A week's pay says the system is low on Freon. Take it and a/c shop and they'll fix you up. Hopefully there are no leaks.... but I wouldn't hold my breath!

Cheers
DD

 

Thanks guys.

Was not done. I'm guessing the required stubby phillips was not available, or too much trouble.

Thinking Doug's paycheck is safe.

Any way to tell if this is still an R-12 system? Would like to try the recharge myself.

 

Look at the charge ports in the a/c pipes. If they have little adapter fittings screwed onto them, it's been converted to R134....as R134 equipment uses different sized fittings.

Cheers
DD

 

After asking, of course, I continued to research and not only found this to be true, but then remembered I had done this conversion myself on my S-10 years back. I blame the "golden years" for my bad memory and for making me lazy.

Real question,... What gas do you all run in your AC? After hours of reading yesterday, I'm still confused as to what mods are necessary and what is myth for 134 conversion.

I went to my local AC guy and so happens he owns an 85 XJ6. According to him, compressor, hoses, valves, dryer, etc., all has to be replaced. He suggested evacuate, load the system with leak detection gas (cheap), repair as needed and reload with R12 myself.

Love some input here guys.
Thanks, Jim

 

well not me, I refuse to spend on a R134a conversion, so I recharged with an alternative refrigerant, Freeze12, no modifications needed. I still have 3 cans of Freeze 12 and 1 can of R12 for the next time it needs charging. You want REAL A/C ?? don't bother with R134a. It's flawed, it's a fraud. Do you know the US Government still uses R12 in their fleets? So does the Florida State government, they have it in tanks. Hipocrites!

 

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger

My memory problems are further complicated by working on so many different cars. Sometimes things are not forgotten but are incorrectly cataloged in my brain.



I use an AC shop that still has a supply of R12. Or at least they did a couple years ago. Hopefully they still do....as I'll be taking my own car to them soon



Opinions vary greatly, even among professionals.....based on personal experience more than anything else. Some that I know use the original compressor and hoses but change the drier, expansion valve, O-rings, and oil. They've had good results and thus that's what they typically go with. If a shop has tried this a couple times and it didn't work so well... they'll be recommending that 'everything must be changed'. Shops typically recommend a course of action that they feel gives them good protection against "comebacks" and angry customers. Often this leads to over-repairing.....not in the sense of being dishonest but, rather, to better ensure complete success.

It so happens that I know a lots of mechanics, and they know me, and they're willing to take on a "OK, let's give it try" attitude on certain repairs because they know I wont be pounding my fist and demanding a refund if the plan doesn't work out.

(I'm not suggesting that you would be a fist pounder, mind you!)

I'd get a couple different opinions. And if you're willing to take a "Let's try Plan A and go to Plan B if we need to" approach you might find an AC shop willing to work with you

Cheers
DD

 

You guys are the best. Thank you!

Jim

 

Where do you buy the Freeze 12?

 

https://www.ebay.com/p/?iid=11237276...pp=true&chn=ps

Cools even better than R12, causes NO environmental damage!
DIY friendly; I've done it myself.
(';')

 

Freeze12 was discontinued, remaining stock is/was being sold by Amazon, eBay, etc.

Use the one reccomended by Elinor, they're all the same crap, but better crap than R134a, and we're all gonna die! haha!

Assuming the one Elinor used is compatible with R12, and you don't need to rebuild the system at thousands of dollars to end up with a system that doesn't get cold enough especially in traffic, in Arizona.

Also if you need a new Harrison A6 compressor, buy the one being sold by RetroAir in Texas, it is an improved compressor using the same chassis as the Harrison. Details in the link below:

GM/Harrison A6 Replacement Compressor | RetroAir, Inc.

 

When I first came to this part of the world I was driving an Ancient Chrysler, AC cooled with R-12. As it was no longer available in California, and as I needed a top up, and wanted to do things 'properly,' I had it professionally converted to 134, for the aforementioned Train Load of money.

The result was a Complete Disaster! R-12 made it cold enough you didn't want to sit in front of a vent with the fan on HI, even when it was 100+F outside.

134? Cold? HA!! Cooler than ambient, but not even endurable in California summers.

Enter HC-12a:
"Patented Natural Refrigerant
Non Global Warming
Non Ozone Depleting
Contains No CFCs, HFCs or HCFCs"

From Northcutt Inc.
Wichita, Kansas 67219, USA
HC Refrigerant

Once again the AC was COLD! And it stayed that way until I sold the car in the summer of 2015.

I almost forgot.
It's compatible with all other refrigerants and equipment.
No Modifications To The System Are Necessary!
When Nix needs a top up, she's getting Propane.
(';')

 

Good Morning,.. With great excitement, I went to the HC Refrigerant website. Sadly, in large letters,
*** Please Note: HC Refrigerant Is Not Available In The United States Of America ***

Am I not doing something right?

 

go here then:

Home

you can buy R12 if you want to pay the price, $440.00 for a case of 12 cans.

 

Sorry, That's new since I got mine. I wonder who got to them.....
(';')

 

Found some on Ebay. Thanks.

 

which refrigerant did you buy?

 

MAXI FRIG REFRIGERANT had pretty good reviews.
I plan to do a cheap gas leak test, evac the system, replace the drier, and charge with this stuff. I'll report how things go.
Thanks, Jim
http://www.maxifrig.com/

 

excellent!, don't forget the oil !! The Factory Service Manual tells you exactly how many ounces to add. Do a long evac until zero atmosphere, then wait at least 6 hours connected to the pump to make sure the system is leak-free before adding anything.

I would replace all the o-rings at the compressor, dryer, and expansion valve, leaving them soaking in the refrigerant oil for at least 30 minutes before doing any evac. Hey, I went to A/C School to learn this crap, and learned very little.

 

A/C update,... Got all the stuff to install the Maxi-Frig lined up. Started hooking up my gauges and vac. Tried unscrewing the metal low pressure dust cap on the shrader and the whole valve came out of the tube. Was kind of a press fit affair and somebody figured the dust cap needed to be tightened with a wrench, I guess. Off comes the hose assembly and now it's silver brazed in place.
Reinstalled hose, vacuumed the system, replaced the drier, vacuumed the system again.
Installed 2 cans of refrigerant, per spec and she's blowing cold.
Will give feedback after testing in 100 degree, around town driving. Still trying to figure out why the center dash vents aren't working.

 

My center vent have Never opened no matter what I did or how much I fooled with switches/valves. Side vents work fine, rear works fine, but Not center dash. So I made something to force it to stay open:



Notice the front is tapered just enough for ease if putting it in and taking it out. Put it in by sitting it on the front edge first (while holding the door open) and set the back side flush with the fins.


This straddles 2 fins and Can't fall through to cause trouble later.
I leave that vent open year round, even in cold weather.
(';')