AC Question for 2008 ex35

[Brooke50]

Hi I am new here. So here's go my question.
I just got my radiator replaced and they had release the freon to get to the radiator.
Now before the freon was ice cold it made my ears hurt, now since the freon has been replaced its cold just not as cold. So the way I can put it why would the factory freon be so much colder than what the garage it in and the used R134a. And the garage is very very reputable. Please tell me what y'all think

[AZhitman]

Hmmmm. Can't imagine why they'd need to "release" the refrigerant to replace a radiator. Did they extract it with a machine and put it back in?

They need to carefully measure the amount of charge they put in the system. Too high or too low can cause reduced efficiency.

If they're reputable, they won't have a problem checking the system for errors.

[C.los]

They need to recover the freon in order to change the radiator, there is no way around it. Shops usually recover and recharge the system with a machine.

Could be the pressure is low or high like AZhitman mentioned. Take it back to them they shouldn't have any problems checking it for you.

Factory freon is R134a it's pretty much standard now a days. R12 was used years back which used to be better but it got phased out due to environmental issues. It's out there but hard to come by you need a license just to buy it.

Good luck

[NJGuy]

The amount of refrigerant they put back in the system can significantly affect cooling performance. Too little, while uncomfortable, is ok; too much, however, could lead to damage of the A/C components.

If the shop is reputable, they would have collected the refrigerant, put a vacuum on the system after the radiator replacement and reasembly of the components, and refilled the system with the proper weight of refrigerant. That number might even be on a sticker in the engine bay or on the underside of the hood. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but if the system had gotten air in it, the drier/accumulator may need to be replaced as well.

I'd say to take the car back as soon as you can. While I've never had to do a full evacuation and refill of refrigerant, it shouldn't be too hard for a trained individual who does it on a semi-regular basis to do the job properly.

[XIS]

yes - the AC lines are attached to the radiator and there is no way around it... read my post on changing that puppy by myself. I learned the hard way...but when they refilled my system, it was just as cold as before.