[bchampion]

Well I finally got the a/c back together and installed in the car. So I pulled a vacuum, ok. I go to charge and I can't get it to suck any of the R134 out of the can. I check everything twice and it looks fine to me. High pressure (red) closed, low pressure (blue) open when attempting to charge. What am I doing wrong......

[FONC 67]

I assume that youve evacuated the system with a proper vaccuum pump,and you have a manifold guage set connected to it.Check that the service valves on the compressor are both fully backseated first, and then crack the low side service valve (blue)open (clockwise)to charge

[bchampion]

Yes. I pulled about 28hg for 20minutes or so and it held it when I shut the vacuum pump off. I have a Sanden 508 that's about a year old w/the new style hoses for the manifold quick disconnect hose fittings (no valves to crack like on the old York'ies). Could my compressor be kaput?

[FONC 67]

It is quite possible that it is faulty,if the clutch mech is engaging,and the low side guage is not pulling down.Ive struck Sanden compressors with that fault before.Just make sure that the R134a line fitting is opening the low side service port properly, and you have refrigerant flow through it.It was a lot easier on the old York compressors to diagnose such faults,as you could front seat the low side service valve to check if it was pulling down OK

[bchampion]

Well I pulled the Sanden off to check it out. Not a drop of oil in it. Could that be the issue?

[FONC 67]

The oil does'nt really do anything other than provide lubrication for the moving parts within...If it was installed without an oil charge,its most likely out to lunch ...big time...According to the specs Ive got here,a Sanden 508 should have 7.2 fl ounces of PAG oil for R134a application(9.5 if its an orifice tube system rather than a TX valve)