Air Conditioning Smoke Bomb! - Page 2

**daveb** · 09-01-2018, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JWA

I believe for a front-only A/C system the spec says to start with 44 ounces, add factory rear air and that increases to 64 ounces. On my 2005 E350 the tag on the radiator core support has this info on a sticker---should be something similar on most every A/C-equipped vehicle.

Yeah you'd think but SMB never put a sticker on my Starcool. The system is tied directly to the factory Ford system so you'd have to check with Danhard who made the Starcool system for what it takes (or just call SMB). If the rear Starcool system is not activated while the Ford system is on, the front system won't cool as well. I can actually tell if the system is low by leaving the rear off. The lower the total system is charged, the quicker the front AC begins to warm.

Scalf77 · 09-02-2018, 06:16 AM

I just happen to have a picture of the Starcool Service Sticker

- greg

**daveb** · 09-02-2018, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scalf77

I just happen to have a picture of the Starcool Service Sticker

- greg

Thanks Greg. Wish I had that...maybe it fell off. I checked the tag I made and it said 72 oz. Good point about being different depending on the vehicle.

Youngster · 09-02-2018, 01:32 PM

Well, made it home, in the comfort of a seemingly well working AC system. Performing the same as it ever has.

(A little back story:
When I first bought the van the AC didnt work and I had an RV shop in San Diego do the repair (hose with a rub-worn hole). They added the dye, they charged it, 1.5 years ago. It's been working flawlessly till the pressure release last week.)

I took MadSci's advice and took the van to a service shop in Santa Rosa that had good Yelp reviews for AC service and RVs. I explained my issue, explained the Starcool system, and pointed out the sticker under the hood with the Starcool requirements (like Scalf posted) to the shop owner. We discussed that some of the lube (pag oil) had escaped the system and that it may need Freon. Told him I needed it back that day. After a couple hours I got a call to come and get it. The owner said that the AC was over charged to 5.2 lbs. He bled off the surplus down to 4.5 lbs and added several ounces of pag oil to compensate for the loss during the pressure release, his best guess.

All's well that ends well...so far.

Is everything OK since this was only an over-charge blow off? Or should I do a AC system reboot by evacuate and recharge completely?