Well iv finally broken. I'm going to replace the ac in my car, but I have a few questions. How can you tell if your AC compressor is working? I have no freon in the system so I don't think my compressor can cycle can it? Also I know I'm going to replace the orvious tube and the prints but how hard are these to replace? I'm more worried about the difficulty of the orings than anything. Then I née to have my system evacuated and pressure tested aswell right? Should I change the oils? Can you guys give me a list of what I need to do and replace? Thank you. I'm staying with r12, I have a big 30g tank here so I don't new to switch to 134.

 

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I'm currently trying to piece together my ac system too. Never had one in the car, but should have. So maybe this will help me too!

Bump!

 

ive got a friend thats retrofitting my 92 rs tomorrow. Hes gonna pull a vacuum(something like 28lbs) and see if my system leaks down. For the retro you have to flush the system, add new oil(pag or ester), new oriface tube, new fittings, and suggested new dryer. with the r-12 you should be able to pull a vacuum(which should pull out all the old oil), see if it holds a vacuum, replace any o rings(if there are leaks), then add oil and r-12.

 

Yes replace the receiver-dryer. I'd also recommend replaceing the schrader valve. I had the AC shop discharge my functioning system so I could easily remove the condenser to swap in a new cam with the engine in place. When we were done I took it back to the AC shop and they pulled a vacuum, then refilled the system. All was OK until the schrader valve leaked. Start over. Still running R12 in my Camaro. Converted to R134 on my Firebird.

 

are the o rings hard to replace? and also can i get the dryer at autozone? thats where im going to get all my stuff and iv never messed with an AC system before so this is all new to me, i dont even know where the orfice tube is and how to replace it. is the dryer the big silver cylinder near the firewall?

 

sould i get a variable or fixed orfice tube?

 

1. The system is a CCOT (cycling clutch orifice tube) system, not a TXV (thermostatic expansion valve) system, which is found on most imports (mostly NOT GM cars). It's a fixed orifice, and I believe it's installed in the bulge in the line before the receiver-dryer. I believe it also only goes in one way. The end of it should NOT be poking out of the line.
2. Get the GREEN nitrile o-rings. If you want/need to convert to R134 later, they're REQUIRED. Cut the old ones off and put the new ones on.
3. R12 doesn't generally require the addition of mineral oil into the compressor (yes, it goes straight into the compressor). R134 REQUIRES it, and I'd have to look up the formula to tell you how much. You also use a different amount of R134 than R12, and the system pressures are different.
4. I can't stress this enough... PUT THE RECEIVER-DRYER IN LAST. Preferably right before drawing a vacuum on the system. All it takes is LESS THAN ONE MINUTE (or was it 5 minutes) of having the system open to require a new one because the stuff inside it that dries the refrigerant is saturated with vapor from the ambient air and it won't work any more.

 

If this system has been sitting for a while, I'd recommend removing all of the parts and hoses and flushing them out with AC system cleaner-comes in an aerosol can at the parts store. Unless your compressor has remained sealed and you know it was good before it was sealed up, replace it. New dryer and orifice, new o-rings and put a vacuum on it for at least an hour. With guages attached make sure it holds the vacuum over night.

New oil (you flushed out the old oil along with all of the contaminants in it) and 48 OZ (double check your label) of R12 (40 OZ of 134). Put it in as a liquid or jump the pressure switch at the dryer to engage the compressor if charging with gas.

As above, unseal and install the new dryer last.

You can sometimes rent the vacuum pump at a parts store.

