A/C R12 to 134a conversion

[JPR]

I found this page from Sanden on the A/C R12 to 134a conversion. http://www.sanden.com/support/RETRO.html

To add to their notes:
#6, remove the blue orfice tube and install a red orfice http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/jpr2004/Truck/DSC00241s.jpg

#10, the condensor should be flushed to remove oil. As a minimum, use compressed air to blow out the condensor.
Left side http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/jpr2004/Truck/DSC00243s.jpg
Right side http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/jpr2004/Truck/DSC00242s.jpg
This tool is filled with the a/c flush and is used to flush the condensor. The cost of the tool is $70, I found this one for $25 at a compressor distributor. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/jpr2004/Truck/DSC00244s.jpg

#16, screw on the 134a adapters, $6 for the pair.

 

[Guntherx]

I found this page from Sanden on the A/C R12 to 134a conversion. http://www.sanden.com/support/RETRO.html

To add to their notes:
#6, remove the blue orfice tube and install a red orfice http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/jpr2004/Truck/DSC00241s.jpg

#10, the condensor should be flushed to remove oil. As a minimum, use compressed air to blow out the condensor.
Left side http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/jpr2004/Truck/DSC00243s.jpg
Right side http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/jpr2004/Truck/DSC00242s.jpg
This tool is filled with the a/c flush and is used to flush the condensor. The cost of the tool is $70, I found this one for $25 at a compressor distributor. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/jpr2004/Truck/DSC00244s.jpg

#16, screw on the 134a adapters, $6 for the pair.

They no longer require all of the changes that you quote above. I retrofitted my 88 to 134A. All I did was add a little PAG oil and the new fiitings for the hoses and charged it. Works great.

 

[PackRat]

They no longer require all of the changes that you quote above. I retrofitted my 88 to 134A. All I did was add a little PAG oil and the new fiitings for the hoses and charged it. Works great.

You're kidding, right? This is why things go wrong.

Why do you suppose that there are R-12 and R-134 reclaimers? NEVER MIX REFRIGERANTS!!!

Mineral oil and PAG are not compatible, either.

Do you just add a quart of whatever, when your oil is low? Of course not. That would be stupid. The same applies to your A/C system.

 

[Agnem]

They no longer require all of the changes that you quote above. I retrofitted my 88 to 134A. All I did was add a little PAG oil and the new fiitings for the hoses and charged it. Works great.

Greg, glad to see you over here. As you noticed, the board is a little slow so we do get some unusual traffic from time to time.

 

[argve]

I always get flamed for this everytime I post it but this is what I did to convert The E over to 134a from R12.

Went to Mejier and picked up a "Death Kit" as those that flame me call it, it's called a conversion kit - paid like 40 bucks or so for it - don't really remember fully at this point as it has been a while...

Went home read the directions, it said pull a vacuum and hold it for a while (like 20 mins or so). I dug out my handy dandy vacuum pump hitched it up to my r12 gauge set, pulled a vacuum and held it for around 40 mins or so. Then followed what the directions said which was.

1. Grab conversion oil can and install it on the low pressure side - emptied can.

2. grabbed the r134a cans filled to like 80~90% of total. Meaning if it takes 2 lbs of r12 fill with 25 oz of R134a. This is because R134a runs higher head pressures.

3. ENJOY!

Ran like this for 3+ seasons and only had to refill at the same rate I was refilling with R12 (I had a stash of R12 in the garage but had run out - hense reason for getting R134a). No I'm a licensed R12 user so I had to get what I could legally buy. After the 2nd fill of the R134a I picked up some with leak stopper in the can to seal what ever leak I had. I could not find the leak (used my leak detector kit I bought with my gauges) well the leak stopper works... It even sealed the add on r134a conversion fitting so had to replace it. But after a couple installs of leak stopper treated Death Kits I was good to go... Enjoyed nice cool air out of the vents from then on...

When I sold The E I had pulled the system down so that I could take the compressor off to gain more room for pulling the engine but it was still working like day 1 at that time and would not have thought twice about refilling again with R134a... I even went so far as to buy a book on HVAC for autos and it said in one portion of the book that they used to recommend changing the evap, condensor, drier, compressor and all hoses when R134a was first being used in vehicles but that list had been down graded so much that they said probably by the time the book made it through printing that the list would be just change o-rings, install conversion oil and enjoy... So I skipped everything and was coool. Never a complaint.

