Would like to give either a boost or complete replacement for my A/C unit on my 81 4spd. Any recommendations on what to do?

Hot as **** in KS

Scott

 

You have some options.

1) just fill'er up with refridgerant
2) Open up the system and replace the O rings, drier, blow out the old oil and replace with newer oil, have the condensor checked by a radiator shop, replace the rubber hoses with new and fill'er up with R12 or R134a.
3) do the down and dirty conversion to R134a and hope for the best..

option 2 is going to take time and a few bucks.

option 3 is like playing poker, you just dont know how it will work.

How often do you have to top her off right now ?

My A/C system works so good I had to re-connect the heater core cause the evaporator was freezing up... no kidding..

 

Spend a few bucks...take it a good A/C shop and tell them to keep using R12.

 

I will be doing the entire process to my '80 next year if I survive the Texas heat this year. I saw a post the other day about using a '95 blower motor also with a small adaptation that really improved it all. I'm also going to install the heat insulation as well, and will probably go with R134 too.
.

 

Hopefully I'll get it done this weekend. After that I'll let you know how it works.
I've converted 2 of my cars to R-134. A 1990 Bronco and a 1989 Nissan Pickup. Both of them work great and cool at 40 degrees...if not slightly lower. I also helped a friend of mine convert his 1990 Chevy Pickup to R-134 and his cools well also.

 

Pete76Shark: If you still have the VIR system:

The VIR has a suction pressure that is automatically regulated not to freeze the evap coil when using R12.

When you switch to another type of refrigerant, this pressure changes due to the nature of the particular refrigerant.

If you're still running R12 then the VIR has failed to sone extent.

Turning up the heat won't help much as the heater core is ahead of the evap coil.

When I switched to R409a, I had this problem.

What I did to correct it is to install a universal cold control--they're made for commercial refrigerators.

They cost about $12 to $35 and they're easy to install:

Mount the unit (1.5" x 2") on the evaporator housing. Drill a small hole for the probe. Then take out the fan resistor bank so you can stick the probe into the evap coils. Then re-install the resistor bank.

Now run the compressor clutch wire through it. This will cycle the compressor on and off and prevent the coil from freezing.

You'll still have butt freezing cold air, but now you'll have plenty of air flow as there won't be ice on the evap coil. It'll save on gas too as the compressor will cycle on and off instead of running continuously.

Any appliance parts dealer will have'em.



Instructions--->

 

Neat. I ordered a whirlpool version that is adjustable between 27-36 degrees.

Thanks!

 

Or you can adjust the VIR for the R134 or whatever you use. If you look in the open port you can see the adjust. I did it; I just can't remember if it was clockwise or anticlockwise. I think there is a very old string on doing this; if it still exists on the system.

Jim