My ac wasn't working because it was low on r-12. Low refrigerant pressure won't let the compressor engage. It was about 8 oz low. Well, it engages now, just to let me know that the compressor is seized up. Whatever, it's a 20 year old car, and the compressor clutch has been giving signs that it won't be living much longer.

So I'll be getting another compressor and going through the whole shebang of flushing and evacuating the system. My thinking is that I might as well convert it over to r-134a since I will already have it apart, and r-134a is readily available.

I'm not sure where to source out the parts. Not the compressor, but the retrofit stuff. That's where I need help. I know at least one of you has done this, so help this ignorant fool out.

thanks.

 

Alright.

I googled this and got the general idea of what I need. Correct me if this sounds ignorant.

Hi and low side service port adapters, or a decent retrofit kit with the adapters and oil. I already have a gauge manifold and access to a decent vacuum pump. I'm going to have a local guy suck the r-12 out.

I can't find my FSM. I need to know how much oil to put in.

thanks

 

thats pretty much it, to me it just seems to be the high and low fill nipples and have some one suck the air out of it when you get those on otherwise you'll hardly get any in there. also its reccomended to get a new dryer they should be cheap any way

and i also belive you fill it 80% full with r134a instead of all the way because its a heavier refrigerant. i'll try to find my FSM (i think its in the trunk) to see, it also might be on the sticker on the bottom of the hood.

that sucks if it gets low it wont engage, my 280 will engage weither its full or empty, well mine hasnt been empty but another one i drove was and it would engage. mines 30 years old and its just now a little bit low.
some times it sucks to have a car thats too smart.

 

since r-12 is a more efficient refrigerant, why would you want to change it?

 

Because it's ungodly expensive and not easy enough to get. I have 3 cans of r-12 in my garage, which is the amount I need to recharge it after I change the compressor. I can sell those 3 cans and have enough to retrofit it, new refrigerant, 1 can of ester oil, new o-rings and a six pack.

R-134a is $6 a can at the store.
r-12 is $20+ a can, not at the store.

 

if its those little blue refrigerant cans with handles on the tops of r-12 there isnt very much in them.

 

Usually they are 12 oz cans. Then there are 30lb cylinders.

The stuff actually isn't as expensive as it was a few years ago. There is still plenty of it out there and the demand has been going down yearly. They can't manufacture it anymore, but it can be sold. Most of it that gets recovered ends up getting recycled.

 

they cant manufacture it here but it gets made, trust me

 

Very true. They just snagged a large amount in Jersey that supposedly came from russia.

 

Sounds about right.