got a 88 firebird with a 2.8 5 speed
my compressor is shot. now i saved the one off of my 90 3.1 auto
the numbers on it dont match up but i was wondering if it would work on my 88 anyway?
any help is apreaciated

 

as long as the plugs are the same and the bolt holes line up i dont see why it wouldnt. where in va beach are u?

 

if it bolts it up will work :P

i know alot about AC's and refrigeration, and yeah it will work if it bolts up and everything.

Another cool trick that alot of people dont know is that propane (yes propane) will work as a refrigerant, and it actually has a lower boiling point than R12 (but not R22), so if you had all the connectors and everything to recharge your AC, you could use propane. R134a sucks, i wouldnt use that if my life depended on it.

I built a home made phase change cooler that hooked up to my comptuers CPU and kept it at -4C under full load, I used propane as the refrigerant.

 

off of lynnhaven

 

im in VB too, i live like 2 mins away from Lynnhaven mall. (Cariage Hill)

 

oh, im in chesapeake. i work in HVAC and have never heard of using propane. i have r-143a in my 94 camaro and it isnt as cold as a car with r-12 but r-12 is very expenisive and not just anyone can buy it. u have to fill out a paper to buy it. and chances are the car has a leak, so why not change over to r-134a, sure its not as cold but it is only $6 a can, compared to like $30

 

yeah not alot of people know about propane.

in england they used to use it alot because of thier strict ozone laws. (before R134a was widely common) Its compatible with both R22 and R12 o-rings and seals, you can even intermix it.

EDIT: the technical term for propane is actually R290

heres a site on some home made stuff: http://home.earthlink.net/~lenyr/refrig.htm

 

id be hesitant to use that because of the system more than likey having leaks and the spark...dont wanna go BOOM.

 

in a small system, you dont use very much, definatly not enough to make even a moderate sized explosion.

 

hey lee7 will a ac pump off of a v6 2.8 liter fuel injected serpentine belt system work on a 5.7 liter v8 carberuated not serpentine and if so how should i set it up

 

if i remember correctly, the ac compressor is on the right on a v6 and the left on a v8. aside from that, the pully on the serpintine driven compressor has a wider grove for the belt than on a multi belt system

 

well technically yes, but it all really depends on if it will bolt up or not.

If it doesnt bolt up or the hoses use different size fittings, some modding would be required.

 

i live in va beach too
maybe you guys have seen me it's the one camaro with grafitti on the drivers door, *replacing and getting paint job*

 

No, you don't
Using flammable hydrocarbons in a MVAC system is Illegal. Not to mention dangerous. You could cause someone inexperienced enough to take your advice to hurt themselves or their passengers very badly.

Your facts aren't even straight. The boiling point of propane is -42.1 degrees Celsius, as shown here: www.airliquide.com , while the boiling point of R12 is -29.8 degrees Celsius, as shown here: www.airliquide.com

Furthermore, the vapor pressure of propane is much higher than R12, as shown in this pressure table. If you know how to read a pressure table, you can see that if propane were used in a MVAC, head pressures would be about 100 psi over normal. This will kill a compressor.

Good for you. You were correct on your point that propane has excellent refrigerant properties. It's other qualities (flammability, liquid/vapor/pressure relationship, and legality of use as MVAC refrigerant) make it an unsuitable, dangerous refrigerant to use in a motor vehicle.

 

I have never heard of R290 being illegal, in europe they use it all the time. Besides, butane, methane, etc are very commonly used in some of the hybrid refrigerants. In fact, R134a uses a small ammount of Trifluoroethane, which infact, is flamable, and to the best of my knowledge, R134a is perfectly legal.

Besides, there is hardly enough gas in a small refrigerant system (a car AC for example) to provide any kind of reasonably large fire. Sure, i could see using R290 in some industrial equipment with 5hp compressors a hazard, because they use alot of refrigerant, but not in some tiny car AC system.

If you were to use R290 in an R12 system, you would simply use less refrigerant because of the fact that R290 boils at like 40c, and R12 boils at like 30c, so you should use less refrigerant to get the evap temp to the correct temps, therefor avioding the increased line pressure altogether.

Also, i have never heard of compressor failure when using R290 as a refrigerant, in fact i have seen R290 used in R134a systems with 1/16hp compressors work flawlessly for years.

 

It's only illegal to use it in motor vehicle air conditioners. http://www.epa.gov/spdpublc/snap/ref...ts/hc-12a.html

The hydrocarbon blends which use propane, butane, and isobutane are also illegal for MVAC use (see above website).

