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1994-2002 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
You might get away with just adding refrigerant, but you should probably flush the system and replace the receiver/dryer.
I'm sure there is an AutoZone in your area... They "Rent" everything you need in the way of tools. (You actually purchase the tools from their "Loaner" inventory, and then they refund the purchase price when you bring them back, so it's actually a "Free" rental) You'll need a Vacuum Pump and a Manifold Guage set. It would also be handy to have an honest to god Shop Manual... a Saab Manual specific to your year and model... not a "This should about cover it - Haynes Manual" (They give you just enough generic information to screw yourself). The Manual will give you the pressures you need to see on the guages, once you have evacuated the system, along with the approximate amount of refrigerant you will need to add. Use the Vacuum Pump to evacuate the system (give it a good a half an hour... moisture in the system will boil off into a gas under vacuum, and will be drawn off) then close the valves and monitor the guages... If the pressure changes over a three to five minute period, but then holds steady, you still have some residual moisture in the system that needs to be pulled off... fire up the vacuum, open the line, and bring the vacuum pressure down again, and hold for half an hour. Monitor and repeat... you need to be able to maintain a constant vacuum after you've closed the lines, and turned off the pump. If you can't maintain a constant vacuum reading, you have a leak somewhere. Note the vacuum reading on the guage, and let it sit for at least a half an hour. Once you've determined that you don't have a leak, you can recharge the system. The Vacuum in the system will draw something like a pound of refrigerant into the lines without running the engine. On the second can, you start the engine, and turn the A/C to max cold, then slowly feed in the second can (possibly part of a third... I 'dunno... ) into the system, until the appropriate pressures are showing on the guages.
If you only partially depressurized your system, and didn't completely open the line, letting all the refrigerant and oil come flying out (and allowing moisture to enter the system) you can probably get away with just evacuating and recharging the system. If you managed to let the oil out (or some of the oil... but god knows how exactly how much you lost, so you have no idea how much to replace) you are going to have to replace the oil as well... and you'll want the Official Saab Manual to determine exactly how much, and what kind, of oil to put back into the system. And if you're going to have to add oil, you may as well flush the system, and replace the receiver dryer at the same time.
If you don't have enough oil, you'll burn up your compressor... if you add too much, it will pool up in the condenser, and reduce the cooling capability of the system... Don't risk screwing up a perfectly good compressor. Flush... Evacuate... Add Oil... Recharge... be cool... Get an official Saab Shop Manual (you can find them on CD on eBay) and get to work.
posted by 67.8.20...
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