to answer your question Bryan you can't do that yourself unless you hold a special license to evacuate the contents of the air conditioning system as it holds a gaseous liquid that MUST be removed by a licensed mechanic. even if the system doesn't have any thing in it you still MUST have the mechanic do the work. And even if you were licensed to do the work if you don't know how to do it you have to take the car to a mechanic anyway.
Mickey-G, August 2008
