Date:         Wed, 13 Jul 2005 21:39:49 -0500
Reply-To:     Stan Wilder <wilden1-1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stan Wilder <wilden1-1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Purging A/C system.
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I just got through purging / flushing the A/C system. (It's a messy job if
you do it my way.)
I removed the dryer (trash) the suction valve (trash) and removed the
compressor to drain off the oil (hardly any).
I used Mineral Spirits and just funneled it into the low pressure side hose
in the engine bay and drove it through the hoses with shop air pressure.
I used hose sections pushed over the #6 and #8 hose ends to complete a route
to send the fluid through.
To my surprise the system seemed totally blocked.
After applying 120 PSI to both the Low and then the High side I finally got
flow through the system.
I got a fair amount of rubber particles about the size of coffee grounds but
soft and then some general discolored fluid containing the system oil.
After flushing through several times in both directions the flow of the
system was much improved and continued air flow pushed out the remainder of
the Mineral Spirits.
I spoke with the professional A/C guys at the local shop supplying me with
the suction valve, dryer, oil, gummy insulation and new era viton O rings.
They said they seldom replaced hosed from r12 systems for R134a conversions
unless the old hoses were leaking or just showed too many miles / years to
trust.
They guarantee their conversions for a year and they stated that they just
haven't had any problems with standard hoses and the R134a conversion
process.
The upshot of all this extra care and effort was because I had about 400 PSI
high side head pressure on the compressor and after
examination of the suction valve and the dryer I found that they both flowed
just fine so I suspected a blockage elsewhere in the system.

I've skipped the flushng process on about five concversions but I'm sure
glad I went the extra mile to properly prepare this system for the new
refrigerant.


Stan Wilder
Engine Ceramics
214-352-4931
www.engineceramics.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Quan" <full360@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2005 8:05 PM
Subject: Wiper Madness.


So I am getting in my van this afternoon and accidently hit the wiper
switch and my front windshield wipers move down over the front of the
van and back up over about a quarter of the windshield. As if they are
moving in the opposite cadence the were supposed to. Why is this
happening and how do I fix it other than adjusting the wiper arms on
the spindle.

Jim
1991 Syncro Westy