Air Condition Recharge
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Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 49
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Air Condition Recharge
Anyone know anyone who uses freon or old style refrigerant to charge auto air conditioners in the Pittsburgh area? I need to get my 72 El Camino a/c charged and am at a loss. Thanks.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 5,894
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From: Farmingdale NY
St. Jude Donor '06
If you can't find anyone with R12, I remember seeing a product called Freeze 12 a while back in an auto parts store. If I remember correctly it is supposed to be a suitable replacement for R12.
I'd check for leaks before you put too much in to the system though.
I'd check for leaks before you put too much in to the system though.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Probably talking that police officer out of giving you a summons! ========== The Beautiful Lower Hudson Valley, NY
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Even though the phase out of R134a has already begun, converting your R12 system to R134a will probably be less expensive than continuing to use R12. The cost of R12 is getting prohibitively high and going higher, as the availability continues to decrease, especially to smaller HVAC repair shops.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 754
Likes: 37
From: Connelly Springs NC
Be careful on converting. There are lots of issues. Old oil is not conpatable with the new freon, the old hoses sometimes allow the new freon to leak through, old orings are not compatable. I would stick with r12 unless you clean and rebuild your system. You can still but r12 and it may not cost mush more if you shop around. Look around on craigs list and ebay. I picked up a couple 30 lb cans that I will keep to service any older cars I get.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Probably talking that police officer out of giving you a summons! ========== The Beautiful Lower Hudson Valley, NY
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Be careful on converting. There are lots of issues. Old oil is not conpatable with the new freon, the old hoses sometimes allow the new freon to leak through, old orings are not compatable. I would stick with r12 unless you clean and rebuild your system. You can still but r12 and it may not cost mush more if you shop around. Look around on craigs list and ebay. I picked up a couple 30 lb cans that I will keep to service any older cars I get.
R-134a is already banned in Europe so it will soon wind up like R-12. GM will start using the latest refrigerant (R-134a's replacement) in the 2013 model year.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2005
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And please don't use these "suitable replacements" they aren't suitable..they are blends which contain r134...r134 has much smaller molecules than r12..thus the need for new seals and hoses..it will leak through..and the oil compatibility issue. i still use r12 and get it at auto shows and ebay..but to get it on the web from a legitimate shop you will need a CFC license to show them...a full conversion to r134 is the long term way to go but it can be expensive.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 754
Likes: 37
From: Connelly Springs NC
You can get a license from MACS on line for a small fee and an on-line test. This will allow you to buy and sell freon.
http://www.macsw.org/AM/Template.cfm...ContentID=5361
I got my license and purchased a couple 30lb cans for my own use. If you watch you can find a 30lb can under $200. That is about the same cost as a replacement. The small 12oz cans seem to go for a lot more per lb.
I'll stay with r12
http://www.macsw.org/AM/Template.cfm...ContentID=5361
I got my license and purchased a couple 30lb cans for my own use. If you watch you can find a 30lb can under $200. That is about the same cost as a replacement. The small 12oz cans seem to go for a lot more per lb.
I'll stay with r12
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Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Probably talking that police officer out of giving you a summons! ========== The Beautiful Lower Hudson Valley, NY
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
And please don't use these "suitable replacements" they aren't suitable..they are blends which contain r134...r134 has much smaller molecules than r12..thus the need for new seals and hoses..it will leak through..and the oil compatibility issue. i still use r12 and get it at auto shows and ebay..but to get it on the web from a legitimate shop you will need a CFC license to show them...a full conversion to r134 is the long term way to go but it can be expensive.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 9,420
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From: Southern New Jersey, The wet part at the bottom
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10
I've had multiple successes with doing this very same thing both on my own and other folks cars. The first gen 134 wasn't compatible with 12 systems. I believe it's the 134"a" that became chemically compatible with the R-12 systems. Linky---->http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_...d_for_in_R134a
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,193
Likes: 16
Here's some good reading...as with ALL things, opinions and experiences vary...
http://www.allpar.com/eek/ac.html
http://www.allpar.com/eek/ac.html
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 12,953
Likes: 0
From: Probably talking that police officer out of giving you a summons! ========== The Beautiful Lower Hudson Valley, NY
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Here's some good reading...as with ALL things, opinions and experiences vary...
http://www.allpar.com/eek/ac.html
http://www.allpar.com/eek/ac.html
Blame it all on the environmental loons and the EPA. Believe what you will.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,193
Likes: 16
Its definately some older info but I think in some countries they have tried co2 and I've seen what can happen with some of the other highly flamable refrigerants when used in cars..they make nice torches...I'm an HVAC engineer, work around thousands of pounds of the stuff..used to run machines with 14000 lbs of 134 in them...now they want to start using the 400 series of refrigerant which has much higher pressures...I can see some probs with this as working with manifold gauges with up to 400 lbs in them..could be a little tricky..
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 12,953
Likes: 0
From: Probably talking that police officer out of giving you a summons! ========== The Beautiful Lower Hudson Valley, NY
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Its definately some older info but I think in some countries they have tried co2 and I've seen what can happen with some of the other highly flamable refrigerants when used in cars..they make nice torches...I'm an HVAC engineer, work around thousands of pounds of the stuff..used to run machines with 14000 lbs of 134 in them...now they want to start using the 400 series of refrigerant which has much higher pressures...I can see some probs with this as working with manifold gauges with up to 400 lbs in them..could be a little tricky..
