What adaptors for A/C recharge kit?

[Sock Monkey]

My A/C is hit and miss these days. 2006 Mazda 3 Sport, 2.3l. It will blow nice and cool for 5 minutes and then hot and humid. I expect it's simply low. Are there any tests I should be doing to diagnose this problem. I just happened to have a discarded "can fill" A/C hose with a gauge on it that had the right fitting. It shows 110 lbs on my low side with the car shut off.

A friend is an HVAC guy. He's got the proper gauges, a big bottle of r134a and a vacuum pump. His gauges want other fitting than those on the Mazda though. His are made for a male thread. I will need adapters. I found this pair on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FNW8CLC...pd_rd_wg=EHpv3

Am I to assume that r134a fitting means that the Mazda would like these?

I don't think I am going to find these parts at Canadian Tire, Lordco, Napa or any of those places. Besides, we're having a heat wave on the island and all the r134a "can fill" kits where I thought I might find fittings are sold out!

Anyway, any help would be appreciated.

Monkey

[Sock Monkey]

OK, an update. I took the belts off and the A/C compressor clutch is pooched. The clutch bearing is shot, the "pressure plates" are metal on metal and I think they are gone too. As far as the compressor goes, with the cap screw in place I can turn it over with an Allen T wrench with no trouble. It just makes a little metallic rattle every half turn which I think sounds fine.

Should I still be considering topping up the fluid or could the clutch be the cause of the hot / cold performance?

Thanks.

[S.F.W.]

@Reddie1337 any advice ?

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[Reddie1337]

OK, an update. I took the belts off and the A/C compressor clutch is pooched. The clutch bearing is shot, the "pressure plates" are metal on metal and I think they are gone too. As far as the compressor goes, with the cap screw in place I can turn it over with an Allen T wrench with no trouble. It just makes a little metallic rattle every half turn which I think sounds fine.

Should I still be considering topping up the fluid or could the clutch be the cause of the hot / cold performance?

Thanks.

You should watch your pressures before you recover and watch the compressor engagement to see what’s actually happening. The clutch could be bad when it warms up, the evaporator could be freezing up and causing the compressor to disengage. There are many things that could cause your issue.

I would hook up for you at work if you were closer to Cambridge, but it’s my whole AC machine and I don’t own our set of manifold gauges.

[Sock Monkey]

Thanks very much Reddie1337. That's a nice offer but I'm on Vancouver Island! (A bit of a drive). I'll get that new clutch on and see what happens. If the A/C behaves, that will be the end of it. I will hook up the gauges then just to see what's happening. If I have to take it from there, I will.

Thanks for the advice.