How to Recharge the AC on a Honda Passport
by Lee Sallings
During the cooler weather months of winter, the A/C system is inactive. The seals shrink slightly, and the compressor shaft sits in one spot on the shaft seal. These things cause small amounts of refrigerant to leak from the air conditioning system. Over time, the system will become low enough to require recharging to replace the lost refrigerant. This is a great way for the home mechanic to save money and is a fairly simple process best done when the weather heats up.
Step 1
Attach the A/C gauges to the service ports in your Honda passport. The blue hose attaches to the service port located on the low-pressure line located between the firewall and the compressor. The red hose attaches to the high-pressure service port located on the high-pressure line between the firewall and the condenser located in front of the radiator.
Step 2
Close the valves on the A/C gauge set and attach a can of refrigerant to the can tap on the yellow service hose of the gauge set. Turn the thumbscrew all the way in and all the way out to open the can.
Step 3
Start the engine, then turn the A/C controls to max A/C, recirculating air and medium blower speed. Open the blue valve on the gauge set to allow refrigerant to enter the system. When the pressure readings on the gauge set reach 35 psi on the low-pressure side and 300 on the high-pressure side, the system is full.
Step 4
Turn off the engine and remove the gauge set from the vehicle. Place a thermometer into the middle vent on the dash and allow a few minutes for the temperature to stabilize. If the difference between the inside temperature and outside temperature is 40 degrees or more, the system is functioning properly.
Things You'll Need
- A/C gauges
- Thermometer
- Refrigerant
Writer Bio
Lee Sallings is a freelance writer from Fort Worth, Texas. Specializing in website content and design for the automobile enthusiast, he also has many years of experience in the auto repair industry. He has written Web content for eHow, and designed the DIY-Auto-Repair.com website. He began his writing career developing and teaching automotive technical training programs.
