Your Automobile Air Conditioner should be serviced once a year. The number one
killer of expensive AC components is acidity in the system. Acidity occurs when
refrigerant leaks out and it is replaced by air & moisture as we are a very humid
state. The moisture mixes with the refrigerant to create an acidic effect which
eats all of your components from the inside out.
All systems will leak some, so the best thing we can do is keep the system
serviced and topped off with refrigerant. The first step is to run a computer code
scan of the vehicle, to ensure there are no fault codes present in the AC system.
We are now ready to service the system. With a machine, we recover all of the
refrigerate from the vehicle and measure it, to see how far below capacity it is.
We then use a vacuum pump to pull the entire system into a vacuum. Water boils
at 90 degrees at 30 inches of vacuum, so we would be boiling any moisture or
other contaminants out of the system.
We then charge the system full, adding leak detection fluorescent dye and oil for
the compressor. We are now ready to run the system with our gauges hooked up,
so we can monitor diagnostic pressures while having a temperature probe in the
vents in your dashboard to monitor the duct temperature. As long as everything
functions properly and we are happy with the performance, we disconnect from
the vehicle and test drive it to see how it cools going down the road. If it does not
function, you will get up to 30 minutes of diagnostic time included.
If your vehicle arrived here low on refrigerant, I can’t know if it’s a small leak over
time or a larger one that just sprung up and needs attention. So included in this
service is a Free Re-Test 45-60 days from the original service date. This can be
done while you wait, we will pull the refrigerant out and measure it once again.
Now we have a formula to calculate the rate of loss. We will also inspect the
system for leaks using a black light. Anywhere the dye leaks out, will show bright
green. Then, I would give you an estimate to repair the leak at that time.
If no significant refrigerant loss is found, then you are good to go for one year,
until it’s due for service again. Taking care of your AC system will help keep you
from having expensive repairs down the road. All of this is included in the $135.00
AC Service Charge. (on most vehicles) |
