AC Conversion Kit

yea, i just did it (myself) about two weeks ago and it works fine! i bought the kit from pepboys (they suck BTW). its called the R-134a recharge kit and comes with two cans of oil and a few fittings, but you have to buy the R-134a separately. it's like $6 a can.

 

Better than $52.50 per pound for R-12.
What I was quoted today @work.

 

my friend just recharged his Range Rover with R-12 and payed out the ass for it. It's nice and COLD now. It oughtta be with as much as he payed.

 

Just got 20 lbs for free and did it myself.
Helps to know people in the business(who owe you)

 

There are some things to watch for when converting your car to R134a. Something about the different oils used can cause problems with your seals and stuff (in the AC system, not in the engine) and you can end up needint o replace a lot of stuff if you don't completely empty your old system and stuff.

I would do some searching first before I just did a conversion, just to be on the safe side.

On a positive note, I have noticed that the R134a systems in our DSMs get damn nice and cold, comparable to an old R12 system. The on in my old car, however, even fully charged, never got all that cold, so just be thankful you have a cool car.

 

The conversion kit works great, I have done 3 or 4 cars. I would reccomend taking it to an shop and having them leak test and put a vacumn on the system. They are selling kits for 30 bucks around here that come with the fittings, the oil, 3 cans of r134 and a charge hose.

 

Yep I did this on my 1990 tempo, easy to do, I just sucked it down -3atm and filled it up with the oil and the 134a. If I turn on the A/C with the window vents open it will fog them over in a few seconds. You definately need to leak test the system, the r-134a molecules are MUCH smaller than r-12, so a small leak to the r-12 will be a huge leak with your new freon...why do they call it freon if it's so damn expensive?

 

My boss installed it on his Blazer and he said it works great. I ask the air conditioning guy fixing my home AC and he said the old R-12 compressors are not compatible with R-134 that they would only last a few yrs, depending on use. Not sure if that is true.

 

Where is the Low pressure service port on 1g ?? the service port by the drivers side fender is the high pressure right ?

 

the low pressure port is on the compressor, sort of under the intake manifold. You have to reach down and feel for it, or just use a flashlight.

 

summer is getting close, and need to recharge mine. how do you do it (like what fittings and stuff, how to drain the oil etc...) i went to the v-faq and the link they had to how to do it is dead.

 

anyone? can anyone help me (don't make me start a new thread, j/k)

 

Dude GO BUY A KIT. It will have everything you need and probably some instructions to go with it.

 

I found that K-Mart had the cheapest $$ for the kit. I did the conversion on 3 cars so far and each one blows nice cold air for 2 years so far. The kit includes all the necessary fittings and instructions.
One point.... I don't know if 8 ounces of oil [the can in the kit] is overkill. An A/C mechanic once told me that he would use double the oil that he'd use with R12... so that would be ~ 4 ounces.?.?.--{someone correct me if I'm blowing smoke out my ass}
Also a trick is to first release the old [R12] gas out, then put in one can of R134a, run the A/C for a minute, then release that gas out too. Then fill the system like the instructions say. What that does is help get the old molecules completely out of the system.
On the same shelf [at K-Mart] there are cans [12 oz.] that are combination gas/oil/leak sealer. I don't know if it's worth using... but I liked the word 'sealer', so I bought it and used it.... and all is fine!!.. so far.

 

Sorry to bring this thread back, but I need to know how to release the old R-12. Through the low-pressure port? Thanks.

 

The legal, official way is to have it 'recovered' by a licenced, authorized A/C repair shop!!!! The other way is to just let it out of either port [while no one is around].... something that I would NEVER do myself, nope - I wouldn't, not me, never, utt-uhh.