All About Air Conditioning at Petty Motorworks

The refrigerant in the air conditioner contains a special oil that lubricates and cools the A/C parts. When enough refrigerant leaks out, your air conditioner still makes cold air, but the parts don’t have enough oil to protect them and they wear out faster than they should, so it’s important to service the air conditioner as recommended.

Replacing old refrigerant has another benefit: refrigerant tends to gather moisture and become corrosive. That causes leaks in the system which can be expensive to repair. Fresh refrigerant protects the air conditioning components and keeps the system operating at peak efficiency, so it doesn’t have to work as hard to keep you cool.

Even with regular service A/C parts can just wear out. Normal wear and tear eventually gets to all moving parts. Addressing early problems can save on more extensive repairs down the road. For instance, a common failure is the clutch that turns the compressor on and off. If you can take care of a bad A/C clutch when it first starts having problems, you may be able to save the compressor. Wait too long and you’ll have to replace both.

Check your owner’s manual or ask your service advisor for service recommendations. And if you’re hearing strange sounds when your air conditioning turns on, or if it just isn’t as cold as it used to be, have us give it the once over to see what it’ll take to keep you cool.

Give us a call

Petty Motorworks LLC
462 ROUTE 9
WARETOWN, NJ 08758
(609) 339-2939
www.pettymotorworks.com

Spring is Here: Is Your A/C Working?

 

Most car owners don't service their air conditioning until after it fails. Maintaining your vehicle air conditioning system means that you always have enough refrigerant to properly do the job. Small leaks in the air conditioning system allow the refrigerant to escape and the system can't cool the air as well.

Along with the refrigerant, a special oil circulates in the system. The oil lubricates air conditioning components and keeps the seals resilient. Low refrigerant and lubricating oil means that the air conditioning parts will wear out prematurely, and we all know that air conditioning repairs can be costly.

Air conditioning service at Petty Motorworks starts with a visual inspection of the components for signs of damage or leaks. The compressor is driven by a belt from the engine, most often the serpentine belt, so it's inspected for cracks or wear.

The air conditioning compressor and other components are checked for proper operation by your Petty Motorworks service advisor. Then comes the leak test. If a leak is detected, often in a hose or connection, it's repaired and the vehicle system is retested. Your Petty Motorworks technician will also perform a temperature drop test.

If needed, the old refrigerant is evacuated and the system is recharged with clean, fresh refrigerant. A final test insures that the air conditioner is working, and you're on your way.

How often this should be done varies from vehicle to vehicle. Your vehicle owner's manual will have the manufacturer's recommendation and, of course, your friendly and knowledgeable Petty Motorworks service advisor can tell you. It's typically every two years.

Give us a call have your air conditioning inspection done BEFORE the weather gets too hot.

Petty Motorworks LLC

462 ROUTE 9

WARETOWN, NJ 08758

www.pettymotorworks.com