the system gets up close to the pressure it needs to be is it hard for the pressure in the cans to push it in? Do you even get all the Freon out of the can? Does anybody follow what I am saying?

 

[olliec420]

When you guys fill with the small cans how do you know the pressure in the can is making it into the system besides the gauge readings of course. What I mean is as the system gets up close to the pressure it needs to be is it hard for the pressure in the cans to push it in? Do you even get all the Freon out of the can? Does anybody follow what I am saying?

I saw on youtube, you put it on a small postal digital scale and watch the weight go down. I guess you cant get 100% out, I threw an empty in the fire and when the self sealing plastic melted a split second puff came out.

 

[89Suburban]

I saw on youtube, you put it on a small postal digital scale and watch the weight go down. I guess you cant get 100% out, I threw an empty in the fire and when the self sealing plastic melted a split second puff came out.

So the can stays upright the whole time? I see different info about this. I have read somewhere you tilt the can side ways then up right- back and forth?

 

[89Suburban]

And I guess you have to hold the hose a certain way to keep it from throwing the scale off too?

 

[Eman85]

I will hold the can with my hands wrapped around it, heat makes pressure helps the freon flow. We used to use a pail of hot water when it was cool out, drop the can in the water while it's hooked to the gauges it will flow faster.

 

[olliec420]

Just thinking about all this, tot he original question... should the oil be bubbling out of the service port though? Should it even be right there? Does it circulate throughout the system?

 

[Eman85]

Oil circulates through the system. If you flush a system and replace the accumulator you put oil in the accumulator and condenser before you recharge. When the oil was bubbling out was the system charged? Did you just remove a hose from it?