Re: [DML] The yearly A/C question

[Marc A Levy <malevy@xxxx>]

NO! Don't convert!

We have been hearing that R12 will be gone in a year for 10 years! If anything,
R12 has become more affordable in the last few years. When it was first
"banned" the price jumped, but it is not as bad as everyone things.

R-134a is not as cold as R-12, and it runs at much higher pressure. The R12
system and compressor was not designed for the higher pressures needed for
R-134a. I don't know about any new orifice tube to make it colder, but if this
does exists it would probably increase the pressure in the system even more!


If you decide to stick with R-12, make sure you get PURE R-12! There are alot
of R-12 like refrigerants, and even some blends. A lot of the mixtures contain
PROPANE (Which is a very good refrigerant, but it's highly explosive properties
make it a safety hazard). Use a AC tech that has a refrigerant tester, this
device will tell the tech exactly what he is putting in to the system.


If you still want to go with R-134a (and I don't think this is a good idea),
Make sure the ENTIRE SYSTEM is flushed with a solvent to remove the R12 oil(R12
oil does not mix well with R134A and can damage the system), replace all ofthe
O ring seals, replace the orifice tube, and the dryer canister. Many of the
steps to do a proper conversion are skipped in the interest of saving money(or
more profit for the mechanic) and you wont realize it was done wrong until your
something breaks 2 years from now.


Also, check the DML back issues for more information.


Ryan McCaffrey wrote:
<SNIP>
> Should I convert to R-134a? The AZ-D club mechanic, Stan Davis, who is the
> owner of Mesa Auto Works, said that I won?t be able to get R-12 in a year.
> He also said that 134a is made colder by a new adjustable orifice tube (my
> paraphrase may not be exactly correct there) that adjusts to make it a bit
> colder. Should I hunt down and pay more for the colder, stock R-12 or
> convert to the 134a?
<SNIP>