Re: [DMCForum] a/c question
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Re: [DMCForum] a/c question



Now that I already answered your question privately and now I see you
posted
it to the forum like a good DMCForum-ian, I'll cut & paste my novel for
anyone who cares to hear my opinion on a/c.

Hi Mike,

<personal opinion about Bill vacuum-flushing the system using the car's
intake edited out>

Flushing is something that should only be done in short runs blowing it
through with a lot of air pressure.  Sucking it won't effectively pull out
the debris and old oil it has dissolved.  Also it is not at all realistic
to
expect any flushing solvent to make it past the orifice tube screen.  If
the
system had problems, that screen may have been nearly clogged anyway.  It
should be a no-brainer that anytime the system is open that the orifice
tube
should be inspected for particulates and then replaced with a new one
anyway.

Accumulators contain a tea-bag/coffee filter looking pouch of moisture
absorbing desiccant granules.  The rule of thumb that I hear with these is
that once you open a new one and install it, you should pull a hard vacuum
within 15 to 20 minutes so as not to exhaust the granules before you
charge
the system.  Also I understand that this desiccant (actually the whole
accumulator unless you know a shop that can cut it open & weld it shut
again) should be replaced anytime the system has been opened or left in a
state of discharge.  Also it goes without saying that it should be changed
when the system is converted to a different kind of refrigerant.  The
original R-12 desiccant is not compatible with R-134a.  It should be
replaced with an accumulator that specifies it has a desiccant that is
compatible with both R-12 and R-134a which should be expected to be in any
new accumulator you buy.  And it should also go without saying that the
desiccant is not compatible with flushing fluid.  If it wasn't toast the
first time someone put R-134a in there, it surely was after.  The effects
of
moisture in the system are not good.  The first thing that becomes a
problem
is the connection to the orifice tube.  It corrodes the fittings and makes
it very hard to remove without damaging the evaporator.  The next thing
that
the moisture attacks is the evaporator itself.  Moisture interacts with
the
refrigerant making an acid that causes the rot.

The minimum that I recommend doing with your system is:

1) getting the orifice tube out of there and inspecting it for
particulates.
It is most likely clogged with gunk anyway, but you need to make sure it
doesn't have any metal flakes on it.  Metal flakes indicate that the
compressor is failing.

2) thoroughly flush the system using NAPA's Dura-141.  Flush one part of
the
system at a time.  Flush the evaporator separately.  It will probably take
more than one can to get it clean.  With the compressor removed, flush
through the high side hose (the thinner one) that was on the compressor.
It
is connected to the condenser and through the hose that leaves the
condenser.  The flushing fluid will come out through where the orifice
tube
goes.  Put the orifice tube end in a clear plastic jug and watch what
comes
out.  Keep flushing until what comes out is clear.  This may take 1 full
can
of solvent.  Next flush the compressor even though most directions say not
to.  Pour a few hundred ml in the suction side and through the oil fill
nut
on the top.  Shake it around and pour it out.  Do this a few times until
what comes out looks clean.  Do this while turning the pulley a few times.
Then blow it out with lots of compressed air until you think it is dry.
Then flush it a few times using new refrigerant oil.  I recommend using
Ester-100.  When done, leave 12 ounces in the compressor and pull a hard
vacuum on the system soon afterwards because the oil is hygroscopic and
will
degrade quickly if left in contact with atmospheric air.

2) replace the accumulator, but don't install it until you are ready to
pull
a hard vacuum.  I don't care what Bill thinks -- a minimum vacuum should
be
no less than 28 inches mercury preferably for an hour or so.  Shops in a
hurry will do less time or not even pull a vacuum.  That is one of the
scams
of dishonest mechanics which seem to be the rule and not the exception.
(I'm not calling Bill dishonest in any way -- he is just not informed of
proper procedures.)
Trying to pull a vacuum through the engine's intake is, pardon my
language,
a totally fucked up idea.  First it is no where near strong enough to boil
the moisture out of there (16 inches mercury max).  Second, the flushing
solvent (actually a type of refrigerant itself) turns into phosgene when
burned.  This is one of the two ingredients in mustard gas.  This is
seriously toxic and will cause nerve damage if you breath it.  It isn't
good
for the catalytic converter either.  Any flushing solvent should be blown
out of there with compressed air.  That kind of stuff is not good for a
vacuum pump either.  It would contaminate the oil and may rot the seals.

3) If using R-134a, I recommend upgrading the FOT (fixed orifice tube)
with
a VOV (variable orifice valve).  This is a new technology valve that will
get a lot more efficiency out of the system.  The compressor will cycle
less
often, your fuel economy will increase and the system will last longer.

If you can't get anyone to do this sort of work for you, you can do it
yourself.  I taught myself by reading Haynes Techbook Automotive Heating &
Air Conditioning.  And before this I had experience from watching/helping
other people do a/c systems.  I really have no business flying up there
and
doing it, but I would be tempted anyway.  Or if you are good at following
directions I can UPS you the tools and you can do it yourself while I'm
helping you over the phone.

The next step that needs to be done anyway is for you to get the orifice
tube out of there.  The fittings are next to the accumulator behind the
front passenger wheel.  Getting it apart can be a two person job depending
on what kind of wrenches you have that you can make fit.  I have used crow
foot wrenches on the ends of very long extensions.  Once you have the
fitting apart, it may be badly corroded and stuck.  You need to heat one
side with a heat gun while spraying the other side with electrician's
component cooler (chills things down to -62 degrees F.)  This should
expand
one side while shrinking the other.  Then they should slide apart.  Then
the
orifice tube should pull out with a pair of needle nose pliers.  If not
then
there is a special tool I can send that is made to extract it.  If you are
not careful, they can break.  And then they may break anyway.  Then there
is
a special tool (looks like an easy-out) that you screw into it and extract
it.  I haven't had this happen to me yet, so I don't have that tool.

Let me know what you think,

Walt



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