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Convert your automotive air conditioner from R-12 to R-134 Refrigerant.

If you have an older car it may have R12 refrigerant in the air conditioner system. You can still buy R12, but it is very expensive. If you are ready to convert your system to R134, here is a brief explanation of the procedure with a few insider tips to help you. To begin you will need a conversion kit with all the necessary materials. It will include: 2 new adapter fittings, 2 -3 cans of R-134, and a hose with adapter. Once you have all the materials, you can begin the process. The first thing you have to do is have the R12 recovered with a refrigerant recovery machine. (It is illegal to just open the valve and let it out in the air.) Now that the air conditioning system has no pressure, it is time to install the new valve kit. At this point some people freeze up (no pun intended) because they are afraid of mixing up the adapters on the high and low pressure ends. Don’t worry, they are different sizes. The bigger one goes on the low pressure side of the system and the refrigerant hose will only connect to the low side valve. It is pretty hard to mess this up. Now that the adapter valves are connected, it is time to start the car and put the air conditioner on high. Turn the blower fan to its highest setting as well and open the windows. Grab a can of R134 and hook up the hose and T valve that came with your kit. With the hose hooked up to the can begin to twist the T valve until it punctures the can. Then open the valve to let some freon out and purge the air in the line. Turn the can upside down and hook it up to the low side adapter valve. Now slowly open the valve and let the Freon flow into the system. At this point the compressor will begin to cycle on and off. Don’t panic, this is normal. Keep adding Freon until the system begins to cool. You can feel the low pressure line begin to get cool and condensation will accumulate on it. (Do not grab the high pressure line. It can burn you.) You probably will not need all 3 cans and be careful not to overfill the system. If the air conditioner is still not cooling after the second can, something is wrong. You may have a leak in the system or some other difficulty. ( a refrigerant leak detector will help you find it.) Do not be tempted to keep pumping Freon in the lines. If the low side line is cold and dripping with moisture you are done. If you have a air conditioning manifold gauge set, the low side should have a pressure of 40 – 50 psi. Good luck and stay cool!

What in the world is a battery jump starter?

Have you ever left your headlights or some other electrical device on overnight and came out bright and early to start you car? The battery is completely dead. All you hear is the pathetic dying sound of that annoying buzzer in the dashboard.. To add insult to injury your wife or husband has just pulled out of the driveway and they are gone. What do you do? Like most people you have a pair of jumper cables but that requires another car. It is too early to wake you neighbor or picture a dead car on the proverbial deserted highway with no one to help you. This is where a battery jump starter can become your best friend. A jump starter or battery booster is the equivalent to having another car with a good battery packaged in a small, portable box. They are basically a rechargeable battery with a pair of jumper cables attached. All you need to do is hook up the cables and start your car. These little jewels can be a lifesaver. They are compact and easy to carry. You can keep it in the garage or put it in the trunk. I have my wife to carry one, so she doesn’t have to go wandering around some dark alley or parking garage with a pair of jumper cables. In a situation like this, a jump starter is the ticket to getting your car up and running. There are several models and makes out there. Be wary of the cheap ones that they sell at your local big box store for 50 bucks. For example, they sometimes label them as having 450 amps but in reality they have only 250 amps of “cranking” power. You are much better off buying a professional grade unit like the Jump N Carry. A unit like this has 1,700 amps of cranking power and is built for repeated use. You get what you pay for in the world of the battery jump starter.

Quick and simple instructions on using a car battery charger.

I am sure everyone at one time or the other has left the head lights or some other electrical device on and drained your car battery. You may not need to run out and purchase a new battery. A car battery charger can save the day. They are relatively simple to use and operate. Just follow these simple steps and soon your car will back to normal.

1) First, remove the battery cables from the terminal posts. Remember to remove the (-) negative cable first. (This cable is usually black) and then the (+) positive cable. Don’t forget that all your stereo settings will probably be lost when the power is cut off.

2) Now you are ready to hook up the car battery charger to your car. But first, read the owner’s manual and insure that the model charger you are using is suitable for your car. Now, hook the (+) positive cable (red) to the positive terminal and then the (-) negative cable (black) to the negative terminal.