R134a is pure Tetrafluoroethane, and it is nonflammable.

A few ounces of propane is enough to produce an explosion that will blow all the windows out of a car, if it mixes with enough oxygen before it ignites.

Using less refrigerant will not change the pressure/temperature characteristics of the refrigerant. It's basic thermodynamics. At any given pressure, the liquid refrigerant will evaporate if it is above that temperature, and vapor will condense if it is below that temperature.

In order for an AC system to work, it has to be able to give off heat at the condenser. For effective heat transfer, the condenser needs to be about 50 degrees F above ambient temperature.

Now, say you have a 100 degree day (underhood heat not even taken into consideration yet). If you look at a pressure table, propane's pressure at 150 degrees will be 330 psi. It may not kill a compressor today, or even this week, but I wouldn't expect that compressor's life span to be measured in years.

I'm sure the 1/16th hp compressor it worked fine in was not an automotive AC unit. Again, my point isn't that HC -290 is a bad refrigerant, my point is simply that it is the wrong refrigerant for automotive systems. In a system designed to operate at the pressures it condenses at, I'm sure it performs wonderfully. Judging from the pressure table, it could sooner be a good substitute for R-22 than for 12, though.

 

black89ws6 is 100% right, using propane in a A/C system is stupid and danagerous. Spring a leak and you got a blow torch under the hood.

R-134 doesn't work well in our cars because our oriffice is set up for R-12, R134 is 20% less efficent then R12.

A great refrigerant that works awsome in our cars is R-414B or call HOT SHOT. 9% more efficent the R-12. It is a blend and is approved for R-12 and R-134 systems by such manufacters like whirlpool. It's about $7.50 a can, maybe less if you have a friend.

You can also upgrade your oriffice to an after market that adjusts to different expansion points so that when you are at idle it restricts keeping the differential ratio between high and low pressure greater thus better cooling and then at highway speeds it opens more thus keeeping a constant ratio, saving your compressor life and better cooling all around. I think they are about $20 or less. GM and maybe F*rd.

Another thing you need to pay attention to is the lubercation.

R-12 works with mineral based refrigerant oil

R-134 uses a another type. Also R-134 oil is very hydrosocpic meaning when open to air it absorbs water out of the air, always drain and change the compressor oil.

R-414B will pick up both oil types but the mineral works best.

Lack of refrigeration oil causes compressor death. 8fl oz is a full new system requirement, if you get a little extra don't worry it will settle out in the dryer. 5fl oz is the recommend for a new compressor installed in an old system.

As far as compressor from one 3rd to another, just depends on the wires, they are all (if I remember right) C4 type just different clutch for newer belt style.

Last but not least flushing the system, nobody ever does it but it should be done using approved flush.

As for this statement, why say it IF YOU REALLY new stuff.

 

The AC system in my 1985 Firebird died.
I rebuilt it using all the proper parts from vendors (New silver canister, the orfice tube and a new rebuilt compressor).
Got my system filled with R12 and the AC is incredible & ice cold.
Be aware of the fan blower motor starting to die.
Cheap fix (only $30ish), lousy location for the bolts & access for R & R.
I'll keep using R12.

 

Yep that blower fan is a b*tch to put in, you have to put black RTV on new one as a seal and then deflect the cage while you push it in past the fender so it the RTV gets all over your hands.

 

Hey Carl, so how much did all that stuff cost you? If you don't mind. One of the hoses comming off my compressor has this big giant hole in it, so my money says the system is empty. I figure, what the hell, might as well go all out when i fix it.

 

IF your current system is contaminated, you must & should change the orfice tube & the hoses & "MAYBE" "O" rings, too.
YOU MAY VERY WELL HAVE TO ALSO replace the compressor.
It "happens".
I am happy to set you up with my friend in Santa Monica for the R12.
Ocean Park & Lincoln Blvd.
He sells it at a very fair price!
Send me a quick email
I spent about $350/$400 for the silver canister, the orfice tube, & rebuilt compressor.
I installed stuff, it's very easy to do.
Yep, did the new fan motor, too! Oh Joy! $30-ish
My R12 was extracted & refilled at no charge.
Hope this gives ya a guide in prices.
YET, with a soon to be Three year old Son (born on Sept 11th, 2000), Wife & me driving in the Valley of the Sun at over/close to 100* for about a month!, was worth every penny to fix the AC system.
I feel like a King stuck in a traffic jam! with Ice Cold AC working!