has anyone tried the r12 to r134 retrofit kit? you can get one from at auto zone that says it is a complete retrofit and recharge kit for like 40 bucks. are these any good? dont you have to drain out the old oil, it doesnt say to do that with this kit, just add the refridgerant with oil and stop leak in it. Any opinions?

 

You will have to drain the old oil, flush the system, pull a vacuum on the system, buy a new accumulator, and buy a new orifice tube. THEN you will be able to use the new 134a. I just did all of that and had the system serviced by a professional, and I am more than displeased with the efficiency of 134 at this point. I was told that one problem is the condensor which has 3/8" tubing. The tech told me that if I were to change to a 1/4" size tubing condensor, it would cool much better. I really have no idea if that's true or not.

 

How much did that run you if you don't mind me asking?

 

I saved a little on the labor by installing the new components myself. Here's a rough breakdown:

Remanufactured compressor - $250
New accumulator- $ 75
New orifice tube- $ 5

So, around $350 just for parts.

Then I took it to a professional for the system flush, vacuum, and refill with 134a. That was another $250.

Now, the temp coming out of the vents can't possibly be below 42* and I'm sure you can imagine after spending around $600 for an a/c system that works like crap that I'd be a little more than perturbed! I think I'm going to talk to that technician about R414 and see if that will work better.

 

i work at an HVAC place so i can get R22 (not for cars) and R-414a for free :-D and yes R414a will work in a car. i can also get R12 if i wanted it but even with my discount its still over $1300 for it... and R22 is only $47 for 30lbs

 

In my son's 83 Z28 it leaked out (probably why the AC didn't work when we got the car). In my 86 IROC it was nice and cool for the 2 or 3 days it lasted before it leaked out (but the compressor was vibrating badly so that may be why it was leaking as well). In my 90 F150 4wd PU it will run you out of the cab unless you turn it down to normal cool after 10 or 15 minutes on max cool. I don't have the gear to flush/drain/pull a vaccuum etc. I just buy the kit and put it in. 1 out of 3 ain't bad.

 

On the cars I ahve done it on I have had no ill effects by just using the kit and making sure the system was empty beforehand on my cutlass the air still works and it is two years later.

 

At my work we sell a lot of Freeze 12. Its a mixture of R134a and I think R141b. Its about $2 more a can than R134. Like $7-8 most of the Techs we sell parts to swear by the stuff. I have yet to personally install it, but I read on it..no propane or other explosive stuff like some of the other "replacement R-12 refrigerants". Just my 2 cents.

 

i have talked to several people who bought that kit from autozone for 34.99. i thought you had to flush the system and get the old oil out, but the kit doesn't say anything about flushing. i don't know of anybody that has had a problem with the kit. best of luck, tom

 

I just bought my 91 RS recently and for some reason, the air conditioning blows hot, even when the air temp outside the car is cooler than it is inside the car. What would cause this? Do I need a recharge on my refrigerant or is there something wrong like a bad vacuum hose? When the air is on and I am at idle, the engine also spikes about 200 RPM (from 500 to 700) whenever the compressor kicks in. Is that a related problem?