3) Now plug in your car battery charger and switch it on. Al light or some other indicator should turn on. (Consult your owner’s manual)

4) Wait for another indicator to come on to show that the charge is complete. Remove the cables starting with the (-) negative cable (black) first and reconnect your battery.

If your car still fails to crank up, you may have to purchase a new battery or there may be a more serious problem.

Tips for maintaining your car battery.

You seldom think about your car battery until you are in a deserted parking garage late at night and your car won’t start. Then it becomes very important in your life. Car batteries require simple and routine maintenance in order to work properly over their lives. If you can open your hood and use a wire brush, you can maintain a car battery. First thing is to pop open your hood and locate your battery. Don’t worry, it won’t bite. The 2 posts that the battery cables are connected to must be clean and free of corrosion. Corrosion can prevent the cables from getting a charge from the battery and prevent your car from starting. Simply keeping your terminals clean can keep those troubles away. Get a wire brush and scrub the contacts clean. If you are really motivated, you can remove the cables and scrub the inside of connector and the terminal post. You should have a good contact after you complete this little chore. You also need to check your water level, especially when it is hot outside. If the water level drops too low, the battery will have a difficult time holding a charge. Next time you fill up, ask the guy at the service station to check it for you. Don’t wait until your car is slow to crank up. If your battery is not putting out enough juice, it may be too late to save it. The time to save your car battery is before these symptoms show up and always have a pair of jumper cables or a battery booster in your truck. You never know if that old battery has cranked for the last time.

How to jump start a dead car battery.

Here are few tips and instructions on jump starting a dead battery. First things first, though. You need to inspect the dead battery. If you see any damage such as leaks or cracks. DO NOT go any further. Put away the jumper cables and call a wrecker. A damaged battery can explode and really hurt you. If the battery looks ok, then park the cars close enough to each other for the jumper cables to reach and shut off both engines. Now make sure the terminals are not caked with corrosion. Try to clean them off as best you can. A corroded terminal will make it a lot harder to jump the battery. At this point you are ready to hook up your jumper cables to the batteries. (Normally, the red cable is (+) positive and black cable is (-) negative)

They must be connected in this exact order:
1. Connect one end of the (+) positive cable to the (+) positive terminal on the dead battery.
2. Connect the other end of the (+) positive cable to (+) positive terminal on the good battery.
3. Connect one end of the (-) negative cable to (-) negative terminal on the good battery.
4. Connect the other end of the (-) negative cable to the engine block of the dead car.

You are ready to start up the good car’s engine and charge the dead battery. First of all, shut off all electrical equipment on the good car. (head lights, radio, etc.) Let the good car’s engine run for a minute or so before you attempt to start the dead one. Now get in the dead car and attempt to crank it. If it sounds like it wants to start but won’t quite get there, give it some more time and try again. When the dead has started and is running, it is time to remove the jumper cables. This must be done in reverse order.

Here are the steps:
Disconnect (-) negative cable from the engine block on dead car.
Disconnect (-) negative cable from the (-) negative terminal on the good battery.
Disconnect (+) positive cable from the (+) positive terminal on the good battery.
Disconnect (+) positive cable from the (+) positive terminal on the dead battery.


After the dead car has been running for a while, turn it off. See if will start on its own. If it does, you should be ok on the drive home. If not, jump it again and have someone follow you home. When you arrive at home, you can then put a battery charger on it all night and see if it cranks in the morning.

Be careful not to over tighten your lug nuts!

A common site in your neighborhood auto garage is a mechanic tightening up the lug nuts on your car with an impact wrench. You hear the common screech of the impact wrench as it makes quick work of the lug nuts. You also probably rarely see that same mechanic actually use a torque wrench. Impact wrenches are great tools but they can and will over tighten the lug nuts on your car. At first that doesn’t sound like a bad thing. Tight is good, right? Not necessarily. Most manufacturers recommend using a torque wrench when tightening lug nuts. They will specify a certain ft/lb to dial in on the torque wrench. This insures the nuts are tightened properly. Over tightening can damage the studs and possibly lead to a failure in the future. Here is what happens. When the nuts are tightened, the studs will stretch. This tension holds the wheels on to the rim. If you over tighten the studs you can damage them and they could fail. The best approach is to use your impact wrench to snug up the nuts. Then go back with a torque wrench and tighten to the manufacturer specifications. Next time you are having your tires rotated or changed, make sure the mechanic uses a torque wrench and the correct torque. Having the proper tools makes all the difference and will extend the life of your car.

