C3 General General C3 Corvette Discussion not covered in Tech
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

1978 - no A/C

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old May 28, 2011 | 11:33 AM
  #1  
gregmuzila's Avatar
gregmuzila
Thread Starter
Racer
 
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 431
Likes: 0
From: Willoughby Hills OH
Default 1978 - no A/C

not a huge deal, but no A/C in the 78 vette with L-82.

So I can try to re-charge it or replace it? Those are my only options?

Seems to be either $20 or $1000 right?
Reply
Old May 28, 2011 | 11:42 AM
  #2  
qwank's Avatar
qwank
Le Mans Master
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,943
Likes: 61
From: Southern NH
Default

recharge it and add dye. run it for a while and then check for leaks. you might just need a hose or a condenser.

you might get lucky and it could last you all season. the Lumina I use as a daily driver has a small leak in the compressor housing. I charge it every year with the $10 bottles of freon from walmart, and it last the whole summer. its a lot cheaper then buying a $400 compressor.
Reply
Old May 28, 2011 | 02:45 PM
  #3  
srs244's Avatar
srs244
Safety Car
Supporting Lifetime
Veteran: Army
St. Jude 15 Year Donor
Active Streak: 120 Days
Loved
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,062
Likes: 103
From: Southeast, Tennessee
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '26
Default

assuming the compressor is good, to replace the dryer (which should be done if the system is dead for a while) and the hoses will be a lot less than the 1000 you mentioned. if the compressor is bad and needs replacement, you should probably go over the whole system as i'm sure more will need to be replaces (and you are at the 1000 or a bit more.)

there really aren't lots of choices. recharge and dye the system and and see what you've got. then you can make a qualified decision.
Reply
Old May 29, 2011 | 11:33 AM
  #4  
Easy Mike's Avatar
Easy Mike
Team Owner
Supporting Lifetime
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Default

Any automotive AC shop can test and recharge your system. R12 is still available or you can consider swappng to R-134a.

Reply
Old May 29, 2011 | 12:30 PM
  #5  
69VetteFla's Avatar
69VetteFla
Drifting
 
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,536
Likes: 1
From: Boca Raton FL
Default

Thanks guys. The leaf blowers appear to be less expensive than the Metro Master Blaster. Is there any truth to the fact that they say it has a "filter" and is important. Are your blowers electric or gas? Was hoping that I could pick up an electric leaf blower but want to make sure that it has enough power to do the job. Was looking at an electric Black & Decker Leafhog (LH5000) - says it blows at 240MPH and 385 CFM of air volume.
Reply
Old May 29, 2011 | 12:31 PM
  #6  
69VetteFla's Avatar
69VetteFla
Drifting
 
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,536
Likes: 1
From: Boca Raton FL
Default

Sorry guys - posted to wrong page
Reply
Old May 29, 2011 | 01:42 PM
  #7  
THefley's Avatar
THefley
Instructor
 
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 197
Likes: 1
From: Broken Arrow Oklahoma
Default

Originally Posted by Easy Mike
Any automotive AC shop can test and recharge your system. R12 is still available or you can consider swappng to R-134a.

question, I just bought an 81 how can you tell if the AC system has been converted over to the 134a? or still taking the R12?
Reply
Old May 29, 2011 | 03:08 PM
  #8  
nutsy's Avatar
nutsy
Melting Slicks
 
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 123
From: CA.
Default

on my 72 it still has the original caps where you put the freon in. i think the converted ones have plastic caps.
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To 1978 - no A/C

Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

 Brett Foote
story-2

10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

 Michael S. Palmer
story-3

8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

 Joe Kucinski
story-6

Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-7

Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

 Verdad Gallardo




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:12 AM.

story-0
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Corvettes that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 10:34:17


VIEW MORE
story-1
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

A lot of money has changed hands at the online auction house over the years.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-03 10:21:50


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: 10 great gifts Corvette enthusiasts actually want for Father's Day!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:40


VIEW MORE
story-3
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

Slideshow: These are the quirks, annoyances, and oddly lovable problems that every Corvette owner eventually learns to live with.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-28 09:31:39


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

Slideshow: 10 reasons why the C6 Z06 is still a performance benchmark after 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 17:20:09


VIEW MORE
story-5
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

Slideshow: How much horsepower every Corvette engine lost in 1972.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:54:53


VIEW MORE
story-6
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

Slideshow: The 10 most explosive Corvettes ever built based on power-to-weight ratio.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-20 07:23:03


VIEW MORE
story-8
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-9
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE