Date: Fri, 24 Apr 1998
From: Flemingml <Flemingml@aol.com>
Was curious whether you ever completed your conversion to R-134a. I saw that J.C. Whitney has a conversion kit for about $30.00 and wondered if it would actually get the job done. It comes flush, adapters, and oil, but only comes with a 3-ounce can of R-134. Doesn't seem like very much. Will I need more to charge the system? I've had cars with air conditioning before, but being in Seattle, I have sold some of them without ever even turning it on, so I don't know much about servicing. Wing windows have always done the job.
Mark
73 1800ES
Date: Fri, 24 Apr 1998
Mark -
Nope, still haven't converted to R-134a. I have two cans of R-12 left and a '61 Austin-Healey Sprite that needs a great deal of work, so I may wait until next year to do the conversion.
I just received the new J.C. Whitney catalog with the description of the conversion kit, and the 3 ounces of R-134a they refer to is used as a propellant to force the oil out of the oil charge can. You would definitely need to purchase a couple more cans of R-134a to finish the job.
I don't understand why they include this pressurized oil charge in the kit. To remove the old oil from the system, you have to remove the compressor, pull the drain plug, and dump out the oil. As long as you have the compressor open, you might as well pour in the new oil from a non-pressurized container.
-Glenn.
Date: Wed, 20 May 1998
From: Flemingml <Flemingml@aol.com>
I just bought the R-134a kit from J.C. Whitney, along with 3 cans (8-oz.). I couldn't tell from the auto air conditioning hyperlink on your site whether the prior oil had to be evacuated first. It seems that the site creates more heat than light. I returned to the site (after doing my conversion) and found several more threads that said that the compressor must be dismantled and the old oil removed, o-rings replaced, accumulater (whatever that is) replaced or refurbished, etc.
I thought I could properly identify the high and low pressure sides of the system and, with that as the extent of my a/c knowledge, here's what I did. I took off the cap covering the low-pressure fill. It had a Schrader valve in it. I pushed the pin and some pressure came out. I was surprised that there was any pressure at all. I realized this was old R-12 and couldn't be directly vented, but the pressure was gone in an instant. I could tell from the vehicle records that the a/c probably hadn't been used in at least 12 years ( when the car left California for Oregon and was put in storage). So, the EPA may come get me. They should take a soil sample from my gravel driveway while they're there. I think they'll find petroleum-based contamination.
Anyway, I took off the high pressure cap and removed the Schrader valve. Figured out how to hook up the can to the low pressure side and pushed through some R-134a. Then re-installed the high-pressure valve while the can was still discharging into low-pressure. Then put in the can of oil. Well, most of it. I thought it was done and removed it only to have the last ounce spray all over the radiator. One more can of R-134a, and I took the fan belt from the trunk and connected the system.
Air temperature (using the thermometer from my aquarium) was 32 degrees. Of couse, this was on a 60-degree evening. I later read on the auto a/c website that doing what I did will provide 24 hours of a/c. Then the two oils, which some argue are incompatible, will somehow stop the conversion from working. I took the car out yesterday evening and it still works. Have no idea how long my "success" will last. Sure was easy. That's generally a clue that it won't last long.
Mark
73 1800ES
Date: Thu, 21 May 1998
Mark -
Sounds like you broke all the rules and still made it work. It may not last long, so enjoy the cool air while you have it. There are two kinds of oil you can use with R-134a, and the ester oil that you got from J.C. Whitney will work fine mixed with a small amount of the mineral oil used with R-12. The other kind, PAG oil, will get contaminated with mineral oil and won't lubricate the system properly. It also requires special seals, because it'll make the old seals wear out quickly.
I'm glad to hear of your success, because I'll be doing the conversion before next summer. I just used my last two cans of Freon Monday, and don't expect it to last later than September.
-Glenn.