Air tools or electric power tools? Which is better?

Many people wonder if using air tools is worth the cost purchasing an air compressor, hoses and the air tools. Why not just get an electric impact wrench or electric drill? Sometimes electric tools are a great choice but there are many reasons why air tools are superior. First of all, you have the option of using air tools in a wet environment. You can't get electrocuted with an air tool. Feel free to drag that air hose through a puddle and stand in it with bare feet. No problem. Compressed air won’t hurt you. Also, air compressors are a portable power source. You can operate your air tool anywhere you can haul your portable air compressor. If you are out on a remote jobsite, electricity can be a problem. However, with an air compressor and the right air tools, you are in business. Another reason is air tools are generally more robust than their electric cousins. Most air tools are built out of metal and can withstand a substantial impact. Today,most electric tools today are almost all totally plastic. Finally, air tools are far more powerful than electric tools. If you really have some tough lug nuts to loosen, nothing beats a 1/2" impact wrench to show that nut who’s the boss!

Automotive air conditioner basic troubleshooting tips.

It is summer time and very hot outside. Especially in your car and especially if you are sitting in traffic. Here are few troubleshooting tips you can try yourself before running to the dealership or auto repair shop to fix that pesky air conditioner.
If your automotive air conditioner isn’t working quite right, here are a few ideas to begin. First of all start with the control panel on your dashboard. Most automobiles have an A/C button that actually turns the compressor on and allows cold air to be circulated. You might have accidentally hit the recirculation button instead of the A/C button. (Don’t laugh, I had a friend that spent a week in a hot car and all he needed to do was press the right button.) The second thing to check is the actual function of the controls. Do they move at all? Are they loose and giggle around? The big question is “do they feel different from the last time your air conditioner worked?” This could tell if the controls are messed up and need replacing. Your air conditioner system may be fine but the controls could be frozen or broken. If your controls seem to be functioning, lets move to the blower fan. Turn on your car and start you’re air conditioner as you normally would. Then turn your blower to it’s highest setting. Can you here your fan blowing? If you can hear it, does it sound weak or whining. This could signal that your blower motor is malfunctioning or needs to be replaced. If it doesn’t work at all, check the fuse for the blower motor. The fuse for your blower motor should be located in the fuse box under the dash. Most automobiles have the fuses clearly labeled. First take out the blower fan fuse with the removal tool provided in the fuse box. A blown fuse should be easy to identify. However if you are unsure, replace it with a similar rated fuse and try your blower again. If that fuse blows you may have a bad blower motor or a short in the circuit. In this case, you will need an authorized mechanic to fix it.
If the blower fan is working properly and you can only get cold air out of the defroster vents, you may have vacuum-system supply line problem. To check for this, look for a small black plastic tube going from the engine area through the dash. It is usually right by the refrigerant lines. Check this tube and see if it has holes or is not connected. If all of these little tips are not helping and you’re A/C doesn’t blow cold air no matter how many switches you turn on or off, you will probably need an certified mechanic. Good luck and stay cool!

Troubleshooting your air impact wrench.

If your impact wrench is not working like it used to, there are a few things you may check before you throw it in the dumpster. If you are experiencing low power on your air impact wrench, here are three easy steps. The first problem could be a dirty inlet bushing or air strainer screen. Just simply clean both of these with a suitable cleaning solution. Next, examine the cylinder. Replace it if it is worn or broken or if the bore is scored or wavy. Finally, disassemble the tool and clean all parts with a suitable cleaning solution in a well ventilated area. Reassemble the tool according to manual. These three easy steps can solve low power problems most of the time. If your impact wrench is not impacting properly, try this. Check and make sure the air tool has been properly lubricated. Lubrication is absolutely critical to maintaining your air tools at peak performance. To resolve lack of lubrication, remove the hammer case and lubricate the mechanism. Once the hammer case has been removed inspect the impact wrench mechanism parts. Replace any broken or worn parts. Most manufacturers include detailed instructions on how to do this procedure in the manual. These are a few easy procedures that can extend the life of your impact wrench and restore it to its original working condition.