Hello guys, my high side port ball valve.....hate a/c ball valves...is leaking. If I take the cap of I can see some dye, so I am having it replaced.

Should I have the drier replaced too since the system has to be evacuated, and if I do how much PAG oil do I need to make sure they add after replacing a drier??

Thanks !!

 

You can replace the valve w/o doing any of that.

 

Here's one kit which is kind of pricy but they do make single use kits too for a single valve gut change. No need to lose anything in the system or recharge.

 

Here's the smaller kit

http://www.sears.com/mastercool-134a...&mktRedirect=y

 

Thanks for your replies. Those kits are for schrader valves. No way to replace a ball valve other than evacuate and replace the whole port. That's why I hate ball valves in a/c ports :-(

any idea how much oil to add when the drier is being replaced

 

sit the drier on its end and let it drain out. Put the same amount back in.

 

My service manual says to drain out the PAG oil (I used PAG150, although there is never any specifics that confirms that) and replace the same amount.

HOWEVER

It also says that it can be expected to lose
(a) 80ml from the compressor
(b) 30ml from then oil separator

Then it says that the nominal capacity of the system is 135ml. It goes on to say that the discrepancy between (a) + (b),which totals 110ml and the 135ml capacity is due to "normally unrecoverable oil being trapped in components such as the receiver/dryer or evaporator".

For the older models it gets more specific:
(a) receiver/dryer bottle requires 28cc or 1 fluid ounce
(b) new condenser requires 85cc or 3 fluid ounces
(c) new evaporator requires 85cc or 3 fluid ounces

I hope this helps....

 

By the way, if you're going to replace the receiver/dryer, you may also want to replace the A/C expansion valve in the back.

When I did my system, I found a bunch of pellets in there from the drier.

It was an easy replacement task and I don't recall the valve being expensive.

 

vee, if you think replacing the expansion valve is easy, you either have a straight 6 or smoke crack cocaine.

 

Just what I was thinking SS, but of course, being in France I was thinking wine, not crack.

 

Thanks everyone for the replies.

So, adding 1 ounce of oil when replacing the drier then??

My expansion valve is relatively new. So I won't be replacing it. So is the drier but, I believe in replacing the drier everytime the system has to be evacuated for any reason.

 

Not that meeting one criteria out rules the other, necessarily, but yes, I have the I-6.

 

Based on the first half of my post, the "unrecoverable" oil works out to be 0.85 ounces.

I'd go maybe .75 oz?

 

Well, I bought a new drier and merrily headed down to the a/c shop. The port no longer looked like it was leaking, so he put some soapy water in both ports and said they weren't leaking. He did that procedure twice. He said all ball valves may leak a tiny imperceptible amount but that's what the caps are for. The caps are not just "dust" caps, especially on those ball valve ports. So it looks like the ball "reseated" itself.

I wonder what is the shelf life on a drier now that I bought one.

 

A plastic dust cap isn't going to hold 50psi and it certainly isn't going to hold 250psi. Many of them even feature a tiny hole, so if there is a leak, they don't shatter.

also, if the ball valve slightly leaks, it isn't like its getting back if the cap did seal, so retaining it in that small area wouldn't accomplish anything, if its out, its out.

probably the best you can do for the drier is vacuum pack it and maybe throw is some other desiccant to absorb whatever is left in the bag?