2002-2011 Chevrolet Aveo Re charge air conditioning refrigerant gas R-134a Change to Eco D2

Step 1

Repair step

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• Before proceeding with this guide for filling the coolant up, read this guide that checks in four different ways whether coolant remains in the system or it is completely empty.
• Before recharging the refrigerant, you must check if the vehicle has coolant gas by checking whether it cools down. It is crucial to know what type of coolant it uses thus it is important to read the other guide.
• R-134a coolant (one of the most common and used coolants until 2021) is no longer sold for environmental reasons. It must be replaced with ecological coolant D2 (the substitute for R12 and R134a).
• In the vehicle referenced in this guide there is a trace of R-134a in the system. This is good news as explained by the previous guide. It means that the vehicle has lost the coolant due to inefficiencies in the system and not a leak which needs to be patched beforehand. The last refill that was done to the vehicle lasted two years.
• The coolant refill for a new car should take years to be depleted. Used cars with years of use can have leaks in many places. The compressor joints usually have slight leakage along with the hose couplings and hoses themselves.

Step 2

Repair step

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• 1. Because we are switching from R-134a coolant to Eco D2, the remnants of the old coolant must not be mixed with the new one. We will induce a vacuum in the system, which will also help determine if there is a big leak in the circuit.
• What is needed? A quick coupler to connect to the low pressure service valve. A pressure gauge + blue tubes (sourced by disconnecting the valve from the coolant tank). This valve/cables are the ones used for the initial checkup. IN this case, we will use them to: 1. Induce a vacuum. 2. Channel the coolant to refill it.
• We will need a valve bridge to create the vacuum. We will need a closing valve to close the circuit after creating the vacuum. We will also need the yellow connection tube between the bridge and the vacuum pump.
• Since I do not have a vacuum pump (I am merely an amateur and am not professionally dedicated to this) I opted to use all the resources available to me instead of borrowing one.
• I used a refrigerant compressor which I normally use to inflate balloons and tires. I welded an adapter to it to be able to connect it to the AC port. I AM VERY WELL AWARE THAT THIS IS NOT THE ADEQUATE TOOL FOR THE JOB, BUT SINCE THIS IS MY VEHICLE, I HAVE CHOSEN TO ASSUME THE RESPONSIBILITY OF NOT USING THE APPROPRIATE VACUUM PUMP.

Step 3

Repair step

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• We unscrew and remove the stopcock from the Blue hose and pressure gauge connected to the gas canister, since in this first step we don't need it. We'll affix that end of the hose to the pressure gauge bridge SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A CLOSABLE STOPCOCK, so once we pull vacuum we can close it to check air tightness of the circuit.
• PHOTO 2: Having connected: The Quick Connecor to the blue hose and pressure gauge, we will connect the other BLUE hose to the BLUE Pressure (2) Gauge bridge (using a Double Female) and the output from this bridge, we attach to the yellow hose going to the vacuum pump (Or compressor, in this instance.)
• ATTENTION! ALL THIS WITH THE CAR ENGINE STOPPED.
• We can proceed to plug in to the LOW PRESSURE SERVICE SOCKET, (THICK TUBE), to remove the tiny remnant of gas in the circuit. Note: If we have a recovery gas bottle, the correct thing is to do is store the rest of the gas in that bottle and take it to an authorized agent.

Step 4

Repair step

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• BEFORE STARTING THE PUMP, MAKE SURE that the stopcock of the the Blue pressure gauge bridge is OPEN and the RED one's stopcock is CLOSED.
• WE TURN ON THE VACUUM PUMP, in a couple of minutes the manometer needle will begin to show pressure below 0 = NEGATIVE PRESSURE = VACUUM. (GREEN AREA OF THE MANOMETER).
• We will run the vacuum pump for approximately 3 to 5 minutes, until the pressure gauge registers in the VACUUM = NEGATIVE PRESSURE zone, (GREEN AREA OF THE PRESSURE GAUGE).

