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G Selix
Dodge Dakota
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7/14/2003
15:07:55
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 Subject: A/C Recharge Question
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I've got a 98 Dakota Sport with a 3.9 V6 engine. Over the last month or so, the a/c has gradually become less and less cold. I've never had it recharged before, so I figured it was due. Yesterday I bought a kit at WalMart to recharge the system. The kit has a guage that shows the refridgerant level, that you check while the engine is running and the a/c is on. If the arrow points to green on the guage, the refridgerant is low. If it points to blue, it needs nothing added.
The problem: while I'm checking the level (and my truck is idling), the a/c compressor kicks on and off like it normal. When it kicks on, the guage shows green (needs refridgerant). When the clutch kicks the compressor off, the guage goes to blue. I'm not sure if I'm explaining this right, but does anyone know what the correct reading is? Help, it's hot in SoCal!
Gary
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Paul
Dodge Dakota
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7/14/2003
16:54:21
|  RE: A/C Recharge Question
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Go by what it says when the compressor is running. When the compressor kicks off the pressure equalizes and the low side goes up. From the sounds of it you aren't very low low on freon though...
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JasonB
Dodge Dakota
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7/14/2003
17:52:40
| RE: A/C Recharge Question
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Just a note: GenIII Dakota A/C's do have a poor performance issue even if functioning properly. For some year models, there was a service bulletin for replacement of the evaporator with a larger unit. I have been thinking of replacing my evap with a larger one. If I remember correctly, this bulletin applied to earlier genIII's only.
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Marlow
Dodge Dakota
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7/14/2003
23:53:53
| RE: A/C Recharge Question
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'98 3.9...my AC performs poorly unless im running at highway speeds.
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bdholsin
Dodge Dakota
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7/15/2003
09:22:59
| RE: A/C Recharge Question
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If you used the Wal-mart (or whatever) charge can there may have been an oil or oil additive. This will result in an oil charge in the A/C system that is over the manufacturers specification. Too much oil in the system will give poor A/C performance because the additional oil coats the inside of the evaporator and inhibits heat transfer from the cabin air to the refrigerant.
You may want to spend the $60 and have a shop reclaim the refrigerant by pulling a vacuum for 30 to 60 minutes then recharging to the specification that is identified on the label under your hood. It should be located on the radiator cross member. For a '97 (and possibly '98) the charge weight is 32 oz.
Good luck.
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