AC Pro Review – DIY A/C Recharge Kit – 2001 Toyota 4Runner

A short AC Pro refrigerant review after using it to recharge my AC on my 2001 Toyota 4Runner.  I decided to try the AC Pro refrigerant kit on my 4Runner as summer approaches and I knew the A/C needed to be worked on.  I’m always skeptical of automotive quick fixes that come in a bottle.  They always seem to be a temporary fix to the problem that you are trying to fix and sometimes make it worse in the meantime.  I saw this AC Pro recharge kit and figured I would give it a shot.  The worst-case scenario is that it doesn’t work and I could just bring the car to a mechanic if it didn’t work, as there might be a bigger issue to deal with.

One problem with these recharge kits is that they cannot fix a broken A/C system.  On my 4Runner, the air conditioning still worked, it was just that it no longer blew cold air, it was just a little bit cooler.  If your A/C has other problems with leaks and the compressor pump is broken, this recharge kit will do nothing but waste your money.  This kit is only intended to recharge and weak A/C system.

Buy AC Pro Refigerent at your local auto parts store or get it delivered from Amazon.

 

Checking the initial charge of the A/C

On the bottle, there is a fold-out set of instructions.  The first thing you want to do is check if the A/C system has any charge at all.  To do this, you need to have the engine running and A/C blowing at full.  The gauge unscrews from the bottle and you can attach it to the low-pressure side of the A/C unit.  On the AC Pro website, you can look up the location of the port for your particular car or truck.  The link for the site is http://acprocold.com/ask-the-pro/port-locator/.

With the car running and the A/C on full blast, connect the gauge and hose to the low-pressure port.  Don’t pull the lever!  This will drain refrigerant from the system.  If your system is showing a very low reading, you might want to have the car checked by a mechanic.  It could be a symptom of a leak in the A/C or a broken compressor.

On my 4Runner, the system was on the Low/Filled section.  The gauge showed that the A/C still had some charge to it.

Connecting the bottle and filling the system

After disconnecting the gauge, give the refrigerant bottle a good shake, remove the safety tab, and screw it back onto the hose and gauge.

With the car still running, and the A/C on full blast, reconnect to the low-pressure port and start filling the system.  You can tilt the bottle back and forth to make sure the refrigerant is flowing when filling.  Stop filling every 30 seconds or so and check the gauge to make sure the system is filling and charging.  My 4Runner took about 3/4 of the bottle before it stopped flowing.  The final reading on the gauge put it right in the middle of the Filled.  Once it stops taking refrigerant, disconnect the hose and put the cap back on.  Now you run the engine and check the A/C inside.

 

AC Pro Review – Result

As a result, the AC Pro recharge kit worked well and was blowing 51 degrees of AC air on an 85-degree day after filling with AC Pro refrigerant. The A/C was back to blowing cold air and the A/C has kept its charge for the last week since.  It’s a very easy job to do and costs way less than bringing my car to a mechanic for a simple recharge.

 

About AC Pro Refrigerant

AC Pro Refrigerant makes it as easy as a 15-minute AC repair can be.   AC Pro refrigerant cools car interiors faster with colder, drier air.  The kit is intended to replace lost refrigerant and oil in the air conditioning system.  The refrigerant contains special anti-wear additives that can extend a system’s life and improve results.  AC Pro also contains a safe leak sealer that stops the most common air conditioning leaks in hoses, gaskets, and O-rings that may have caused the problem in the first place.

 

AC Pro Refrigerant Features

• Number one rated the coldest air.
• Professional formula R-134a refrigerant.
• Includes a reusable Trigger dispenser with a built-in low-pressure gauge.
• Extra long 24″ recharge hose for accessing hard-to-reach service ports.
• Contains moisture and an acid eliminator.
• Easy coupler that attaches simply by pushing on the port valve.
• Special anti-wear additives extend system life and improve performance.
• CA certified.
• Cools interior faster with colder, drier air.
• All-in-one recharge solution that replaces lost refrigerant and oil in automotive A/C systems.
• Fast and easy 15-minute job.