Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2000 09:41:31 -0700
Reply-To: Brent Christensen <brent@vanagon.com>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Brent Christensen <brent@vanagon.com>
Subject: Re: air conditioning 1991 Westy Syncro ?'s
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
I think a lot of AC systems fail year-to-year because the seals dry out due
to non-use in the winter time. I make it a habit to run my AC every few
times I drive my cars, regardless of the time of year. This seems to help,
though I just started doing it about 2 years ago.
Brent Christensen
'89 GL Syncro Westy "Klaus"
Santa Barbara, CA
----- Original Message -----
From: <KENWILFY@aol.com>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2000 8:09 AM
Subject: Re: air conditioning 1991 Westy Syncro ?'s
> If the system is OK then the shop should be able to fill it with R-12
without
> a problem. The dealer is just covering their behinds because I have read
> that it is illegal to put R-12 back into a leaking system (all A/C systems
> leak so this law is kinda goofy in my opinion). If you can find a local
shop
> that uses Freeze-12 in place of R-12 you will save yourself a bundle
(local
> shop here in NJ and myself both just recharge low R-12 systems with
Freeze-12
> and it works well).
>
> On another note, I can see why air conditioning can be a frustrating thing
> for Vanagon owners. I have been in the habit of getting the service
history
> for vans that I am working on from the dealer. Lately I have been
noticing a
> trend with the later model Vanagon A/C systems ('86 and newer). I had a
'86
> Syncro Westie here that needed a refrigerant recharge at 850 miles and a
new
> charge every summer after that! It also got new A/C compressor and one
new
> hose in 1993. When the van arrived here last month the A/C compressor was
> locked up and the system was empty.
> An '87 Wolfsburg Vanagon's service history showed a similar story of
needing
> an A/C recharge every year since it was new up to when I got it (one of
the
> A/C hoses had blown).
> I think my Carat is experiencing a slightly low A/C charge condition.
It
> is still getting very cool to cold, but it seems to take longer to get to
> this point than it did last summer. I don't know if these system are
leaking
> around the seals in the compressor or what (my system has all new o-rings,
> new dryer, etc as of last summer. Anyone else having similar experiences?
> Anyone have this chronic problem and then found the source of the problem?
>
> Thanks,
> Ken Wilford
> http://www.vanagain.com
> John 3:16
>
> New Phone (856)-327-4936
> Shop: (856)-765-1583
> Fax: (856)-327-2242
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