Does a Car AC Recharge Kit Eliminate Foul Odors?
Car AC Recharge Kit Eliminate Foul Odors
A hot summer day can be a real drag when the car air conditioning is blasting funky odors. This unpleasant odor usually stems from bacteria growing in the AC system, especially in the evaporator, which is located behind the dashboard and blasts a stream of cool air right into your face. The smell can be musty, moldy or even smell like burning, which indicates that the car needs a professional inspection and possible repairs.
For a few dollars, an at-home ac car recharge kit can promise to eliminate foul odors from the AC system and deliver ice cold air in less than an hour. However, these DIY kits may not work on modern cars and could actually do more harm than good.
Most of these recharge kits are filled with R-134a refrigerant, which isn’t compatible with some newer cars that require the more environmentally friendly R-1234yf. Also, the charging hoses that come with most kits aren’t accurate for the system’s temperature. The best solution is to buy a high-quality AC recharger that uses the same type of refrigerant your vehicle’s original system does. It should also include a pressure gauge that helps you avoid under- or over-charging the system.
Many of these recharger kits include a stop leak compound that fills small leaks in the system. This will help you get your car back on the road, but it won’t fix a major leak or prevent future ones. In addition, excess stop leak can gum up the workings of your AC system and lead to further problems. Some auto shops refuse to work on a car that’s had stop leak put into it.
Does a Car AC Recharge Kit Eliminate Foul Odors?
The other problem with these recharge kits is that they don’t evacuate the system completely before adding the refrigerant. It’s important to remove the evaporator and condenser and vacuum out any existing refrigerant, which can lead to a loss of efficiency and the development of odors in the AC.
In the end, these at-home kits aren’t recommended. A professional auto shop can do the job much faster and more accurately, ensuring that you’re getting the most out of your car’s AC system.
Strange AC odors can point to an extensive list of issues that should be addressed by a professional, from simple issues such as a dirty evaporator to more serious problems including coolant leaks. The sooner you take care of these issues, the longer your car will last and the happier you’ll be while driving in the summer heat.
When you hook up a recharge kit to your vehicle’s AC system, you can either connect the low-side or high-side service port. The low-side port is usually on the line connecting the accumulator and compressor, while the high-side port is located between the evaporator and condenser. The recharge kit should also include a can of the right refrigerant, an oil separator to prevent contaminant from entering the system and a set of adapters to fit different vehicles.
Then, start your engine and set the AC to maximum cooling. Locate the compressor clutch, which is a round metal part that spins with the engine running. It’s located on a larger diameter piece of tubing between the compressor and the evaporator.