Preventative Maintenance A/C

At Lucas we believe in preventative maintenance for your automobiles air conditioning system. When an air conditioning system is working, the refrigerant gas (r134a) produces corrosive acids when combined with moisture. The system has a filter called a receiver dryer it is made to absorb these acids, along with any moisture. Having said that contaminates build up in the receiver dryer and over time its capability to do its job and its ability to absorb contaminants decreases and eventually the acids bring about corrosion in the air conditioning system, damaging other components. Because this corrosion is occurring on the internal areas of these parts it is not possible to determine what harm is being done or what parts of the system will fall short.

That is why we advise that you have your air conditioning system serviced annually and the receiver dryer (filter) changed every two years, before corrosion has an opportunity to take hold and causes damage to the condenser, compressor, evaporator and other parts of the system.
Our annual service is made up of pre-testing the system and carrying out a visual examination, cleaning the evaporator drain tube and condenser core. We also verify the condition of the hoses, pipes and the drive belt and adjust the belt as necessary and the primary and secondary evacuation of the a/c system to remove air and moisture; recharge with R134a refrigerant and the leak and pressure check the system.

All Car Air Conditioning (A/C) Systems call for regular maintaining to keep them operating properly and to lengthen the life span of their components. We use only R134a. However, refrigerants readily absorb water which turns them corrosive. It’s quite normal for a small percentage of the refrigerant charge to be lost from your vehicle’s system via the pores in the rubber hose parts from year to year, so even when every thing is in perfect order, your system will need to be recharged at some stage.

The objective of annual servicing of your car’s A/C system is twofold: Firstly, doing so will make certain that your system is operating on a full charge of clean refrigerant and consequently, functioning at its best for your comfort and economy. Next, it will make sure that your system is totally free from contaminants like air and moisture, which can bring about incorrect pressures and poor performance or even worse; internal corrosion within your A/C system, maybe leading to leaks and premature component failure (Resulting in avoidable, costly repairs). The maximum permissible degree of moisture in a car A/C system is less than 6 parts per million; virtually nothing!

The Accumulator/receiver/drier is an important part of your cars A/C system that has been made primarily to trap moisture, effectively eradicating it from the system, and stopping its corrosive damage. This DRYING motion is chemical in nature, so it cannot go on forever; this is why it is essential to replace the filter/receiver/drier at specific intervals (we suggest every two years for nearly all cars, or any time the system has been opened to the atmosphere).

 

A/C Summer Sizzling Special! 

Wow, it’s hot!  Being a furry person like I am (some people call me a Boxer, but to Lucas and the family, I’m a furry person), I really appreciate air conditioning when we get in the car to head to work and to come home.  I know all of you do too, given how steamy hot California gets in the summer months. 

I wanted to let you know that from February through the March, LUCAS AUTO A/C  & CAR CARE CLINIC  in Van Nuys is running our great A/C Summer Sizzlin Special!  It always pays to do preventative maintenance for your AC system and you’ll hear us talking a lot about this throughout the year.  The A/C Summer Sizzlin Special is an affordable, preventative maintenance step to take that will prolong the life of your car’s AC system and keep you and your family comfortable on the road.

Call Lucas Auto A/C & Car Care Clinic  to schedule your appointment for your A/C Summer Sizzlin Special and ensure that your car stays cool through those ‘dog days of summer’ in California!  While you’re here, make sure to say Hi to me; I’ll be hanging out on my dog bed, or enjoying the cool floor of the lobby…or back in the shop area playing with my soccer ball.  I’m never too busy to stop and visit with you – visits with friends make my day! 

Early bird house coffee guaranty!