Step 5

Repair step

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• After working for 2 or 3 minutes, with the needle of both manometers BLUE indicating Vacuum below 0, we Close the BLUE stopcock, bridge gauges
• TURN OFF OR DISCONNECT THE VACUUM PUMP.
• The circuit is at this moment closed, with VACUUM in the tubes.
• We will leave the circuit sealed for 5 or 10 minutes to see if pressure remains static. If we can leave it for 30 min, it's much better, then we can see over a greater time period whether the needle goes up to 0.
• THIS would be a CLEAR SIGN THAT WE have A SEVERE LEAK, or, better said, an air inlet, THE NEEDLE SHOULD NOT move UP. IF SO; YOU CAN NOT RECHARGE THE REFRIGERANT BEFORE YOU LOCATE AND REPAIR THE PROBLEM.

Step 6

Repair step

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• Having the Blue stopcock on the pressure gauge bridge CLOSED prior to waiting the 5 to 30 minutes; we can disconnect the yellow hose and put the vacuum pump aside.
• NOTE: We don't remove the pressure gauge bridge yet, since it allows us, via its stopcock, to have the circuit sealed.
• If, after the minutes we decided to wait, the needle has not risen. We know that the circuit is Watertight, therefore we can proceed to disconnect to prepare the connection socket and the refrigerant bottle to recharge the D2 Gas.

Step 7

Repair step

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• 1st OPTION: I mention it since it is another option, although I have NOT done it that way, as I do not want possible traces of oil from the yellow hose and the pressure gauge bridge to mix with the oil in the car circuit, which would degrade the oil in the circuit.
• This option 1 would be to place the CANNISTER TAP stopcock on the yellow hose and refill gas passing through the yellow hose and MANOMETER BRIDGE and Blue hose and Blue pressure gauge and 2nd BLUE hose.
• I REPEAT: I have not recharged like this, I prefer keeping it simple to avoid errors and the mixing of possible remains since I have used this pressure gauge bridge and yellow hose with another gas.

Step 8

Repair step

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• 2nd OPTION, THE ONE USED: We disconnect the QUICK CONNECT from the car, remove the Blue hose, from the pressure gauge bridge, since for recharging we'll use the QUICK CONNECT, the hoses and BLUE PRESSURE Gauge, which is specifically for R134a, and the threaded connection to the gas canister.
• If we QUICKLY REMOVE the QUICK CONNECT from the car's low-pressure socket, since this socket has the CHECK-VALVE inside that seals it, no air will enter the car's circuit (or a minimum will enter) so it will continue to contain a negative pressure.
• We hold the BLUE ring of the QUICK CONNECTOR and pull it out, to break the connection.

Step 9

Repair step

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• We prepare the hoses for recharging. We disconnect from the pressure gauge bridge and place the CANNISTER TAP stopcock, in the FULLY OPEN position, on the Blue hose, the central spike fully retracted, to be able to thread the bottle.
• NOTE: IF PERFORMING A REFILL OF THE SAME GAS WE ALREADY HAD, (IN THIS CASE IT WOULD BE FOR FUTURE REFERENCE), WE WOULD START FROM THIS STEP 9.

Step 10

Repair step

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• We will screw on the refrigerant gas canister, a substitute according to the refrigerant that our vehicle has. In this case, when it has R-134a, it corresponds to the D2 model.
• If you look on the Internet and Amazon, for example, you can see the types there are and the substitutes depending on the type of your refrigerant.
• We now have things ready to reattach to the car's low pressure intake.

Step 11

Repair step

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• We place the Quick connection socket in front of the car's low pressure service socket and plug it in QUICKLY, pushing it all the way.
• If we are fast enough, we will see that the BLUE pressure gauge continues to indicate VACUUM (Green area of ​​the scale), a little less than before, but it is still vacuum = We have been quick to connect.

