Fix or kill the AC myself ??

[Simon.O.]

I have a cunning idea
My AC is low on pressure but does still have gas in it and oil, that much I do know
It is the older type with the small valves on the compressor so I assume that it runs R12 which no one round here wants to know about. All the automotive AC people are telling me blah blah blah $600-$800 to get it up to R134 spec.
B@llocks to that !!!

Now here is where I my plan comes in.
The valves are a standard schraeder (spelling ?) type.
Can I bump up the gas pressure with AIR ?
If so what would I pump it up to and which of the two valves on the compressor do I poke the air into.

Waiver for those giving advise
At present my AC is as useful as t1ts on a bull
If I cock up this process and poke my AC system I am not really bothered as it can not get worse. I’d probably just rip the whole lot out and be done with it.

I am looking for a low/no cost solution here.

[Chillitt]

I am looking for a low/no cost solution here.



gut it!

[NeillOP]

I've heard of people in the States using propane....

[fatfires]

I've heard of people in the States using propane....

From 1 firefighter to another..propane noooooo - that is not a good idea
tony

[johnnyrod]

Air won't work, and if propane does you might well just set fire to your wagon.

You can use R414B as a drop-in replacement for R12 without the full refit of R134a or changing oil type.

The only no or low cost solution is to s**** it, unless you can find soem dodgy dealer with R12 which is now illegal.

[Morr]

Air won't work, and if propane does you might well just set fire to your wagon.

You can use R414B as a drop-in replacement for R12 without the full refit of R134a or changing oil type.

The only no or low cost solution is to s**** it, unless you can find soem dodgy dealer with R12 which is now illegal.

R12 is not illegal to use, a common misconception. It has been illegal to manufacture it or vent it to atmosphere for some years now, but existing manufactured stocks can still be used. This includes R12 recovered from other aircon systems. Only last year my job bought in several lbs of it for use in an aircraft, no problem locating or using it. In the auto trade however it has virtually vanished, if you can find it you can use it.

JC Whitney in the states sell kits for converting R12 to R134, updated seals, fitting adapters, oil designed to be miscible with both R134 and any R12 residue, The R134 itself, all in one kit.

I know of many US Jag owners who used such kits to successfully convert their cars. In theory the seals must be replaced with those in the kits as the R134 can permeate R12 seals, however many found that whilst this was true for new R12 seals, those which had been in use with R12 and its carrier oil for some years could easily work with R134.

Such a kit whilst not zero cost, would in my opinion be well worth trying, assuming you just need a regas, and have no other faults.
The final performance on R134 would in this scenario not be quite as good as a proper R12 or R134 system, as the R134 normally required a larger evaporator unit IIRC, but it should still be quite acceptable.

[Morr]

I don't know how readily available these retrofit kits are, but JC Whitney will usually export stock from the states (albeit somewhat expensively), but these are examples of the kits I refereed to from JC's

Here
And Here
And 'nother one Here

[TonyN]

An Aircon guy in Reading said he can do R12 re-gassing.

01189 412482 / 07785760271



***EDIT!!!*** Oops, no good in NZ!!! hehe, but it might be usefull to someone else......

[lizardinc]

An Aircon guy in Reading said he can do R12 re-gassing.

01189 412482 / 07785760271



***EDIT!!!*** Oops, no good in NZ!!! hehe, but it might be usefull to someone else......

i have posted a few replys on this matter .. i had same problem with r12 garages telling me this and that , and then the usual turning there lips into a flut before blowing the words it'l cost a few quid??.. well '' heres my solution '' r12 isnt obsolete it can be used i know i have located the gas '' however it isnt cheap '' i found a replacement diy kit called iscoen r314 drop in replacement for r12 ( not r134a ) it comes in a kit with all the attachments for your car .. about 56 quid and your done '' mines as cold as the chest freezer at home ... just dont always take in what you hear its better to research than just do what the so called experts say

[AndyLala]

Some more details on this kit please... as some here might consider it an option.

Also those that have removed their air-con... what was involved... is it just a question of ripping it all out?

[Gamedawn]

Also those that have removed their air-con... what was involved... is it just a question of ripping it all out?

Yep. I left the compressor cos I use it for on-board air but the rest gets consigned to the shed. You just have to be careful when you crack the first union because of the pressure in the system.

[Chillitt]

mine had no pressure at all in it cos some plank left an o ring out last time it was put together (not me) so its just a bit of faffing taking pipes out and stuff... if there is any gas left in the system, you should get it flushed out professionally....
any one know if much room can be made behind the dash taking out air con bits? i'd like to do the compressed air trick but need all the space in the back, so if i could sneak a little bottle under the dash.....

[AndyLala]

so, just ease the pressure off, let that gas out... and start removing the pipes then. My A/C Pump is shot, so no hope there. I could just cap off the A/C as it enters the firewall/cabin and remove all the stuff in the engine bay... should be pretty straight forward. That shouldn't stop the heaters working should it...?

[Chillitt]

to get the pipes off i had to cut a couple.. didn't think there was much resale value in em! heaters still fine, disconected back to the bulkhead so far..
theres a pipe from the fans on the aircon rad dissapears up into a mess of pipes, you can ditch that too, its just a breather( i thought it was part of the vacuum system so i carefully sealed it, then it fell off...)