 

honestly i have a similar situation, my bro put too much freon in his jeap and blew the compressor, and hes priced all new stuff, o rings compressor and orifice tube condenser accumulator, and parts alone with new freon and oil he was at about 400 bucks, but he called a place in the phonebook and they can do a totally new recharged ac system lines and all that, for about 520 plus labor, so i say just save the money and headache and have someone do it, one thing i would do myself is take off the radio bezel, pull out the radio, unbolt the hvac controls and check the clip that holds you vaccum control module to see if its broken, mine was and i got a constant hissing no matter what, i pulled the broken clip, put a little screw in there and tightened it down problem solved cars fine now, and blows alot stronger then it used too

 

I noticed nobody said this : Replace ALL the O-rings first and dip them in the oil you're using in the system , do the accumulator last and quickly . Oiling them seals it up .

 

are the orings hard to install and where can i get the dryer???

 

If you've done fuel injector or other o-rings, you can do the A/C o-rings. Just cut the old ones off first with a razor blade. And the dryer can be bought at any parts store. Again, just make sure to keep it in the box and sealed until you're ready to completely bolt the system up and draw a vacuum on it.

 

How far are the o rings in the system? Are they hard to get to? Everything else sounds easy but I'm Los on the orings and where they all are. I want to know exactly where they are before I jump on it

 

Does anyone have a picture of everything?

 

There will be an o-ring at each hose and tube connection. Just open one up and you'll see it. Slide the old one off and slide a new one of the same size back on with a little oil.

 

Looks like its going to cost me about $50 to get all the parts to get my ac done, now I just have to get thr system pressure tested and evacuated

 

I get my ac stuff from discountacparts.com. Good prices and delivery...

 

okay well i found all the stuff i need from autozone for around $50, besides the oil, does anyone know where i can get oil? zone wants like $100 for the oil itsself but i also have a big question that im not sure even you guys can answer, my grandpa use to do heating and air conditioning for a living, well before he passed me and him were tossing the idea around about getting my AC up and going and he told me he has a 30G bottle of R12 and could fill it for me. well i dug the stuff out of my shed today and im alittle lost. i found the bottle, its genetron 12 and its brand new, still had the plastic wrapper around the nosles. well i also found his guages but im lost on how they go, there are two gauges and three hoses coming off the gauges, the hose colors are blue, orange, and red. i know the blue side will screw onto the low pressure side of my system thats on the canister just fine but what do i use to put on the tank to draw the freon out? here are a simile picture to the setup i have. the gauges are identical from what i see.

EDIT: yeah in the picture it has a green hose. mine is blue. also is it possible for me to get my system evactuated and the new oil put in, then for the shop to close the system so i can get home and fill it myself? i talked to the shop owner and he said it was $20 for a system check, but when i said i had the freon he said it was about $50 but hes not sure if he has the R12 stuff to do it. help?

 

i work at autozone, theres no way your gonna get a new orifice tube, compressor, dryer, oil, orings and rent a vacuum pump for $50 unless that autozone is breaking company policy with there pricing, hell renting the vacuum pump alone will be about 60 dollars iirc and i believe that the gauges you posted are for recharging home air conditioner systems and will not work for what your trying to do, juts my 2 cents goodluck with your ac system, there a real pain

 

heres my list,

orings
dryer
orfice tube
and valve core kit.

total is $47.04

im not going to replace the compressor unless i absolutly need too. and im not sure if i can use the gauges or not, i hope i can because that will help me alot. and im not seeing the oil i need at autozone so im not sure what i need or where to go. also my autozone doesnt have the gauge.

 

i see, how long ago was the ac working?

 

if i remember right i got it to cycle before my engine swap but i disconnected the hoses off during my swap

 

well definitely have the system pressure tested, and if your worried about being safe I'd replace the compressor, but if it was working I'd leave it, just don't wanna waste all that hard to get r-12 if your compressor is locked up, and as for the oil do a Google search you should be able to find the right oil or an equivalent oil at a hardware store or like autozone/advanced/Napa also try tractor supply, iirc some mineral oil, not sure if it has to be a specific type will do, how much i do not know i do know that i was able to recharge the original system in my camaro and have it work well, however because i have the wrong alternator (replaced incorrectly by one of the p.o s it was blowing my fusiblelink so i disconnected the plug going to the compressor, currentl saving for a 140 amp powermaster from summit

 

when you say cycling was it kicking in and out, or staying kicked in?

