Air Conditioning
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 20
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Air Conditioning
Hello all, my vette currently has no AC n when i bought it it came with one of those R-134 AC chargers or something....i was wondering the best way to fix this problem....charge it myself or do convert it to the new AC system?
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 134
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From: Holladay Utah
134a is the replacement for r-12. Ask corvvete mike first. But 100% sure on this . If your system has a low or high pressure switch, ohm the switchs. Run the car a check for pressure on the low and high side to see if you do have 134a in your lines as well.Do you have or know someone with a manifold gauge set.?
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 91
Likes: 1
From: Raleigh NC
Make sure you have the 134 low pressure / cycle switch if it was converted. Mine was converted when I bought it and they did not change the switch so the PO had a toggle switch on the side of the driver seat to ground out one side of the R12 LP switch for AC which did not cycle as it should. I replaced it with a 134 LP switch and took the toggle switch out, it now works the way it should. 
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
I have the old system now. I wonder if it would be better in the long run to convert to the new A/C system or use this R-134a recharging bottle that came with the car
Last edited by 1986c4BrownMetallic; Jul 24, 2010 at 12:32 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 9,226
Likes: 9
From: Irvine Ca
If you have the kit....and the system does not work now.......install the kit and call it a day
It'll take you 20 minutes.......
If you decide to "go back" the other way...you'll have to have a pro do the work anyway.
Fill the system with 134a, run it for a few days.....most likely you have a leak which is why it is not working today.....
If it is an acceptable leak.....just refill it every 6 months like I do......if it leaks out in a few days....you'll have to "Address" the system differently.....(AKA $$$)
It'll take you 20 minutes.......
If you decide to "go back" the other way...you'll have to have a pro do the work anyway.
Fill the system with 134a, run it for a few days.....most likely you have a leak which is why it is not working today.....
If it is an acceptable leak.....just refill it every 6 months like I do......if it leaks out in a few days....you'll have to "Address" the system differently.....(AKA $$$)
Last edited by jhammons01; Jul 24, 2010 at 12:35 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,202
Likes: 1
From: Fairview, GA
I change every car I get with R12. I've done ten cars or so, no problems with any yet. It works best if you have a way to pull a vacuum first. The R134a works just as well, but you only use about 75/80% of the amount originally required.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 6,341
Likes: 1,148
From: Vermilion OH
what i would do is buy a new o-ring kit and install a new ring in every location that takes an o-ring. if you retrofit, the R-134 may not be compatible with your old o-rings and you can quickly develop a leak. re-o-ringing takes a few hours but it'll be well worth it.
