Oil & Additives

You choose compressor oil for aircon service by refrigerant and by the vehicle specification. For R-134a and R-1234yf there is PAG oil, with or without UV additive in the same bottle. For hybrids and electric cars with an electric compressor it is often POE oil. The UV version lets you do leak detection in the same session. The oil goes into the system through the aircon service machine, so how well it doses counts as much as the lubrication itself. Always check the make and model of the car first, and the amount that came out.

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Choosing compressor oil: PAG, POE or UV

Which oil goes with which refrigerant

PAG oil based on polyalkylene glycol goes into R-134a and R-1234yf systems. For hybrids and electric cars with an electric compressor, POE oil is the obvious choice, sometimes in ISO 80 if a dielectric lubricant is needed. If you are unsure between the two, the vehicle specification decides. If that says nothing useful, the make and model of the car settles it. The oil enters the system through the aircon service machine, so how well it doses weighs as much as the lubrication. The wrong oil can lead to insufficient lubrication or contamination.

With or without UV additive

The same PAG oil comes with and without UV additive. If you choose the version with UV, you do lubrication and leak detection in one go. That saves a separate dose of contrast agent and an extra step at the machine. If you only want to lubricate, the version without UV is enough. For a separate dose of contrast agent or a UV fluid you remove from the system later, there are UV leak detection fluid and UV remover. The additive packaging comes in boxes of 12 syringes of 7.5 ml, with reusable hoses included.

Dosing and topping up

Dosing runs from 7.5 ml to 1.4 kg of refrigerant, depending on the system. Do not top up blindly: what comes out during a service determines what goes back in. Too much oil costs you heat transfer, too little costs you lubrication. Note down the amount you drained, because at the next service on the same car you will want to see it again. The oil is not hazardous under EC 1272/2008 (CLP), which keeps working on the machine simple. A leak you have found with UV, you seal with leak stop.

Keeping it in stock

A workshop sees both R-134a and R-1234yf cars. One universal PAG oil covers a large part of them, so you keep fewer variants. Alongside it, stock POE oil for hybrids and electric cars, and a bottle with UV additive for services where you want to check straight away. That way you do not have to order a new product for every car. The oil is made in Italy and comes in 250 ml or 1000 ml.