 

going on and off

 

If those are for 12, you can use those guages. I can't see the guage faces, but if they connect you can use them. Center hose goes to the tank (or the vacuum pump). I'd do a little studying up on how they work and what they can show you.

 

I'll try and get a picture of the gauge faces today

 

The gauge faces should somewhere say r-12. If so they should be good. As said the center hose goes to the Freon bottle. For the others due to no real standardization you may need adapters to hook up to the ac system on the car. Autozone should know what oil etc for regular freon or at least original for the system. How much? I will not even venture a guess. I would assume not much added as you are still using the original compressor.

 

The blue hose hooks up to the low pressure side perfectly

 

How trust worthy do you think the compressor would be since its almost 25 years old, should I go and replace the clutch or thr whole thing or just leave it be?

 

Autozone doesn't carry oil for R12 anymore, just 134 :/

 

if it was kicking in and out it wont stay on, could need a new clutch or it just wasnt full of freon

 

Might see about either picking this up or finding something like it. I'd ask the guy if it's compatible with R12 just to be sure before going ahead and buying:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cliplight-Un...370851&vxp=mtr

 

like i said man i dont remember, its been too long ago and i wasnt really worried about it, i know my lines came off no problem and it didnt act like there was any pressure or anything in the system

 

found the oil on summit for pretty cheap actually.

 

if its had the lines off then i'd replace it just so i know it isnt seized up

 

Can I have my system evacuated at thr shop then drive home to fill my system?

 

I'd replace the compressor. Ask the shop if they'll vacuum and let you install the refrigerant. They may do both, though, at little extra cost.

 

Okay, tried to mess with the AC today. Turned my system on max and the compressor doesn't turn on but I can turn the front clutch plate with my hand, but also the fan doesn't turn on. I know when I replaced my engine there was a fan sensor in the passenger side head but it had a plug in it thst I couldn't remove so I didn't install it bsck in

 

do any of you guys know if the new dryer comes with a new scater valve? also does the new compressors have new oil in them or should i get oil?

 

The compressor should state on the box whether it comes with oil or not. A very few do come pre-loaded with oil. The dryer should come with a new SCHRADER valve, but just check it when you pick one up. A replacement valve is like a dollar.

 

someone bought a compressor last night, it comes with enough oil in it to basically keep if from drying out and seizing up but it will need more, a can of first charge is ideal, however your using r-12 and ya cant mix it in with that i dont think

 

Okay thanks guys. I'm going to go and start ordering stuff today

 

Went up and ordered my dryer, orings, and orifice tube today. I went ahead and remove my old dryer, all my lines and the old orifice tube. The old orifice tube was black, is that normal? Also if I get that ac cleaner, could I spray it down the evaporator aswell as the ac lines?

 

when i have my system evacuated, will it take all the oil out of my compressor?

 

You can spray out all of the lines as well as the evaporator and condenser, although you'll need to remove both coils in order to drain them. A vacuum will not remove oil from the system. (Evacuation is removing old refrigerant, a vacuum removes all of the air - and more importantly, moisture- from the system.)

 

Okay I got my dryer today and at the bottom of the box there are 6 green orings. Help? Also can someone tell me where all the orings go? I know there was on the back side of the dryer, one on both sides of the high side line. The two that go on the ac compressor.. But what I'm not sure of are the ac line thst goes to the dryer, and the condenser line.

 

They should all have o-rings... You're dealing with some serious pressure in the A/C system, especially running R-12 (between 20 and 300 PSI on average). The rings go between the fitting parts on the condenser and the dryer.

Oh, and if you're keeping your current compressor, you need to add 5 ounces of oil to it because 1 ounce will remain in the compressor that can't be removed. Otherwise, it's 6 ounces.

 

Just picked up the last quart that napa had