Step 12

Repair step

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• ATTENTION, WITH THE VEHICLE ENGINE STOPPED, we will now turn the stopcock to puncture the coolant bottle; we will turn the handle all-the-way. clockwise.
• Once the handle reaches the stop, the can has been punctured, (we may have heard it). Now we turn it counter-clockwise, to open the gas passage: until we hear and see on the pressure gauge that the Refrigerant begins to flow. AS INDICATED BY THE MANUFACTURER OF THE CAN ALWAYS UPSIDE DOWN (INVERTED) AND SHAKE AS DIRECTED.
• We take it in steps, add refrigerant for about 5 to 8 seconds, THE MANOMETER WILL MARK THE NEEDLE INSIDE THE RED ZONE, we then close the stopcock.
• We wait 1 minute for the gas to expand in the vehicle circuit and open the stopcock again for about 6 to 7 seconds. WE CLOSE THE STOP VALVE AGAIN.
• We now have some of the refrigerant aboard, so WE START THE ENGINE OF THE VEHICLE We have not yet engaged the Air conditioning (on/off) button, we wait with the engine running for 2 or 3 minutes.
• VIDEO EXAMPLE: What does the pressure gauge show after the first precharge?, with the engine running, BEFORE CONNECTING THE AIR BUTTON

Step 13

Repair step

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• PHOTO 1: Before connecting the Air conditioning button, which starts the compressor, the pressure is always higher than when in operation.
• We will place a double-scale thermometer in the air supply nozzle to be able to measure the ambient and supply temperatures.

Step 14

Repair step

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• We engage the AIR CONDITIONING button to start the compressor and set the fan at MEDIUM speed, in this case 2.
• To be able to see the thermometer while outside the car next to the pressure gauge, we can place it in the glove compartment or take it outside, through the door, if the cable is long enough.

Step 15

Repair step

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• We will see how the pressure levels out in the center of the BLUE scale of the MANOMETER.

Step 16

Repair step

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• We wait about 5 minutes for the circuit to reach optimal performance to observe the delivery pressure and temperature.
• After those 5 minutes, we proceed to open the stopcock again, we will see that the temperature continues to decrease.
• VIDEO EXAMPLE: Engine running, air control on and fan at medium speed, we open the shut-off valve for about 5 seconds, while we shake the can.

Step 17

Repair step

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• After about 10 minutes of running the engine and AIR CONDITIONING, we turn off the air conditioner and leave the engine running (We see that the revolutions drop slightly).
• This 2-minute disconnection is carried out so that the pressures in the vehicle circuit are equalized and raised.

Step 18

Repair step

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• We see that, with the compressor stopped, the pressure has risen to the red band, this is completely normal.
• We start the compressor again by activating the Air Conditioning switch.
• The pressure on the manometer will decrease again, leaving the needle in the BLUE zone, at approx. 3.

Step 19

Repair step

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• We continue checking how the delivery pressure and temperature are. THE IDEAL THING IS FOR THE DELIVERY TEMPERATURE TO BE 15º DIFFERENCE OR MORE FROM THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE. (hopefully a negative difference)

Step 20

Repair step

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• Finally, we open the stopcock for the last time, until we see that the canister is completely empty = THE PRESSURE NO LONGER RAISES WHEN OPENING THE STOPCOCK, so we leave the stopcock closed.
• We leave the engine running for a few minutes to see whether the delivery pressure and temperature remain stable.
• DISCONNECTING THE HOSE: WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, (BE CAREFUL OF THIS), WE PROCEED TO DISCONNECT THE HOSE, we will quickly release the Quick Coupling, the same as we did in STEP 8. Video Example:
• We can place the cap on the car's low pressure service port and STOP THE ENGINE.
• RECHARGE COMPLETED.

Step 21

Repair step

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• AS A CURIOSITY: If we have been quick to disconnect, we will see that there is still pressure in the hoses and pressure gauge. Since on one side there is the can with the shut-off valve, closed, and on the other the Quick Coupling, which seals the hose?

Step 22

Repair step

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• We unscrew the can, the hose is still pressurized by having the stopcock closed.
• We open the stopcock, the manometer needle will go to 0, ambient pressure.
• TOOL CARE: It is advisable to store the pressure gauge and Blue hoses.
• THIS IS HOW I HAVE DONE IT ON MY VEHICLE, (I am NOT a professional in this area). I ASSUME THAT A PROFESSIONAL WHO DOES IT DAILY WOULD HAVE DONE IT IN ANOTHER WAY, CERTAINLY BETTER AND WITH A PROFESSIONAL VACUUM PUMP.
• Just remind you that on YOUTUBE you have tons of videos explaining the process, this is just one more contribution. To anyone who serves as a guide, great, that is the purpose of this guide.