It's getting mighty hot inside a car that has no A/C and only blows hot air. I would like to fix my A/C, but I have no idea where to start troubleshooting the problem. I don't really have any experience with A/C, much less automotive. Does anyone have any pointers? Of course, I am on a tight budget and must rely on my craftiness to get by.

well it can bee done with the right tools at home....but it assumes a degree of mechanical aptitude that everyone doesn't have.....tools alone will set you back about $265 and thats before you are talking what it actually costs to repair the fault.....

http://www.ackits.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=AMA&Product_Code=DIY-STARTER1

Never put or alow anyone to put a leak sealer into the system...becasue then it does become unrpeairible....

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
---------------------
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

I am thinking about tackling this throny subject this summer. Right now I just sweat it out with the sunroof and windows. The key expense here is a good A/C vacuum pump(could this be rented)? I was also wondering if a group of Atlantan's with good skills would like to form a co-op to share the costs. Preferably one of us with have our 609 certification so we can get our hands on the good stuff. Also looks like a co-op could afford a used reclamation unit so we could be "legal" even though I don't believe the threat is as serious as the EPA and the Euro environmentalists claim.

__________________
My Daily : 96 E-300 Diesel with 195,000 miles
Retired: 92 300D 2.5 T 345K miles and for sale
Retired: 95 E320 157K miles and currently parked with blown engine

Both retired cars are for sale as is my w124 shop inventory

THere is an A/C book at the same site I believe Leathermang stated was one of the better ones out there......

I have the Vacuum pump but have to acquire the rest of the stuff to tackle mine yet...

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
---------------------
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

That is a great site...
also check out aircondition.com

Yes, vacuum pumps can be rented at most rental stores...

I've got a good used r12/r22 recovery machine if anyone is interested email or pm me.

__________________
Jim

Jim, you still have that ? I thought a bunch of guys were fighting over it ....

I made my own vacuum pump out of an old refrigerator compressor. Don't know if it would work on AC, I only use it for bleeding brakes and things like that. It cost about $5 bucks plus a junk fridge.

Not to do it right since I believe a real A/C vacuum pump holds a vacuum and has special ports for adding new fluid.

__________________
My Daily : 96 E-300 Diesel with 195,000 miles
Retired: 92 300D 2.5 T 345K miles and for sale
Retired: 95 E320 157K miles and currently parked with blown engine

Both retired cars are for sale as is my w124 shop inventory

I think the fridge pump is fine. I made one about 25 years ago and it worked fine. I plan to do it again soon. If it creates a vacuum which brings the system below the vapor pressure of water at that temp, it should remove the moisture and the vast majority of non-condensible gases. It's ugly, but so what?

__________________
'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

all these ac guys like to make ac seem like a great mystery...

but its not and you can fix this your self.....tools won't cost
you 250 bucks......

First off determine what the problem is....

1. does the car blow cold are some times... does it blow at all... when you hit the button does nothing happen at all....if this is the case you probably need a climitate control unit... (which is 500 bucks at dealer and 50-90 on ebay.)

2. If the ac blows and its just hot air then probably all your freon is leaked out. so go on ebay or go to autozone and buy a few bottles of r134a... or perhaps you need the conversion kit... 50bucks at ebay or autozone...


3. screw the adapter on one of the inlets.. there is one near the brake line and one near the radiator.... then load a few cans in... this will also have leak detector....then in a few weeks or perhaps the end of the summer when it leaks out you go get a special pair of sunglasses at autozone and you replace the "O" ring where it leaked out and you load it up again...


the only inportant thing is not to mix r-12 and r-134a...but if your not blowing any cold your probably empty anyway...some will tell you that you have to pull a vacuum.... we you can disconnect a fitting at the dryer next to the left light bulb... then turn on the r134a until you feel or see the stuff comming out the pipe you disconnected..... then reconnect it....you pull the vacuum or evacuate the system to get the air out.. and this is the poor mans way of doing it.

another possible important thing is to load it in the right preasure side but the diagrams come with directions.... i have loaded it into either with success.

I hope this isn't a crazy question, but.........
Since vacuum is vacuum,why could one not use the Mity Vac, hand pump that should be in every Mercedes tool kit?

perhaps you could use the mighty vac bought from harbor freight...

it is useable for break bleeds.... probably just take the right fightings..

You won't get near as strong a vacuum with the Mighty. You really want some power to get that crap out of the A/C. I suspect a modified fridge pump will work. I'm looking for a cheap used a/c vacuum on greed bay.

__________________
My Daily : 96 E-300 Diesel with 195,000 miles
Retired: 92 300D 2.5 T 345K miles and for sale
Retired: 95 E320 157K miles and currently parked with blown engine

Both retired cars are for sale as is my w124 shop inventory

do you really need a vacuum... i have had plenty of broken ac
and just put a few cans in and it works perfectly all summer.

but i have also replaced hoses with out pulling vacuums.. just loosen a fitting and start loading the new stuff in till it makes it all the way around the system. then tighten it up.