AC gas type

[tomaskriv]

Hi all.
Does anyone knows where to check for AC gas type? Is there any label? I have 2014 Grand Picasso and I believe that year two types were used.....

[mickthemaverick]

The dealer should be able to tell you from your VIN. Unfortunately we no longer have access to the VIN database.

[RichardW]

Believe all the MK2s are R1234yf - there should be a label on the slam panel telling you (well there is on our 2017!). If not you can look at the caps on the service valves - they should have 1234yf on them if it is the newer gas.

[Paul-R]

No labels on the slam panels of either my 2013 C5 X7 or my 2015 Peugeot 308. However on the a/c pump on the C5 X7 can be seen this label.

Can't see the pump on the 308 from the top so can't say either way whether there's a label there. But from previous experience I know it's R1234yf.

[tomaskriv]

Thanks everyone for answers.
Was unable to find labels. Cleand top up valve cover and there was 1234rf printed on......
I was looking to buy refill kit from Halfords but they have wrong type gas only....

[bobins]

Do check locally to see if there are any garages doing a proper machine vac and fill for a non frightening price. The reason I say is that they should be able to check for a leak first before refilling. R1234yf is slightly less reliable than R134a and can leak a bit easier over time. The home fill gas bottles work well enough, but I've had trouble with them not sealing after a partial emptying and you lose any that's left in the bottle in relatively short order.

[tomaskriv]

I am in Ireland. All locals have broken machines or charge 200 EUR for same DIY refill that takes 2 min.... As far as I understand system in car has no leaks. It was refilled 3 years ago in garage (proper 40 min procedure) and still holds some charge. Also I believe I cant choose what gas to use. Just only what it says on the car..

[bobins]

Yep, I can understand 200 Euro is a bit steep and I know some places like to charge heavily for the job - especially in the summer months. If you could find a garage willing to do it for under 150 Euro then I'd still go for them though. R1234yf bottles are £100 from Halfrauds over here, but there's a £10 refund if you take the empty bottle back to them.

[tomaskriv]

Interesting enough I managed to fing info online that R1234YF is from 2017 > on... so that would mean I am on old type R134A.... but the cap says newer gas type...a bit confused.
Other garage Ive found is charging 99EUR just to connect the machine and 15EUR per 100g of gas.

[bobins]

Borderline cost on that 99 Euro garage. You get 315g of gas from the Halfrauds / AC Pro bottles @ £100/bottle...... and you also need the gauge and trigger fitting to go on it as well. Definitely go by what the cap on the fill port says to check what gas you've got. You should be able to find the fill port dimensions on the www somewhere so be able to check the port size.

[jaizan]

Do check locally to see if there are any garages doing a proper machine vac and fill for a non frightening price. The reason I say is that they should be able to check for a leak first before refilling. R1234yf is slightly less reliable than R134a and can leak a bit easier over time. The home fill gas bottles work well enough, but I've had trouble with them not sealing after a partial emptying and you lose any that's left in the bottle in relatively short order.

Does home filling work out as economic ? I'm quite interested by a Halfords cylinder, particularly if the claimed 3 top ups could be achieved. At once every 2 years, that should last quite some time. If the stuff does not leak out of the bottle.

As for gas type, I thought anyone who sells it would have data to show what gas fits each car, just as they do with everything else.

[bobins]

In my experience - and this is very much my own thoughts and I'm sure someone will tell me I'm wrong....... home filling would be better suited to having two or three cars lined up that all need a top up or check with the same gas at the same time. If you're absolutely categorically definitely sure that it only needs a top up due to natural leakage and you're fairly sure you can use all the gas in the bottle one way or another, then the home bottles are fine once you've paid for the set-up costs. What they can't do is vac the system down and check for leaks.
Also..... some of the cheaper R134a bottles actually contain propane. Whilst it works fine and can be regarded as a drop in replacement..... you're part filling your aircon system with propane !! You can draw your own conclusions
A lot of garages have lower top-up prices in the non-summer months, so it's worth bearing that in mind. Also, look out for online offers and discount codes. You might also find a mobile mechanic willing to do the job less expensively if you've got two or three cars to deal with at the same property.

[PaulC5]

If it needs topping up after only 3 years there must be a slow leak. When filled up after leak checking a UV dye is often injected and then leaks can be found with a UV light. So if a dye was put in 3 years ago have a look with a UV light. You can also check around all the joints and condenser for any oil stains that can suggest a leak. I think it may a legal requirement for leak checks to be done if taken to a garage for regassing.

[wheeler]

or charge 200 EUR for same DIY refill that takes 2 min....

Im afraid they are absolutely not the same thing. You can't properly refill an A/C system with DIY cans.
Doing an A/C regas properly should take at least 45 minutes. If someone is doing a 'regas' & takes less than 45 minutes then it hasnt been done right.
The system should be vacuumed for at least 30 minutes (45 or more if the system has been opened to atmosphere).
200 Euros may seem steep but think of the cost of a regas machine, consumables like gas, oil and training/certification.
Not sure about Ireland but in the UK you have to be certified to regas AC systems

[moizeau]

My 407 needs redoing, I'll take it a local Citroen garage, did a spot on job 4 years ago. Like Wheeler said, it's not just about chucking some gas in.