QuestionHave a 97 chevy suburban, 5.7 vortec, pretty sure needs recharge as hot air, no compressor. Can I refill this off the shelf or do I need a mechanic?
AnswerKirk,
They do sell the refill kits at most auto parts stores. However, I don't recommend this. Simply because I am a stickler for doing things the right way. If you need to have your system charged, it means that you have developed a leak. Just recharging your system as is will no doubt cause you to need to recharge it again in the future. I recommend you taking it to a reputable shop and have the leak located and repaired. After they repair the leak they will pull the system into a vaccuum to remove all the moisture from the system and then recharge it back to the right specs. All in all, not including parts, this should run around $200-400 dependent upon where in the country you are.
Now if you would like to do it yourself, it is not hard to recharge it. Turn your vehicle on, your A/C on, locate your low pressure switch on your low side of the system and jump the harness. This will enable your compressor to run and pull the refrigerant into it from the refill can. Hook up your canister and charge it as recommended by the instructions on the can. Once you get some in, reconnect your low pressure switch, and continue filling until your compressor no longer cycles. (engeage-disengage-engage) The truck should also be running at about 1500 rpm when you do this. That is where the compressors are designed to be operated.
I hope I was of a little help, if I can do any more, feel free to let me know. Thanks for the question and good luck.
