93 Aerostar 3.0L: Freon Valve Location?

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joshhemming@fastmail.fm - 01 Aug 2005 22:18 GMT

My 93 Aerostar air conditioner is cooling but not as good as it used
to. Hopefully, I've just lost a little freon over the years and the
165,000 miles. I have a couple of small cans of R-12, along with a
simple (no gauges) charging kit but I just wanted to make sure which
valve to hook the charging hose up to.

I know from charging the system on other vehicles that you add the
freon to the suction or low pressure line (the one that's COLD). My
Aerostar has a cold line running into, or maybe out of, the
Accumulator beside the heater-A/C blower unit, and there's a valve in
that line about 6 inches before the accumulator. Really convenient to
get to. But there's another valve on the accumulator itself, with
nothing hooked up to it. My guess is that the valve on the cold line
going to the accumulator is where I should hook the hose to charge the
freon, but I'm hoping someone can verify this for me.

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Kruse - 01 Aug 2005 22:36 GMT

> My 93 Aerostar air conditioner is cooling but not as good as it used
> to. Hopefully, I've just lost a little freon over the years and the
> 165,000 miles. I have a couple of small cans of R-12, along with a
> simple (no gauges) charging kit but I just wanted to make sure which
> valve to hook the charging hose up to.

Because of your uncertainty, I can't condone you adding freon to your
system. If you're not completely familiar with an AC system, I don't
think you should add it. With that being said, your safest way to add
freon is with the engine OFF and the system pressure completely the
same. You may not get as much freon in the system, but you will walk
away with out an R12 can blowing up in your face.

BTW, the low side of your AC system is the valve on the receiver/dryer
right next to the ignition module on the right fenderwell. Your high
pressure valve is closer to the radiator.

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Shep - 02 Aug 2005 01:22 GMT

If you have an r12 sytem it is against federal law to recharge the sytem
without cfc certification, no being a wise guy here, but you should know
this.

>> My 93 Aerostar air conditioner is cooling but not as good as it used
>> to. Hopefully, I've just lost a little freon over the years and the
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> right next to the ignition module on the right fenderwell. Your high
> pressure valve is closer to the radiator.

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joshhemming@fastmail.fm - 02 Aug 2005 04:53 GMT

Yep Shep, I know it's against the law in the U.S. But I live 5 miles
from Mexico, where cans of R-12 sell for under ten bucks each. I can
drive my Aerostar across the border, buy a can of R-12, install it on
the side of the street, throw the empty can in the trash and return to
the U.S.

Al Gore and his tree-hugging buddies can kiss my butt.

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Anumber1 - 02 Aug 2005 06:03 GMT

> Yep Shep, I know it's against the law in the U.S. But I live 5 miles
> from Mexico, where cans of R-12 sell for under ten bucks each. I can
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> Al Gore and his tree-hugging buddies can kiss my butt.

Good plan...

Make a good guess at which fitting to attach the can to and maybe you can
test drive the mexican medical system.

Good luck with that...

Signature

Alan Gallacher
Born to Tinker!

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Kruse - 02 Aug 2005 15:02 GMT

> If you have an r12 sytem it is against federal law to recharge the sytem
> without cfc certification, no being a wise guy here, but you should know
> this.

I decided to reply to the original poster for two reasons. One, I've
got my certification. Two, I own a '93 Aerostar. (I've also got a '91
Aerostar, but the original poster never mentioned anything about that
now did he??) ;-)

Like I originally posted, I don't recommend that the guy adds his own
freon. This will not stop him from doing it, however.

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