July 2019 – FJC Inc

Righty Tighty, Lefty Loosy? Not for R-1234yf!

“Righty, tighty Lefty loosy.” is a common axiom to help remember which direction tightens and which direction loosens a screw, nut, bolt, etc. To tighten, you must turn it to the right (clockwise). To loosen it, therefore, you turn it to the left (counter-clockwise). The adage works ALMOST all of the time….except when there is a “reverse” (or left-handed) thread. Reverse threading is often used in rotating machinery where the natural motion might cause a

A Tutorial Guide to Manifold Gauges

Before servicing a vehicle, confirm system refrigerant type. Cross contamination of refrigerants can cause damage to A/C system, service tools and equipment. GENERAL MANIFOLD INFORMATION: The right (red) side of the manifold is the high side and the red gauge is the high pressure gauge. The left (blue) side of the manifold is the low side and the blue gauge is the vacuum/pressure gauge. Separate passages from the low and high side fittings to their

R-1234yf Market Information for 2020

Environmental Property Comparison In the wake of increased global environmental regulation, R-1234yf has been introduced to exceed both United States EPA and European F-Gas phase-out guidelines for high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants. R-1234yf has become the industry standard refrigerant to replace R-134a globally for environmental reasons. R-1234yf has an atmospheric life expectancy of 11 days, which translates into a Global Warming Potential rating of less than 1. By contrast, R-134a has an atmospheric life

Compressor Failure? Flush that System!

When an automotive A/C compressor failure occurs, it’s best practice to flush out the system before installing the new compressor. Many times when a compressor fails it sends small metal particles throughout the A/C system. These particles can clog up passages in the system and cause problems after you’ve replaced the failed compressor. Even tiny particles can cause big problems with the system. In fact, it takes less than 1/10th of a tsp of debris

Pressure Test a Radiator and Radiator Cap

As the coolant in your cooling system increases in temperature, the pressure in the system also increases. Normal operating temperature of a cooling system is around 220 degrees Fahrenheit, which is slightly higher than the boiling point of water. The pressure of a cooling system is controlled by the radiator cap which generally holds the pressure of the system between 6-16 PSI and keeps the temperature in check. FJC Radiator and Radiator Cap Test Kits