2_point8_boy

Seeing as that it is warming up here in Souther California, I am planning to get my A/C operational again. Anyone know of a complete retrofit kit for our V6 cars? I would like to do the install my self, and I know someone that can evacuate it and fill it for me. I was originally planning to just fix the R-12 system, but damn, R-12 is expensive.

89V6FBIRD

Is the compressor OK? If so, evacuate the lines, replace the orifice tube and O-rings and pull a vacuum on the system. Then refill with R-134.

KED85

Send me an email, please, as I got ya covered
In Santa Monica, but got ya covered.

2_point8_boy

The thing is that I don't know for sure if the compressor is ok. It can be turned by hand, but it has never worked as long as I have had the car. One of the hoses has a big giant hole in it, so I know that will need to be replaced.

So is the compressor all the same for the 2 different systems? all that needs to be replaced is the orifice tube and o-rings. I want to do this right as I will be keeping the vehicle for a long time and I don't want to have to replace something else down the road because I took a short cut now.

Thanks for the info.

KED85

Time to hit the local yard for those new hoses!!!!
Find latest model year car with same hose set up & ya scored.
And I responded to your email to assist.
Biggest tip now is determine HOW did that hole get there.
Cause the ac stuff ain't exactly cheap but necessary tool in effective summer driving!

2_point8_boy

The hole got there because the previous owner had a possum family living on to of the EVAP canister. All those lines were eaten through and I can't imagine the suprise when the little thing made it all the way through that A/C hose. lol.

Anyway, yeah, the main reason that I want to change to 134 is because R12 is getting hard to find and will be getting harder in the future since it's illegal to produce anymore. So I figure I can deal with the "not as cold" R134, but I definitly want to make the entire system compatible, not just part of it. Since it;s not as efficient as R12, I want to give it every chace it' got to be as cold as possible.

I know that I can get the new set of hoses for like $80 my cost, i just have to do it. But I want to get all the info I can up to that point so that I don't fnd out that I have to by a different set of the hoses that I just popped out $80 for. Ya know?

Anyway. Thanks again for all the info.

wpaskar

Anyone know of functional compressors lying around? As a birthday present, my mother decided she was gunna try to get my A/C working...took it to a Chrysler dealership...it's where she gets her car done...and not only did they charge her a ton for conversion, but they installed the conversion kit then to find my compressor and some hoses were shot...as if they couldn't check before hand....so basically I have the kit, but no A/C still.

bru333

Since you have that big hole in the hose you also need to replace the dryer. The dessicant (the stuff in the dryer that absorbs water vapor) will be saturated with moisture. Moisture is a bad thing to have in the system because it will freeze on the orifice tube, and cause rust and accelerate compressor wear.

KED85

Which is why I mentioned all the parts to replace in the email.
FYI
Once system is leak free, the R12 never escapes.
Thus it is charged "once".

bru333

Not quite...hoses are not a perfect medium. The R12 and R134a seeps through the hose walls. Takes several years, but eventually you need to top off. The R134a systems I work with (Caterpillar Backhoes) have a service life of 5-7 years depending on the climate they are operated in, and length of time the system is used per machine hour.

I bought a 60 pound container of R134a last year. The Kyoto Protocol callls for the phase out of R134a too, so the price will be going up.

KED85

Since being made operational, my 1985 Firebird set up has not leaked nor needed charging.
Became operational again back in 2002.
My Blazer set up still blows Ice Cold AC (filled with R12) since being operational, in my posession since 1989.
Again once the sytem is fully charged, you should not need recharge it. My example is what I based my answer upon.

2_point8_boy

Yeah, i knew I had to replace the receiver/dryer because of the outside air. So that was already on the list. I'm mainly wondering about the compressor. Are they interchangable or should i just go ahead and get one designed soely for R134?

Phasing out R134a too, huh? What are they going to replace that with?

i knew about the hoses not being a perfect seal and the fact that it takes a few years for it to deminish, that why I am planning to convert, because I know that in a few years I won't have a choice, so I might as well do it now while I have everything apart and havn't spent any money yet.

89V6FBIRD

You should be ok, because we used a stock OEM compressor for our T/A and filled it w/ R134. Thing cools damn well!

bru333

Don't know about automotive applications, but the engineers at work at Caterpillar tell me that Cat will be using Propane.