Hey Scotty and Team,
I understand that it is best to use proper equipment when doing AC recharge jobs.
I decided to tackle an AC recharge job on my own, and decided to try this stuff, as it was recommended by a local mechanic.
So I am wondering if I may have damaged my AC system with this stuff? I used it for my 2004 Toyota Prius.
I tried to research before I used it, and it seemed to be better rated than others because it doesn’t have the usual type of sealers, although it does come with its own kind of sealer.
The AC blows cold, and there is no damage that I can detect. But I am wondering if I accidentally potentially caused damage for the future? Or was this stuff okay to use?
So I am wondering if I may have damaged my AC system with this stuff?
well, it works. It's in there now.
Hopefully it works out ok if you ever need to recharge it again.
If it worked for you, fine, you got lucky. What would have happened if, for example, you had a blockage in the system and the high side pressure got so high it caused damage? Or there may have been some problem other than low refrigerant. Without seeing the high side pressure with a proper gauge set you'd never see it coming.
Modern AC systems with variable-displacement compressors require the refrigerant charge be within a few ounces to work properly. You can't determine that with a "fill to the green" approach since with variable displacement the compressor will keep pressures in line over a range of refrigerant levels, but it won't cool properly. Can you manage to get close? If lucky maybe you can.
Another problem with those "recharge cans" is there's no way to purge air out of the fill line so you're putting some air and moisture in the system along with refrigerant. Definitely not a good thing. The moisture in the refrigerant forms acid that eats away at metal parts like the evaporator over time. Will your 20-year-old drier manage to absorb the moisture? Maybe, maybe not.
Then there are the sealers that can clog up a system. Sealers can also clog up shop equipment if you take the vehicle in to be worked on in the future. Guess who's responsible if the sealer you put in your AC ruins the shop's equipment?
So yeah, you can get lucky. You can also get lucky crawling under a car supported only by a jack, maybe you won't get crushed. That doesn't mean you should do it.
So you got away with it. Will taking that shortcut cause problems in the future? Maybe, maybe not.
