44 replies to this topic

[evilGearhead]

well, i just paid about a hundred bucks to have my r12 system filled up in the 85, just to have it all leak out in two days because of one .49 cent o-ring!

i put r12 back in it because someone told me that switching to 134 will nuke the compressor.

will 134 work in these cars if converted properly?

[bridgework1812]

to totaly not answer your question, R12 is soooo much better and colder, i love mine.....



and i've never heard of converting a compressor and having it get "nukked"

[Erik]

ok here it goes u do not have to change the compesser but u do need to change the evap. and sum fitting...u will need to completely drain he system and flush it and then u can change to 134 but r-12 is far better then 134 r-12 is much colder and thicker then 134 so stay with the r-12 yes i know it much more expensive and u can buy 134 or the counter because they say it is safe to the air but freon is freon no matter how u look at it

[Condor]

my friend used to do conversions on different cars on a regular basis.
he said in general, it would be hit or miss on a conversion just changing
the freon types. mostly it would work, but there would be times
the whole thing would be ruined. he always explained this to people
up front, you are taking a big chance. the dryer should definately be
changed though. As for the compressor, 'they' say the oils are not
compatable and it ruins it. I do not know if this is a myth or not,
to create more business.

I've converted mine to 134. It is not as cold as the 12.
However, it is cold enough to get the car cold inside, not cool.
It does blow cold air - just not air with ice crystals like before.

My compressor died so I replaced the compressor and the dryer.

A handy thing if you don't know - run your AC in the winter once
per week, it keeps everything lubricated. My original lasted
15 years no problem and I'm sure the only reason it broke last year
was the car was offline for a year.

I considered getting my epa 609 (I foget the number) certificate
online and getting the 12 on ebay. but if there is a leak you end up
in a cycle of tracking the little cans down and they are expensive.

As a side note - the color of your car makes a big difference.
when it was new, and black, the brand new 12 AC had trouble
keeping the car cold even if what was blowing out was really, really
cold. White and now silver, with the 134 blowing not as cold air,
keeps it very, very cold inside.
I observed the same phenomena changine my old mustang from
black to white.

[d15a3power]

Run your AC in the winter with warm air and "recirc" to dehumidify the air...

[87CRXHF]

I did mine last weekend ('87 HF) - replaced the drier, a few O-rings (the ones I could get to with the front bumper off (needed to swap drier), pulled the vacuum on it for ~30 mins, and refilled with 2 oz oil, and R-134a.

Drivin down the road, on a 90 degree day (yeah, it's already hit there here in Austin), the AC blows at 50 degrees. It's not arctic, but it's good enough to keep me comfortable (in a dark blue car).

If there's any other secrets to gettin it colder, i'll be happy to hear them.....cuz I'm sure it's gonna get muuuuuch hotter here before it gets cold again....

[shadowboy]

yeah, drive in cooler weather. the a/c system is only as good as its ability to dissipate heat from the condenser. hotter outside temps = less efficient a/c cooling.

[87CRXHF]

yeah, drive in cooler weather. the a/c system is only as good as its ability to dissipate heat from the condenser. hotter outside temps = less efficient a/c cooling.

lol...tell me where to find 'cooler weather' in Austin Texas, and I'll be allll over it.....

[EPcivic]

The main reason 134a damages compressors is that the oils aren't compatible. R12 oils flow properly when the system has R12 in it. If you switch to 134a and don't change the oil, the old oil won't flow properly in the 134a, and the compressor will lock up. Another typical problem is simply adding the correct 134a oil along with the existing R12 oil. Having excess oil in the system reduces performance. You can pull a vacuum all day long, but the only way to get the old oil out is to remove the compressor and drain it. You'd be amazed how much oil is in one. I've converted several cars to 134a, and have never been that impressed with it, particularly on a Honda. It will work, but it doesn't get nearly as cold as with R12. Some of the R12 direct replacements like Freeze12 are good alternatives.

-Chris

[Davidov]

put r12 back in it because someone told me that switching to 134 will nuke the compressor.

You have to change the compressor oil from Mineral Oil (R12) to PAG oil(R-134a).

If you have a source for R12, and it doesnt cost a ton of money....keep R12.
The only reason R12 was phased out of the industry is the chlorine in it that is said to harm the ozone. I say f-ck the ozone our childrens children wont even see "global warming"

Anyways....don't convert unless it's the only way to keep your A/C system.

[kenny86si]

you can get r12 in Mexico for $6.00 a can. The 134 is actually more expensive there. My A/c blows out 35-38 degrees on a warm day. But I dont expect that when Phoenix hits 115-120. My car is black and my interior is black so i guess I'm screwed all the way around. Its funny... i'm so used to hot weather, that I don't even run my a/c when it is hot. I like to save the money on gas. My a/c system has R12 in it and on a hot day, it cools down the inside but it wont freeze you out.
Kenny

[Disco Stu]

Here's a quickie question: When I do my engine swap (b series), if my compressor won't fit (which I doubt it will) can I use the B series' R134 compressor for an R12 system no problem? Or will I have to upgrade to 134?

[Condor]

Your best bet would be to change to 134 I think.
Since you are already most likely getting a fresh compressor,
it does not make sense (to me) to have to keep tracking down
cans of 12 when the 134 does a decent job. In fact, before
<whatever> went out on my car friday, I was able to be
freezed out with the 134. You will need to change your dryer.

Maybe you have easy access to the 12. In that case its your call
either way. Also think furhter down the road - you probably
intend to keep the car a while. 12 is not getting easier or
cheaper to get in the future. If in some event you would need
professional services a lot of shops now wont work on the 12.
If you sold the car to somebody less handy than you this
could be a concern about them buying it.

For example, the one shop I could find in the area wanted
like $1300 to change my compressor and $80/lb for 12.
They felt they had a monopoly and could charge what they wanted.
So I got the parts for like $300 to convert and now I can get
the cans for $5.

[87CRXHF]

5 bux a can?!? You're gettin ripped off!!

Go to your local wally world - they're $3.something there.....and you can get the oils and hoses and other miscellaneous stuff to do the conversion.....

[Condor]

we dont have a wally world

and its not like I am actually *buying* any lol

I was just making the comparision $5/can vs. 20-40/can on
ebay for r12 vs. 80/lb at the rip off shop place.

i'll definately keep my eyes open though for less than $5/can
for sure.