Precautions when working with the air conditioning system (Range Rover 3)

General remarks

The air conditioning system contains working fluids and components that, if handled incorrectly, pose a danger to the operating personnel and the environment. The following instructions are intended to familiarize the operating personnel with the hazards of the air conditioning system and to demonstrate the consequences of improper handling of this system.

We have provided additional precautions in the relevant sections of the Guide.

All instructions must be read before beginning any repairs to the system.

The air conditioning system uses HFC-134a refrigerant (fluorinated hydrocarbon) R134a.

WARNING: Only personnel familiar with the system and the special equipment for filling and servicing it are allowed to service the air conditioning system. All operations must be carried out in well-ventilated areas, away from open flames.

WARNING: Refrigerant R134a is a potentially hazardous liquid and can cause serious injury if handled carelessly. When working with the air conditioning system, wear special protective clothing: heat-resistant gloves, face protection, rubber boots and a rubberized apron or special gown.

Emergency assistance to the victim

If an accident occurs involving R134a refrigerant coming into contact with unprotected areas of the body:

• If R134a refrigerant gets into your eyes, do not rub them with your hands. Carefully rinse the affected eye with a special liquid to raise the temperature. If there is no special liquid for rinsing the eyes, rinse the eye with clean, cold water. After rinsing the eye, apply a clean swab to it and seek medical attention immediately.
• If R134a refrigerant comes into contact with your skin, wash the area with plenty of water to raise the temperature. If you touch the refrigerant release cylinders, also wash the area with plenty of water. Wrap the affected skin in woolen blankets and seek medical attention.
• If you feel weak and suspect that you have been exposed to R134a vapors, immediately go to fresh air. If the person is unconscious, immediately take them outside the contaminated area to fresh air, perform artificial respiration and/or give them oxygen. After providing first aid, seek medical attention.

WARNING: Due to its low boiling point, R134a refrigerant must be handled with extreme caution. If R134a refrigerant comes into contact with unprotected skin, it will cause immediate frostbite. Refrigerant recovery cylinders may also cause frostbite when refrigerant is being recovered.

Precautions when performing maintenance

When working with air conditioning system components, follow these instructions:

• Do not pull or lift system components by hoses, pipes or capillary tubes.
• Hoses and pipelines must not be subjected to small radius bends and mechanical stress.; the cooling capacity of the system will be reduced if there are nodes or any additional resistance. Before tightening the nuts, make sure that the hoses are positioned correctly, the components must be secured with all the provided fastening elements.
• Flexible hoses should not be located in close proximity to the exhaust pipe. (closer than 100 mm) in the absence of special heat screens.
• After installation, make sure there are no loose connections between the pipes and the metal panels. Loose connection points can cause noise.
• A special torque wrench should be used to tighten the pipeline connecting nuts. An additional wrench should be used to hold the pipeline or unit from turning while tightening the nuts.
• Before connecting the hose or pipeline, lubricate the seats for the O-rings with special oil, DO NOT LUBRICATE the threads of the connection.
• The safety plugs should only be removed before the components are actually connected.
• Before disconnecting the pipes, let the car stand until its temperature equalizes with the box temperature. This will prevent condensation of water vapor from the air that gets into the system when unscrewing the pipes.
• Do not leave unplugged openings for more than 15 minutes. If reassembly of the system is not possible within this time, plugs should be installed.
• After removing the pipes, their ends should be immediately sealed to prevent dirt and moisture from entering the system.
• The receiver assembly with the dehydrator contains a dehydrating agent that absorbs moisture. When unscrewing the pipelines, the connecting nipples should be plugged immediately. The receiver assembly with the dehydrator, left unplugged, should be replaced with a new one.
• The receiver assembly with the dehydrator should be connected to the system last. This will ensure maximum protection of the system from moisture.
• In all cases where any components of the air conditioning system are removed, the receiver assembly with the dryer should be replaced.
• To clean dirty connections, use a lint-free cloth dampened with alcohol.
• Components used for repairs must be labelled for use with R134a refrigerant.

After a major overhaul of the system, it is necessary to perform a pressure test. How to do this is described in the "Air Conditioning System" section of this Manual.

Special oil used in air conditioning systems

The special oil used in the air conditioning system is very hygroscopic. It cannot be stored for a long time. It is prohibited to drain unused oil back into the container. Use only recommended oil brands.

Lubrication system

When replacing air conditioning system components, drain the special lubricating oil into a graduated container. When installing new components, pour the same amount of oil into them.

Compressor

New compressors supplied as spare parts are hermetically sealed and filled with nitrogen. When installing a new compressor, carefully unscrew the sealing plug. At this time, you should hear the noise of escaping gas.

CAUTION: New compressors supplied as replacement parts must be sealed and may be filled with nitrogen. To avoid lubricating oil emissions, remove the sealing plugs slowly and carefully. Remove the sealing plugs immediately before installing the compressor on the vehicle.

Rapid leakage of refrigerant due to an accident or breakdown

If the air conditioning system is depressurized as a result of an accident, the refrigerant will evaporate completely. This happens spontaneously within a very short time. As a result, most of the lubricating oil is carried away along with the refrigerant. In this case, the compressor should be removed and all the oil drained from it. Then refill the system with oil as described in the "Air Conditioning System" section of this Manual.

Precautions for removing refrigerant, preparing it for further use and charging the system

Before filling the air conditioning system with refrigerant, the existing refrigerant must be removed from the system and prepared for reuse. After this, the system must be filled with the required amount (by weight) of refrigerant and lubricating oil (by volume).

WARNING: Refrigerant must be purified before reusing. Refrigerant purification technology must comply with regulatory requirements and ensure the required degree of purity.

The preparation of refrigerant for reuse must be performed in equipment certified by Underwriter Laboratory Inc. to meet the requirements of SAE J1991. If the equipment used does not meet this requirement, there is no guarantee that the refrigerant will be purified to the required degree of purity.

The R134a refrigerant air conditioning service station must not be used to service air conditioning systems that use other refrigerants.

R134a refrigerant, which is commercially available and intended for home use, is not suitable for use in a car air conditioning system.

CAUTION: Refrigerant must be removed immediately before recharging the system. Do not leave the system uncharged.

Replacing the air conditioning compressor

The new compressor supplied as spare parts is fully filled with lubricating oil (X cm³).

Filling tanks

Before installing a new compressor, the calculated amount of oil must be drained from it. To calculate how much oil must be drained from a new compressor, follow these instructions:

• 1. Unscrew the drain plug on the removed compressor.
• 2. Turn the compressor over and drain the oil by gravity into a calibrated container. Turn the compressor shaft by the coupling to make sure that the oil has been completely drained from the compressor.
• 3. Record the amount of oil drained (Y cm³).
• 4. Determine the amount of oil to be drained from the new compressor using the following formula: X cm³ - (Y cm³ + 20 cm³) = Q cm³
• 5. Unscrew the drain plug from the new compressor and drain Q cm³ of oil. Screw in and tighten the drain plug of the compressor.