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Reading a restriction on the gauges
An R134a system that wasn't cooling. The manifold tells the story before anything comes apart: the low side is pulled down to 8.43 inHg of vacuum while the high side still holds 168 psi. An undercharged system drops on both sides at once — when suction goes negative and the head stays up, the refrigerant isn't getting past something. That points at a restriction, typically a plugged filter drier or a blocked metering device, and it's why we measure before replacing parts rather than after.
Job details
What this job involved.
- RefrigerantR134a
- Suction pressure8.43 inHg vacuum, saturation −27.7°F
- Head pressure168 psi, saturation 118.7°F
- FindingRestriction in the liquid line
- Service typeSealed-system diagnostics
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