Date:         Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:28:21 -0700
Reply-To:     Robert Fisher <refisher@MCHSI.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Fisher <refisher@MCHSI.COM>
Subject:      Re: AC System Repair/ Upgrade
In-Reply-To:  <4d1b79350907201350j5d55359cjadba67539899ece8@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

I've read a number of posts here and elsewhere where people have done this
and it worked for the short term, but I've also read as many posts where it
completely screwed up their system, due to the incompatibility of the
chemicals. If there's enough of the old R12 stuff in there you'll get a
nasty goo that will play hell with your A/C system.
The OP said it most recently had R12. BTW, if it's leaking R12 it'll leak
R134 or Freeze-12 even faster. Better to do it right to begin with.
If you have, or have access to an air compressor, you can get the rest of
the tools to do it yourself for under $100. The whole thing might run $200
with flush, oil and refrigerant.

Cya,
Robert

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Jim Felder
Sent: Monday, July 20, 2009 1:50 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: AC System Repair/ Upgrade

I've done this to about six family vehicles now and they've all been
cooling great, up to when I started two years ago.

Go get some R134, the conversion kit and the new-style hose and
connector with a gauge on it.

Remove the schraeder valve from your high-pressure port and screw on
the new one (these are in the conversion kit)

Start the car with the air on.

Load (a vanagon, anyway) with two cans R134 (yes the plain old stuff
you see at your FLAPS) while each bottle is immersed in a pan of very
hot water. Be sure to get the stuff with stop leak in it, unless you
know your system to be perfect, you'll need it. Be sure to watch the
gauge, stop when it sits in the middle of the green or if you are
happy with the cool after two cans.

If it isn't cool, you have a problem that adding refrigerant won't solve.

Don't be discouraged if you lose cool in a couple of days. Try another
can. Sometimes it takes the stop leak more than a day or two to work.

If it cools at first and loses it, try a can with the UV dye built in.
Get a cheap UV bulb and find the leak.

Yes, there are better, and much more expensive ways to do it, but this
will get you going in the middle of a summer like this for a max of
about $50.

Jim

On Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 3:22 PM, Mike Miller<mwmiller@cwnet.com> wrote:
> I used some stuff called Maxi-Frig. Direct drop in. Not supposed to put a
> vacuum on the system, just load it in.
>
> Works great! Well I mean for a van. Cold air at least, very cold.
>
> Held for about a year now.
>
> YMMV
>
> Mike From Marin
>
>
> On 7/20/09 1:00 PM, "Michael Hart" <mjhart853@YAHOO.COM> wrote:
>
>> After a weekend of driving through some of the hot parts of CA & NV (100
-
>> 103F in places), AC system repair / upgrade has moved to the top of my
'to-do'
>> list (that together with transmission overhaul, but that's a separate
>> post...). The system was last working fine (well for a Westy that is) for
two
>> summers after a system charge in Spring 2007, but the freon has obviously
>> leaked away since then. I'm considering conversion to Freeze-12 rather
than
>> another R12 recharge (since the R12 will undoubtably leak away again,
adding
>> to the ozone hole..). Advice from anyone who has done this conversion
would be
>> appreciated. I am ready to attempt this myself, but would consider a shop
job
>> if anyone knows of capable AC shops in the San Francisco Bay Area.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Mike ('87 Westy)
>