When I turn on my A/C, it only blows hot air. It creates noticeable drag on the engine every second and a half or so, and makes a tapping sound while it drags. Is she out of refrigerant? I'd like to convert to 134 anyway and it would save me some trouble.

 

It'll save you some money too, if you can even get ahold of the RF12. I don't think that they even manufacture it any more so...if you find it, expect to pay an arm, a leg, and maybe even a ******** for it.
It sounds like you may be having more problems than just being out of refrigerant. Mine is out and it doesn't do any of the tapping sounds nor does it cause a noticeable drag. Better let a specialist look at it.

-Mark W.
'88 SC Camaro w/ 305 TBI

 

Hey AT4 T/A,

Can you see the compressor clutch start spinning when you hear the idle drop and stop when the idle goes back up? If so, you probably are low on Freon. You can still find R-12, but it is very expensive so it makes sense to convert to 134. It's not that hard or expensive to do. I converted mine when I replaced my compressor. There was no Freon in the system so I didn't have to worry about evacuating. (It's not cool to just vent to atmosphere!)You may have to pay someone to evacuate the system for you. I replaced the two fittings and charged it with a can that had the oil, leak sealer, o-ring conditioner, and several ounces of 134, then added 2 or 3 more cans of 134. If you do a search, someone on here knows how many ounces the A/C system takes. You can get everything at your local parts store.

Good Luck,

Ken