Heating and Air Conditioning: Service and Repair

Air Conditioning (A/C) System Recovery, Evacuation and Charging

Special Tool(s) / General Equipment

Air Conditioning Service Unit

1. WARNING: Before beginning any service procedure. Failure to follow this instruction may result in serious personal injury.

NOTICE: An A/C refrigerant analyzer must be used before the recovery of any vehicle's A/C refrigerant. Failure to do so puts the shop's bulk refrigerant at risk of contamination. If the vehicle's A/C refrigerant is contaminated, refer the customer to the service facility that carried out the last A/C service. If the customer wishes to pay the additional cost, use the A/C recovery equipment that is designated for recovering contaminated A/C refrigerant. All contaminated A/C refrigerant must be disposed of as hazardous waste. For all equipment, follow the equipment manufacturer procedures and instructions.

NOTE: Ford Motor Company recommends the use of R-134a refrigerant management equipment that meets the requirements of the SAE J2788 standard.

2. Refer to: Climate Control System Health and Safety Precautions. Climate Control System Health and Safety Precautions

3. Prior to recovering, the purity of the refrigerant must be verified.
Refer to: Refrigerant System Tests.

4. Connect the tool to the low- and high-pressure service gauge port valves following the operating instructions provided by the equipment manufacturer.
General Equipment: Air Conditioning Service Unit

5. NOTE: Never attempt to recover from only the low side service gauge port valve (Solenoid valves in the system will not allow for full recovery).

Recover the refrigerant from the system following the operating instructions provided by the equipment manufacturer. Note the amount of oil removed during the refrigerant recovery (if any). Add that same amount back into the system once repairs are complete.

6. Allow the system to set for about 2 minutes, and observe the system vacuum reading. If the vacuum is not lost, disconnect the recovery equipment.
7. If the system does lose vacuum, repeat Steps 3 through 5 until the vacuum level remains stable for 2 minutes.
8. Carry out the required repairs.

1. WARNING: Before beginning any service procedure. Failure to follow this instruction may result in serious personal injury.

NOTICE: An A/C refrigerant analyzer must be used before the recovery of any vehicle's A/C refrigerant. Failure to do so puts the shop's bulk refrigerant at risk of contamination. If the vehicle's A/C refrigerant is contaminated, refer the customer to the service facility that carried out the last A/C service. If the customer wishes to pay the additional cost, use the A/C recovery equipment that is designated for recovering contaminated A/C refrigerant. All contaminated A/C refrigerant must be disposed of as hazardous waste. For all equipment, follow the equipment manufacturer procedures and instructions.

2. Refer to: Climate Control System Health and Safety Precautions. Climate Control System Health and Safety Precautions
3. Connect the tool to the low- and high-pressure service gauge port valves following the operating instructions provided by the equipment manufacturer.
General Equipment: Air Conditioning Service Unit

4. NOTE: Never attempt to recover from only the low side service gauge port valve (Solenoid valves in the system will not allow for full recovery).

Evacuate the system until the low-pressure gauge reads at least 99.4 kPa (29.5 in-Hg) of vacuum and as close to 101.1 kPa (30 in-Hg) as possible. Continue to operate the Vacuum Pump for a minimum of 45 minutes.

5. Turn OFF the vacuum pump. Observe the low-pressure gauge for 5 minutes to make sure that the system vacuum is held.

1. WARNING: Before beginning any service procedure. Failure to follow this instruction may result in serious personal injury.

NOTICE: An A/C refrigerant analyzer must be used before the recovery of any vehicle's A/C refrigerant. Failure to do so puts the shop's bulk refrigerant at risk of contamination. If the vehicle's A/C refrigerant is contaminated, refer the customer to the service facility that carried out the last A/C service. If the customer wishes to pay the additional cost, use the A/C recovery equipment that is designated for recovering contaminated A/C refrigerant. All contaminated A/C refrigerant must be disposed of as hazardous waste. For all equipment, follow the equipment manufacturer procedures and instructions.

2. Refer to: Climate Control System Health and Safety Precautions. Climate Control System Health and Safety Precautions
3. Lubricate the refrigerant system with the correct amount of clean PAG (polyalkylene glycol) oil.
Refer to: Refrigerant Oil Adding.

4. Connect the tool to the low-side and high-side service gauge port valves following the operating instructions provided by the equipment manufacturer.
General Equipment: Air Conditioning Service Unit

5. Set the refrigerant charge amount, and charge the refrigerant system following the instructions provided by the equipment manufacturer.