North American Turbocoupe Organization



A/C Vaccum Pump
JamesW Offline
Member
#1
The connection I had for free a/c service has closed down so I am now looking at buying a vaccum pump to suck down the a/c system. I located one at www.northerntools.com but it's $290. Any body know someone who might sell them cheeper?

Thanks James
James Westerfield
88: Black Exterior Raven Interior,196,000 Miles, 5 speed,
Gillis Valve, Densacharger Cold Air Kit W/K&N in fender well, Polished upper from Dan E. 4 point cage, black cloth Corbeau seats
(wish I had sprung for the leather ones) 5 point Grant harness.

2001 300M W/90xxx,
1998 Windstar 168xxx gotta drive the kids around
91 Ranger 2.3 W/275,xxx Just an beater to drive to work
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Sqrlcage Offline
Senior Member
#2
There is an old trick, not EPA approved...scroll down to the homemade vacuum pump description.

Disclaimer/disclaimer/disclaimer: REFERENCE USE ONLY do not attempt to actually construct a low cost homemade vacuum pump even though they work fine.

http://www.biopatent.com/ac.html
Sustineo alas, 1988, manual trans
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ipsd Offline
Member
#3
harbor freight has them for $10. I know of sveral people useing them to vac down there system.
84 T/c, 88 intake,I/C, injectors, hood, PC1 ecu, E6 manifold, Brown Tops, K$N open element, BPV. Way pay to run 8 cylinders when 4 plus a turbo will get you there quicker.
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Ryan H Offline
Posting Freak
#4
I made one for free out of a fridge air compressor. It pulls 27" and makes zero noise at all, uses very little electricity, and doesn't get hot.

I got the plans from www.turbomustangs.com in the tech articles. Basically all you do is chop it out of the fridge A/C system but leave the two lines connected. Lots of refrigerant oil will spew out. Wire up the pump to work and ground it. Plug it in and you will find that one line sucks and the other blows. Hook it up and run some A/C lube through it every once in a while. Enjoy your awesome vacuum pump. I used it on my A/C and it worked great. I hooked it up using a cheapo $15 rig of barbed fittings, a vacuum gauge, and an R134A retrofit kit/manual fill valve (on/off) to actually connect it to the system.

Real easy, real cheap and it gets the job done just as good as a shop pump.
'88 TC Smile Walbro 255HP, Stinger FMIC, PIT BOV, Pro 5.0, Kirban, RR cam, FRPP strut tower brace, T3
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40bob Offline
Member
#5
I have been using the same compressor from a fridge for the last 30 years..Solder a fitting on the suction side for the hose to fit and put a short pigtail on the power to the comp and your in...
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Ryan H Offline
Posting Freak
#6
The compressor I used came from a mini fridge, and the power plug was already wired up.. as for the suction tube, I just clamped a length of plastic tubing ($5 / roll from Home Depot) with a clamp.
'88 TC Smile Walbro 255HP, Stinger FMIC, PIT BOV, Pro 5.0, Kirban, RR cam, FRPP strut tower brace, T3
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t-bird88 Offline
Senior Member
#7
Any one have pics of these non-buildable homemade good working devices? I need to build one so I can recharge my car's A/C. Also what other parts do you need to fit the schrader valves? And which one do you hook it to, hi press side/lo press side; which is which??

Jim B Big Grin .
Gunmetal Grey 88 TC!!!!
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Hurff Offline
Senior Member
#8
If you have an air compressor that can deliver 90-100 psi for a few minutes, the harbor freight device is (IMO) the easiest.

That said, since reading the above, I'll be looking for discarded fridges now......

(Which will just add even more crap to the house/garage/shop, wooohooo.)
1987 TC - RIP
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DonH Offline
Posting Freak
#9
To anybody that uses that Harbor Freight device, what is the max vacuum you have pulled with it. I can only get about 22 on mine.
1987 TC stock except ATR 2.5"
1983 Pontiac Transam T-top 5.7 T56 [email protected] top speed: 176mph
1978 Fairmont 2.3 4-spd Big-top S/W
1946 Willys CJ2A 134.2ci L4 No-top
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Matt S Offline
Posting Freak
#10
I have the REALLY cheap harbor freight one that doesn't even have a gauge on it the $9 one, but it can bottom out my a/c gauge vaccum range. I think it's 30 inches? Is the 22 inches able to by held by the system?

If your vacuum pump simply only does 22 inches then that's not so bad, just compensate by leaving it pumping longer to get all the moisture out. If you have a smaller compressor and can't hold it very long, ramp it up to max vacuum and shut off the hoses and every 10 minutes or so vacuum it again. The whole point is to evaporate the water out of any left over air in the system.
Sold it Sad*
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