oil additives CHEVROLET CAMARO 1967 1.G Chassis Workshop Manual

HEATER AND AIR CONDITIONING 1A-29

time as possible will be required to perform the

operation. Don't leave the system open any longer

than is necessary.

• Finally, after the operation has been completed and

the system sealed again, air and moisture should be

evacuated from the system before recharging.

GAUGE SET

The gauge set (fig. 41) is used when purging, evacua-

ting, charging or diagnosing trouble in the system. The

gauge at the left is known as the low pressure gauge.

The face is graduated into pounds of pressure and, in

the opposite direction, in inches of vacuum. This is the

gauge that should always be used in checking pressures

on the low pressure side of the system. When all parts of

the system are functioning properly the refrigerant

pressure on the low pressure side never fails below 0

pounds pressure. However, several abnormal conditions

can occur that will cause the low pressure to fall into a

partial vacuum. Therefore, a low pressure gauge is

required.

The high pressure gauge is used for checking pres-

sures on the high pressure side of the system.

The connection at the left is for attaching the low

pressure gauge line and the one at the right the high

pressure gauge line. The center connector is common to

both and is for the purpose of attaching a line for adding

refrigerant, discharging refrigerant, evacuating the sys-

tem and other uses. When not required, this line or

connection should be capped.

NOTE:
Gauge fitting connections should be in-

stalled hand tight only and the connections leak

tested before proceeding.

The hand shutoff valves on the gauge manifold do not

control the opening or closing off of pressure to the

gauges. They merely close each opening to the center

connector and to each other. During most diagnosing

and service operation, the valves must be closed. The

only occasion for opening both at the same time would be

to bypass refrigerant vapor from the high pressure to

the low pressure side of the system, or in evacuating

both sides of the system.

CHARGING STATION

The J-8393 Charging Station is a portable assembly of

a vacuum pump, refrigerant supply, gauges, valves, and

most important, a five (5) pound metering refrigerant

charging cylinder. The use of a charging ey'inder elim-

inates the need for scales, hot water pails, etc.

The chief advantage of this unit is savings. A very

definite savings in refrigerant and time can be obtained

by using this unit. Since the refrigerant is metered into

the system by volume, the correct amount may be added

to.
the system and charged to the customer. This, coupled

with the fact that the unit remains "plumbed" at all times

and thus eliminates loss of refrigerant in purging of

lines and hooking-up, combines to enable the operator to

get full use of all refrigerant purchased by the

dealership.

All evacuation and charging equipment is hooked to-

gether in a compact portable unit (fig. 42) which brings

air conditioning service down to the basic problem of

hooking on two hoses, and manipulating clearly labeled

valves.
Fig.
42—System Charging Station

This will tend to insure that the job will be done without

skipping operations. As a result, you can expect to save

time and get higher quality work, less chance of an over

or undercharge, or comeback.

The pump mount is such that the dealer may use his

own vacuum pump. The gauges and manifold are in com-

mon use. Thus a current air conditioning dealer can use

the equipment on hand and avoid duplication.

LEAK TESTING THE SYSTEM

Whenever a refrigerant leak is suspected in the system

or a service operation performed which results in dis-

turbing lines or connections, it is advisable to test for

leaks.
Common sense should be the governing factor in

performing any leak test, since the necessity and extent

of any such test will, in general, depend upon the nature

of the complaint and the type of service performed on

the system. It is better to test and be sure, if in doubt,

than to risk the possibility of having to do the job over

again.

NOTE:
The use of a leak detecting dye within

the system is not recommended because of the

following reasons:

1.
Refrigerant leakage can exist without any oil leakage.

In this case the dye will not indicate the leak, how-

ever, a torch detector will.

2.
The addition of additives, other than inhibitors, may

alter the stability of the refrigeration system and

cause malfunctions.

3.
Dye type leak detectors which are insoluble form a

curdle which can block the inlet screen of the ex-

pansion valve.

CHEVROLET CHASSIS SERVICE MANUAL