Date:         Sun, 17 Jul 2005 10:11:51 -0700
Reply-To:     Keith Ovregaard <kovregaard@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Keith Ovregaard <kovregaard@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      AC converted to 134 - now what?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

Hi fellow Vanagonites,

I finally got around to joining the list and this is my first post.
What a great resource for Vanagon-addicted volks like me!

Speaking of the AC challenges of Vanagons, I recently switched from R12
to 134A on my 84 Westy and put in a new compressor, AC drier, expansion
valve and retrofit kit. What a waste of money! It works OK (not great)
up to about 90 degrees and then the high-speed fan kicks in and shuts
off the compressor until the temp goes down a bit. So the hotter it
gets, the less AC cooling there is for the sweaty people inside. I can
understand the logic of giving the engine cooling priority, but it is a
drag that the system can't handle proper AC cooling at high temps.
Every time I go up a hill the temp goes up a bit and the interior
starts cooking. Also, the new (not rebuilt) compressor makes just as
much noise as the old one! My 1990 Syncro also has a noisy (R12)
compressor. Should have ripped the whole thing out and saved a lot of
money. But now that I am into this so deep, I would like to make it
work as best as possible. Does Duracool really help that much? Or is
this as good as it gets?

Keith O
84 Westy "Brownie"
90 Westy Syncro (no name for the pastel white box yet)