A/C recharge

[chikempo]

Hi. I will like to know how to recharge the a/c refrigerant on a grand caravan V6. Mine needs recharge and it is to expensive to have it done in Miami. Thanks

[GTP Dad]

First of all you need to determine why you need a recharge. If it is due to a leak you need to find the leak and repair it or you efforts are for nothing. To do the job right you need to get the system evacuated by connecting it to a vacuum pump. Pull vacuum on the system to remove all air from the system. Once this is done a recharge kit will do the job. If you have a van made after 1993 then you will need an R-134A recharge kit. There is a new device out there that will give you a good indication of a charge. It has a guage and a connection hose. Costs about $20, I recommend it. Connect it to the low side of the system and then pull the trigger once you have attached a can of refrigerant. Continue with refrigerant cans until the guage reads proper charge. If you have a system made before 1994 you will need to take it to a shop to have it properly evacuated. You can convert the system to R-134A by putting on new fittings and put an 85% of the R-12 charge in the system. If you only need to top off the system then just add the amount of freon you need. Do not add R-134A to R-12 however, you can't buy R-12 anymore. Hope this helps.