A/C Flush Kit Recommendations?

SSTJ

SSTJ

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I need to buy an AC flush kit. I see some cheap ones on Amazon for about $40. Ok, or do others recommend any particular brand?

This seems like the kind of tool that may have other applications, so if I should look for any particular features let me know.
 
Thanks y'all.

I see this one for the same price. Any reason not to go with it instead?
 
I have used a bunch and none of them work well. If the compressor shelled just replace all the components. You can flush them 100 times and still get metal shavings out. The shavings get caught in the corners and ends of the heat exchangers and won't flush out, but will come loose with time and vibration. I made a bet with an employee one time that swore by AC flushes. Lunch for a week if he could get all the shavings out of a condenser. He flushed it for 45 minutes. We cut the end off with a pair of snips, and the core end had glitter everywhere.
 
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Jezza said:
I have used a bunch and none of them work well. If the compressor shelled just replace all the components. You can flush them 100 times and still get metal shavings out. The shavings get caught in the corners and ends of the heat exchangers and won't flush out, but will come loose with time and vibration. I made a bet with an employee one time that swore by AC flushes. Lunch for a week if he could get all the shavings out of a condenser. He flushed it for 45 minutes. We cut the end off with a pair of snips, and the core end had glitter everywhere.
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Interesting, thanks. In my case, the compressor clutch gave out, and I decided to just go ahead with a whole new compressor. So would you still recommend replacing all components? I'm not prepared to remove the dash right now.
 
SSTJ said:
Interesting, thanks. In my case, the compressor clutch gave out, and I decided to just go ahead with a whole new compressor. So would you still recommend replacing all components? I'm not prepared to remove the dash right now.
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No, and I wouldn't flush it either. The clutch is an external component and can't deposit debris inside the system. I would replace the compressor, drier, vac down and refill.
 
Jezza said:
No, and I wouldn't flush it either. The clutch is an external component and can't deposit debris inside the system. I would replace the compressor, drier, vac down and refill.
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Gotcha, thanks. So aside from some kind of catastrophic failure of the clutch, you'd suspect that the system is clean enough as-is? I guess that removing the compressor and draining its oil is the only way to know for sure, judging by how clean it is?

I was also thinking that by flushing, I wouldn't have to do any guess-work about how much oil to put into the compressor and into the dryer, etc., since I'd know that it was completely flushed out.
 
SSTJ said:
Gotcha, thanks. So aside from some kind of catastrophic failure of the clutch, you'd suspect that the system is clean enough as-is? I guess that removing the compressor and draining its oil is the only way to know for sure, judging by how clean it is?

I was also thinking that by flushing, I wouldn't have to do any guess-work about how much oil to put into the compressor and into the dryer, etc., since I'd know that it was completely flushed out.
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If the compressor internal components fail then yes I would replace everything.

It's unnecessary to flush the system to determine the oil refill. Just drain the old compressor and refill the amount recommended by the new compressor manufacturer. Sometimes they want you to replace only the volume drained. Sometimes it's the drained volume plus a bit and sometimes it's just a set amount.

Ultimately you can flush it if you want. It won't hurt anything so long as you don't break anything taking it apart or putting it back together. Get all the flush out and replace any orings on fittings you disassemble.
 
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I unfortunately agree with Jezza. The A6 compressor in my Cutlass shit the bed a while back. I flushed the system real well and replaced it with a very expensive aftermarket aluminum version. Can't really find new parts to easily replace everything. That lasted like 1 year then started making noise and got gummed up. I pulled it and found more metal flakes blocking the orifice tube. I flushed it again super duper well and installed another new compressor but used some kind of inline filter that looks like a thimble made of screen mesh. It's still alive, but getting noisy again.
 
SkylinesSuck said:
I unfortunately agree with Jezza. The A6 compressor in my Cutlass shit the bed a while back. I flushed the system real well and replaced it with a very expensive aftermarket aluminum version. Can't really find new parts to easily replace everything. That lasted like 1 year then started making noise and got gummed up. I pulled it and found more metal flakes blocking the orifice tube. I flushed it again super duper well and installed another new compressor but used some kind of inline filter that looks like a thimble made of screen mesh. It's still alive, but getting noisy again.
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Ok, thanks. But am I right in thinking that if I drain the old compressor oil and it looks good and clean, I don't need to replace all the components or flush?
 
SSTJ said:
Ok, thanks. But am I right in thinking that if I drain the old compressor oil and it looks good and clean, I don't need to replace all the components or flush?
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Yep, if the oil looks good and clean there's no need to replace anything or flush, unless you really want to.
 
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