I want to recharge my A/C system and have been trying to find any bit of information on the web on how to do it for a V8 Vantage yet to no avail..there's nothing out there (to my surprise)

Has anyone done it or would able to provide steps on the process?

Any help would be awesome (I've done it for my other cars...hoping it's just as simple or pain free)

Thanks!!

 

My first question as a licenced HVAC tech is do you have the proper equipment , knowledge and understanding of how it works to do the job .
Many people think that refrigerant (not freon thats a trade name just lke xerox or coca cola) wears out runs away depletes dissapears always needs to be refreshed just like worn out brake fluid . All of which are incorrect .
If it leaked out then its gone somewhere theres a leak that needs to be fixed . R134a compressors use POE oil which is extremely hygroscopic (google it ) you need to do a proper pressure test leak check and full evacuation/dehydration before even thinking of adding new refrigerant and dont even consider one of those " recharge in a can" things you can get at your local NAPA /Autozone etc .
JMHO .

 

I agree, take it to a pro. Most professionals now have equipment that takes the guesswork out of the process. It evacuates the system, subjects it to the proper vacuum, for the proper time and charges the system with the proper refrigerant, along with adding oil if necessary. Yu just can't do this properly in your garage.
Not to mention (as noted above) that refrigerant does not just disappear. If it is low you have a leak. Finding it can be a *****.

 

I recharge my jag at least once a year (jags are known for leaking if they sit), there should be a sticker in your engine bay that tells you the pressure range and how much freon your car takes (in pounds). Buy a set of quality guages and test your pressure, then add as needed.

Also, most US cars use PAG oil and it comes in different weights, so call an Aston dealer and ask what weight you need. Unless your car has to recharged often, you should not need any, as it has bigger molecules and so does not get past the seals.

Cars will always lose freon over time if they sit for long periods, but if you lost it suddenly, that is a sure sign of a leak and you should take it to a A/C place, unless you know how to check for leaks and replace seals.

Also, DO NOT put a STOP LEAK type of freon in your car, I cannot stress that enough.

 

[QUOTE=randyb;4536458]I recharge my jag at least once a year (jags are known for leaking if they sit), there should be a sticker in your engine bay that tells you the pressure range and how much freon your car takes (in pounds). Buy a set of quality guages and test your pressure, then add as needed.
QUOTE]

Not sure I am with you on the comment "Jags are known for leaking if they sit"
I had a 1978 V-12 XJS for almost 30 years. I converted it to R34 about 15 years ago. Only problem I had was a leaking A6 compressor. Once that was fixed it never needed recharging for the next 10 years. And this car sat for months on end without driving.
If you recharge once each year, it's not acceptable, especially on a modern car. You have a leak, each time you recharge it, you introduce a small amount or air ahead of the refrigerant. Over several recharges the efficiency of the system is comprised. I would get it fixed by a professional.
my 2 cents

 

XK8/R XJ8/R's are known for leaking a/c's.

Recharging should take most air out of a system, as the freon goes into the system, air will come out and go into the freon can.
There is no way to get all air out, but embdenb is correct, after several times of recharging the efficency goes down.

 

Its not called Freon its refrigerant.
.......Air goes into the can ......
No way to get the air out .......its called a vacuum pump .
Vacuum pumps remove all the air and reduce the boiling temperature of water as the vacuum deepens . Once a total vacuum is reached any remaining moisture boils off and is drawn into the vacuum pump where it is expelled out of the pump exhaust and some of it is absorbed by the vacuum pump oil .
Take it from someone who has serviced every conceivable size of refrigeration /AC from a water cooler to a 2500 ton centrifugal chiller .
TAKE IT TO A PRO !!!!!!!

 

This from the guy who said the oil is POE!!!
Um the system only has so much space in the lines, the FREON is being forced into the system, where do you think the air goes???

 

POE ...polyoester oil used in R134a refrigerant compressors . Synthetic REFRIGERANT OIL .
Where does the air go ...simple when you force in your REFRIGERANT you force the air into the condenser where it is trapped as it is non condensible .
Thats why after several hick town back yard 24 recharges your A/C dont work because the condenser has no condensing capacity as it full of air .
Take it from a guy who has been in the A/C industry for 35 plus years .
I do know what im talking about .

 

Hmmm due to popular opinion ...I'll go get this done at the shop. Doesn't seem to be a DIY job at least not by any conclusive means.