Anything special when it comes to an A/C recharge?

[Alex Mills]

My Gen 4 A/C isn't blowing as cold as it once did. Is there anything special to a flush and recharge when it comes to a Viper? Or can I just take it to my corner mechanic that I take my non-special cars to? Seems silly (expensive) to take it to the Viper tech at the dealer across town if it's a simple job.

[Redx]

If you hold your rpm's at 4-5k rpms does it start to blow cold again? Probably just needs a top up of refrigerant.

[Alex Mills]

If you hold your rpm's at 4-5k rpms does it start to blow cold again? Probably just needs a top up of refrigerant.

Yeah, I figured as much. It's probably running the same charge as when it left the factory.

My question though was whether there was anything special when it comes to recharging it or if I could just have my non-Viper mechanic do it.

[supersnake]

You don't have to take it to 4-5000 RPMs to see if it will bow cold, 2000 is plenty and if your mechanic has done A/C on anything else, he should be able to handle the task. I would have him put gauges on and see how low of a charge you have. If it is real low then you have a leak so evacuate the system, charge with nitrogen,find the leak,repair and evacuate and recharge.

[Alex Mills]

You don't have to take it to 4-5000 RPMs to see if it will bow cold, 2000 is plenty and if your mechanic has done A/C on anything else, he should be able to handle the task. I would have him put gauges on and see how low of a charge you have. If it is real low then you have a leak so evacuate the system, charge with nitrogen,find the leak,repair and evacuate and recharge.

Perfect. This shop did a great job on my Mustang's A/C so I'm sure they can handle my Viper's then. Thanks!

[Redx]

You don't have to take it to 4-5000 RPMs to see if it will bow cold, 2000 is plenty and if your mechanic has done A/C on anything else, he should be able to handle the task. I would have him put gauges on and see how low of a charge you have. If it is real low then you have a leak so evacuate the system, charge with nitrogen,find the leak,repair and evacuate and recharge.

?? Over the years, o-rings contract and swell leaking bits if refrigerant out of the front cover/hoses, and various connections. Your tech could pressure test the system with nitrogen and essentially find nothing. If it was real low, the system would not turn on at all due to the low pressure switch kicking on. Kicking it up to 4000+rpms(on mobile equipment, i run high idle 2200 RPMS) gets whatever refrigerant you have flowing. The fact that it still works, but isn't blowing as cold as it once was is a good thing. Although, i would agree its hard to troubleshoot something without actually putting gauges on first.

Does it need a viper tech? absolutely not, with the machines they have in shops these days its nearly impossible to fuck it up. If your feeling cheap, the autozone R134 in a can will probably top it off enough.