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Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go hereXJ (84-01)
All OEM related XJ specific tech. Examples, no start, general maintenance or anything that's stock.
1996 4.0
Can someone please tell me which port I need to plug into to recharge the ac? The right one (small one) seems way to small and the left one (bigger one) is ridiculously hard to get the recharge hose on and I’m burning my hand on the line. Does anyone else have this much trouble? What’s the problem?
The charging hose will only fit on the low pressure fitting (which is definitely the small cap one). Pull the sleeve up a bit when you are putting it on.
The charging hose will only fit on the low pressure fitting. Pull the sleeve up a bit when you are putting it on.
So the left, bigger port? I do pull the sleeve up and it makes no difference, maybe my recharge hose is broken. It’s not the heater hose that’s burning me.
So the left, bigger port? I do pull the sleeve up and it makes no difference, maybe my recharge hose is broken. It’s not the heater hose that’s burning me.
Small one. Suction hose (low pressure) is from evaporator (in dash) to compressor.
The charging hose will fit.
Wait for the engine to cool off, connect the hose (but don't open the refrigerant) and THEN start up the Jeep with the A/C on max.
okay, I thought when I've recharged in the past i did the bigger one. I'll try the small one again but recharge hose doesn't grab, just wiggles around up and down.
okay, I thought when I've recharged in the past i did the bigger one. I'll try the small one again but recharge hose doesn't grab, just wiggles around up and down.
Hmm... if you had the refrigerant can loose with the hose connected, did you hear gas escaping from your system... assuming that you've verified that there IS at least some refrigerant currently in your Jeep's system, of course.
I'm in no way advocating releasing refrigerant into the air - just to be clear.
Well now I’m really confused... I got it on the small port and the gauge is showing warning past 200 psi?? Last time I recharge (probably a year and a half ago it was towards the end of green (25ish psi) what?
Well now I’m really confused... I got it on the small port and the gauge is showing warning past 200 psi?? Last time I recharge (probably a year and a half ago it was towards the end of green (25ish psi) what?
I wouldn't trust a cheapo charging hose gauge.. especially one that's been sitting on a shelf and possibly knocked around a bit over the last year.. However, if your system is overcharged, it won't function any more than it would if it were undercharged.
If you want a reliable reading, you need a decent manifold gauge set.
If the last time you charged it it was fine, I don't know how it would be now overcharged... but I'm no professional.. I've also heard that on our style systems (my 95 is the same as your pictures) that the gauge readings are difficult and inaccurate... maybe a more knowlegable person will jump in and advise on that. lol
I wouldn't trust a cheapo charging hose gauge.. especially one that's been sitting on a shelf and possibly knocked around a bit over the last year.. However, if your system is overcharged, it won't function any more than it would if it were undercharged.
If you want a reliable reading, you need a decent manifold gauge set.
If the last time you charged it it was fine, I don't know how it would be now overcharged... but I'm no professional.. I've also heard that on our style systems (my 95 is the same as your pictures) that the gauge readings are difficult and inaccurate... maybe a more knowlegable person will jump in and advise on that. lol
Alright thanks for the info, the rains coming and I’m gonna go waste some gas so I can drop my tank, so I’ll recharge later.
I happened to have a AC PDF open (I'm looking into things for someone else with a non-Jeep vehicle) and excessive pressure on the low-pressure side could be:
-Too much refrigerant
-Air in the system (it mentions this can also cause the low pressure hose to become too hot to touch)
-Compressor failure
However, something like 200psi is well above the example pictures it showed...
If nobody jumps in with additional or better advice, you might try PM'ing Rambler65 IIRC he's professional level and has been active within the last month or two.
If the AC compressor was running, then you shut it off, it may read 200 on the low side. The pressure between the high and low side will even out when the compressor is off.
As it currently is, does the AC compressor turn on with the AC being on? If so, get it pumping and then plug in the AC refill thingy and see what it reads.
Like Pat said, you really need to get a real set of gauges. They are cheap on Ebay and the r134 refill cans are about $5-6 each. Cheaper and more accurate in the long run. You really need to see what the high side is reading to know if the AC system is working right.
If the AC compressor was running, then you shut it off, it may read 200 on the low side. The pressure between the high and low side will even out when the compressor is off.
As it currently is, does the AC compressor turn on with the AC being on? If so, get it pumping and then plug in the AC refill thingy and see what it reads.
Like Pat said, you really need to get a real set of gauges. They are cheap on Ebay and the r134 refill cans are about $5-6 each. Cheaper and more accurate in the long run. You really need to see what the high side is reading to know if the AC system is working right.
How do I know when it’s on and off? And turn it on and off? I’m looking at getting my compressor replaced soon as what I thought was the clutch was making a noise whenever the ac was on however it never did it today.
How would I know for sure if the compressor is bad? Is there other signs than it locking up and destroying itself? lol
Theres really only three different characteristics of the ac compressor. It cycles on and off smoothly, it cycles on but sounds like garbage, it doesn’t cycle on. You could have a good compressor, but that doesn’t mean it’s not leaking. And just because it’s not cycling on, doesn’t mean it’s bad.
The recharge hose can only fit one port. So it’s kinda hard to mess up. And you won’t get a true PSI reading unless the compressor is running. It might say 200PSI but when the compressor finally kicks on it might drop to 10PSI.
And you won’t get a true PSI reading unless the compressor is running. It might say 200PSI but when the compressor finally kicks on it might drop to 10PSI.
I meeeaannn I'm pretty sure it was running, but i have no idea...
07-17-2019, 04:36 PM
A/C help
