Done a few things this year and shoulda at least posted here, or made a couple DIY threads if I had remembered to take more pictures. Never enough time in the day, and I always forget I have a ******* camera in my pocket 24/7 (smartfone), but I digress.
Most recently, replaced low side A/C hose between condenser and compressor. Noticed oily residue months ago, never learned too much about A/C systems so time to find out. Got hose from Rockauto, vacuum pump from Amazon, already had a cheap HF gauge/manifold set, picked up some cans of R134a, started setting up and realized new R134a cans are "self-sealing" and the old poke-a-hole valve chingus new requires an adapter. FML. Get adapter, get PAG46 oil, get back on it. System self-evacuated through pinhole leak and no more A/C, time to replace. Pulling my skidplate (SVC Baja) allowed fairly good access to compressor from the front and didn't need to remove belly plate for access from below, so just 3 10mm-head bolts after removing serpentine belt and wrestle it forward. Got about this far and removed both lines at the compressor (13mm-head nuts, that's the offending line in the center):
Got about 0.001 oz. of oil out of the compressor, per sticker system capacity is 6.1 oz. Sources vary on how much oil to put back in for various A/C parts replacements, I know it's been leaking for months and is likely missing more than an ounce, buuuut maybe the accumulator hung on to some or most of it. Maybe not. Filled compressor with 6 oz. (better too much than not enough? one way to find out!) and spun by hand. Feels a little, uhh viscous. Envision clutch engaging and compressor exploding like an oily grenade. Proceed with installation.
Found it easier to reinstall compressor with both lines attached at compressor (high pressure line unbolted just rear of battery box) and of course rags stuffed in openings to keep out dirt and debris. Simple 3 mounting bolts, low pressure hose at condenser one nut, high pressure hose to high pressure hose one nut (a little PAG46 oil on each o-ring).
Hooked up vacuum pump and let her rip, realized my gauges don't measure vacuum, only pressure. Godfuckingdammit. Ran vacuum pump for an hour, can't measure so hope there's no leaks (I'm sure she'll tell me, like when it's 99° and humidity peaks, with not-so-cold air out of the vents. Again.).
Filled with 2 cans (24oz.) R134a per sticker, compressor luckily does not explode when clutch engages and she takes it like a champ. Frosty nips inside the cab once again, success!