So flame away boys... All I know is what I read and what I seen in action in 101° outside air temps while pulling a TT with the rad on the edge of boiling over...

ZIPP goes the nomex...

 

[PackRat]

I'm not here to flame anyone. I just don't want the novice wrenchbenders to get the wrong idea about this, and screw up their rigs.

If you guys mix and match, or use the suicide kits, with success, then enjoy your cold air.

I've got a semi-suicide gauge set, myself. It has all 3 hoses, but only has one gauge, switched by valves.

I think refrigerants in general are hyped a lot. Too big of a coincidence, that R-12 becomes evil, about he time DuPont comes out with R-134. Not to mention the fact that the patents were about up, too.

One other word on off-brand refrigerants. Be careful, and know if you are using blended refrigerants. If you read the can, it says NOT to add a can when low. Evac the system, and send in for reformulation. This is due to the fact that certain components can sneak out more easily than others, causing other components to be more concentrated.

Like I said, I don't want to flame on a new member, or an old one. Refigerants can be dangerous if used improperly. No reason to get someone hurt, by taking shortcuts.

 

[Conn]

Travis, you rock. Sounds just like something I'd do!

 

[argve]

Conn,

Good to see you made the journey to this side of the pond.

So how'd the event go in Attica?

 

[Guntherx]

seriously

I'm not here to flame anyone. I just don't want the novice wrenchbenders to get the wrong idea about this, and screw up their rigs.

If you guys mix and match, or use the suicide kits, with success, then enjoy your cold air.

I've got a semi-suicide gauge set, myself. It has all 3 hoses, but only has one gauge, switched by valves.

I think refrigerants in general are hyped a lot. Too big of a coincidence, that R-12 becomes evil, about he time DuPont comes out with R-134. Not to mention the fact that the patents were about up, too.

One other word on off-brand refrigerants. Be careful, and know if you are using blended refrigerants. If you read the can, it says NOT to add a can when low. Evac the system, and send in for reformulation. This is due to the fact that certain components can sneak out more easily than others, causing other components to be more concentrated.

Like I said, I don't want to flame on a new member, or an old one. Refigerants can be dangerous if used improperly. No reason to get someone hurt, by taking shortcuts.

No, really I am not messing with you. I am certified in both mobill and stationary refrigeration. I have been doing conversions on stationary when Dupont first cam eout with the SUVA line. They required that all of the afore mentioned steps be done. Guess what? The systems still blew up.

When I decided to do the 134A to mine I talked with our local supplier and the reccomendations from the retofit parts company. They also have a shop and it is what they have done to all of them with NO call backs.

So I decided to try it, and I have had ZERO problems, no leaks, cold A/C.

Take it for what it is worth. I have done reefers on semi's, HVA/C, auto A/C, and I don't like to fix it twice.

 

[Guntherx]

Yep, good to be hear!

Greg, glad to see you over here. As you noticed, the board is a little slow so we do get some unusual traffic from time to time.

Thanks, its good to be hear!

 

[JPR]

They no longer require all of the changes that you quote above. I retrofitted my 88 to 134A. All I did was add a little PAG oil and the new fiitings for the hoses and charged it. Works great.

What about the orfice tube? The local supplier swore that is why most conversions do not cool as well as they should.

 

[HammerDown]

The local supplier swore that is why most conversions do not cool as well as they should.

What I've herd also...not as cold as the R-12.
Luckily my brother has some 20 lbs of the old stuff...my junks like a meat locker

 

[JPR]

What I've herd also...not as cold as the R-12.
Luckily my brother has some 20 lbs of the old stuff...my junks like a meat locker

Have you seen the outrageous prices on 134? Thankfully, last year I bought a 30# can from the local big truck dealer for $60.

 

[Mojave Red]

I too am guilty of buying a "death kit" and just dumping it in. My AC wasn't working at the time and I wasn't even sure it would, so I figured what the heck... I didn't even evac. mine since there was zero pressure in it to begin with. I'm on my third summer and everything seems to be working fine.
I understand this wasn't the smartest move to make, but I was already prepared to replace the whole system - and still will when this one goes T.U.

Brian

 

[Guntherx]

Nope

What about the orfice tube? The local supplier swore that is why most conversions do not cool as well as they should.

I didn't change a thing, and it cools fine. I wouldn't be surprised if we are told those things to buy more parts.