Good time to buy A/C tools - Page 2

disston · 12-07-2012, 04:27 PM

I have converted several R12 systems to R134a. I don't know where you get '96 as the year for R134a in American cars. This is a 1995 Ford Crown Victoria and I guarantee that it came from the factory with R134a.

I still have some of the compressor oil around here I keep the can so I know which one to get. It has the correct oil in it.

Changing all the seals sounds like a good idea. I think I even have a kit but I may have use a couple of them. I have this sealer stuff that is used on the O-rings. I didn't like it because it was sooo thick. Might use that too.

Wasser · 12-07-2012, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by disston

I have this sealer stuff that is used on the O-rings. I didn't like it because it was sooo thick. Might use that too.

NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER!!!!! use sealer in an AC system!!!!!!!!!

A temporary hack-snake oil crap fix that, will cost you a fortune when you have to repair a system the right way.

If you gum up a reclaimer at a service provider, they might just hand you the bill for damage to their equipment.

In the early 90's, Ford switched to better O-rings because they had so many problems with leaks at the connections.

disston · 12-07-2012, 05:09 PM

OK. But it was bought at an A/C supply store and is for A/C o-rings. But I won't use it, I swear.

Stan_R80/7 · 12-07-2012, 06:56 PM

If the car is setup for R134a, the fittings are unique. It must be '94 (or '93) that R134a was mandated for use in US cars. My bad.

The point behind the oil is that it is dissolved in the R134a (and not all oils will dissolve). Chemically, the oil is 100% miscible in R134a. That means where the liquid R134a flows, so does oil. Even R134a gas has oil vapor. Hence, if there is a R134a leak spot then oil will leak there also. Good luck!

Anorak · 12-07-2012, 10:41 PM

Alldata says 3.8 hours to change the evaporator core. Sure beats the 23.8 hours for a Mercedes W140 evap. core.

troidus · 12-08-2012, 12:06 AM

I converted an '85 T-15 Jimmy to R134a. I replaced the entire gas loop, including the hard lines, with new parts. I got three years out of it before the compressor locked up. The problem with some conversions is that the compressor oil doesn't like to run uphill and pools in the low spots in the system. Ideally, that low spot is the compressor, but my Jimmy had the compressor in the high spot. I'm sure the compressor just ran out of oil and seized.

disston · 12-08-2012, 08:17 AM

I don't think I could R&R the evaporator in 3.8 hrs. I did the heater core several years ago. It's right next door to the evap. It took me two days to do the heater. I looked at the evap while I was in there and it was MORE work than the heater. Not only is the dash pretty much removed but for the evap the front fender needs to come off. Maybe it was a shortcut I decided on and it's not required but I decided that it would help.

12-07-2012, 04:27 PM	#16
disston ^OP ShadeTreeExpert Joined: Mar 2011 Location: Silver Spring, Md Oddometer: 4,980	I have converted several R12 systems to R134a. I don't know where you get '96 as the year for R134a in American cars. This is a 1995 Ford Crown Victoria and I guarantee that it came from the factory with R134a. I still have some of the compressor oil around here I keep the can so I know which one to get. It has the correct oil in it. Changing all the seals sounds like a good idea. I think I even have a kit but I may have use a couple of them. I have this sealer stuff that is used on the O-rings. I didn't like it because it was sooo thick. Might use that too. __________________ Never memorize something you can look up. ---Albert Einstein

12-07-2012, 05:09 PM	#18
disston ^OP ShadeTreeExpert Joined: Mar 2011 Location: Silver Spring, Md Oddometer: 4,980	OK. But it was bought at an A/C supply store and is for A/C o-rings. But I won't use it, I swear. __________________ Never memorize something you can look up. ---Albert Einstein

12-07-2012, 10:41 PM	#20
Anorak Woolf Barnato Joined: Jul 2004 Location: OAK Oddometer: 29,119	Alldata says 3.8 hours to change the evaporator core. Sure beats the 23.8 hours for a Mercedes W140 evap. core. __________________ 'Gonna get me a six pack...push people off the highway!' "they live off the carrion of our mutual distrust and bribe us with symbols that equate hatred with manhood." "I mean at the end of the day, I was addicted to Starting Fluid for Christ's sake!" "Yeah, that guy sure is terrible at touching moms"

12-08-2012, 08:17 AM	#22
disston ^OP ShadeTreeExpert Joined: Mar 2011 Location: Silver Spring, Md Oddometer: 4,980	I don't think I could R&R the evaporator in 3.8 hrs. I did the heater core several years ago. It's right next door to the evap. It took me two days to do the heater. I looked at the evap while I was in there and it was MORE work than the heater. Not only is the dash pretty much removed but for the evap the front fender needs to come off. Maybe it was a shortcut I decided on and it's not required but I decided that it would help. __________________ Never memorize something you can look up. ---Albert Einstein

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: .
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

12-07-2012, 06:56 PM	#19
Stan_R80/7 Beastly Gnarly Joined: May 2012 Location: VA Oddometer: 279	If the car is setup for R134a, the fittings are unique. It must be '94 (or '93) that R134a was mandated for use in US cars. My bad. The point behind the oil is that it is dissolved in the R134a (and not all oils will dissolve). Chemically, the oil is 100% miscible in R134a. That means where the liquid R134a flows, so does oil. Even R134a gas has oil vapor. Hence, if there is a R134a leak spot then oil will leak there also. Good luck!

12-08-2012, 12:06 AM	#21
troidus Beastly Adventurer Joined: Sep 2010 Oddometer: 6,877	I converted an '85 T-15 Jimmy to R134a. I replaced the entire gas loop, including the hard lines, with new parts. I got three years out of it before the compressor locked up. The problem with some conversions is that the compressor oil doesn't like to run uphill and pools in the low spots in the system. Ideally, that low spot is the compressor, but my Jimmy had the compressor in the high spot. I'm sure the compressor just ran out of oil and seized.