I have a stock A/C and the guy I bought the car from said the A/C "didn't work". I tried it out today and it blows cool, but not cold. I think there may be a freon leak. Can I top the system off with Freeze 12 and some dye? Or do I need to go have an A/C guy vent and recover the existing R-12 and then convert to Freeze 12? I'd rather not go with R-134a unless I can keep my compressor.

 

What year, and has it ever been charged? It may just need a simple charge. A lot of guys use the Freeze 12 and add it into the existing gas. Technically there are some compatibility issues, but I just helped a local kid(at his request) top off a 90 'maro with it and damn if it didn't work very well. What the long term effects will be who knows, but he has been using it for over a month every day and it's cooling just like 12. Standard 12 is still the way to go for a top off and it is still available. Cost around here is approx $60/lb give or take a few bucks. Leaks are the issue, especially when dealing with 12 but chances are if the thing had the original charge and it still has some cold air coming out then you may not have any problem at all and refilling may be all that is needed. It's a tough call, and a lot depends on your pocketbook and you willingness to gamble a little.

 

It's a '90, and I don't think there has ever been any A/C service done on it. I'm sort of planning in advance for next summer, A/C season is just abut over for me. I'd gamble the cost of the Freeze 12 to stick in there for a season of working A/C....... after that, I may have the cash to get it all fixed up right and possibly converted. But for short term, I'd just like to fill er up and blast the cool until it runs out

 

I heard from a reliable source that freeze 12 is sort of a mixture of a few different gasses and that they all leek out of the system at a different rate. so after a while, could be years I guess, the gasses aren't in the same ratios and it might fry the system or something else bad like that.