Refrigerant System Recovery

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2008 Ford RV Cutaway, 2008 Ford Econoline, 2008 Ford E450 Super Duty, and 2008 Ford Cutaway. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

NOTE: An air conditioning (A/C) refrigerant analyzer must be used before the recovery of any vehicle's A/C refrigerant. Failure to do so puts the shop's bulk refrigerant at risk of contamination. If the vehicle's A/C refrigerant is contaminated, refer the customer to the service facility that carried out the last A/C service. If the customer wishes to pay the additional cost, use the A/C recovery equipment that is designated for recovering contaminated A/C refrigerant. All contaminated A/C refrigerant must be disposed of as hazardous waste. For all equipment, follow the equipment manufacturer procedures and instructions.

NOTE: Ford Motor Company recommends use of an A/C service center to carry out recovery, evacuation and charging of the refrigerant system. If an A/C service center is not available, refrigerant system recovery, evacuation and charging may be accomplished using a separate recovery station, vacuum pump, charging meter and manifold gauge set.

NOTE: Leaks in refrigerant system service equipment, hoses or gauges can cause a leak in vacuum that may be misinterpreted as a problem with the vehicle's refrigerant system. It is necessary to leak-test all refrigerant system service equipment, hoses and gauges on a weekly basis to verify that no leaks are present.

Prior to recovering, the purity of the refrigerant must be verified. For additional information, refer to Refrigerant Identification Testing .
Connect an R-134a refrigerant service center to the low- and high-pressure service gauge port valves following the operating instructions provided by the equipment manufacturer.
Recover the refrigerant from the system following the operating instructions provided by the equipment manufacturer. Note the amount of oil removed during the refrigerant recovery (if any). Add that same amount back into the system once repairs are complete.
Once the refrigerant service center has recovered the refrigerant, switch OFF the power supply.
Allow the system to set for about 2 minutes, and observe the system vacuum reading. If the vacuum is not lost, disconnect the recovery equipment.
If the system does lose vacuum, repeat Steps 3 through 5 until the vacuum level remains stable for 2 minutes.
Carry out the required repairs.