Date: Tue, 24 May 2011 09:27:51 -0500
Reply-To: Peter Lapp <carrothospital@GOOGLEMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Peter Lapp <carrothospital@GOOGLEMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Vanagon a/c
In-Reply-To: <8CDE7C778F71DA9-1E98-A58A@webmail-m053.sysops.aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Ditto on the cabinet. It's a pain in the you know what to get out and then
even worse to get it back in. At the advice of someone who's done this many
times, I cut slits in the side of the cabinet so instead of holes for the
evaporator pan, there are U shaped slits so you can lift the cabinet right
back into position.
If you don't want to worry about R12, just get some Redtek. That stuff is
great and is compatible with the existing equipment. You can also rent a
vacuum pump and manifold gauge set from an Auto Zone and pull a vacuum on
the system to check for leaks before you charge it up. That way you don't
waste a charge.
Anyway, I'm going through the process right now, and that's my 2 cents.
-p
On Mon, May 23, 2011 at 8:17 PM, David Clarkson <dvdclarksn@aol.com> wrote:
> It's not so much the parts but the labor that you can get into if the
> cabinet has to be dropped to get to the expansion valve. If you do the job
> yourself I would suggest constructing some sort of table that can support
> the cabinet while you reconnect the wiring hoses and other fittings. Be
> careful of the fittings on the drain tray that will be very brittle and will
> break easily. My system was working great and then one day near the end of
> the season last year I heard a pop from up there in that cabinet and
> everything got warm. I'm dreading going through that ordeal again.:(
>
> David Clarkson
> 90 Westy
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
> To: vanagon <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Mon, May 23, 2011 4:31 pm
> Subject: Re: Vanagon a/c
>
>
>
>
> I have the same problem. Got to get the AC repaired. One thing I
> learned the hard way - if y ou do not have freon and don't run the AC
> once a week - the seals dry up and the freon leaks out. So you are
> likely up for replacement of all the seals, including a likely
> replacement of the Compressor. In an upgrade to 134a, you can get a
> complete seal kit from Van-cafe for about $50 or from the other List
> Vendors for similar money. You will also need a new receiver dryer and
> possible a new expansion valve. Because the old AC compressors were
> designed to run at the lower Freon 12 pressures, the higher pressures of
> the 134a may poop out your AC compressor fairly quickly. You really
> should get a new compressor appropriate to the 134a.
>
> 134a Upgrade Kit - $50
> Expansion valve - $30
> Receiver-Dryer - $30-$35
> Compressor - $350- $400.
> 134a - $35 or so.
>
> Not bad on parts. But then there is the labor. I've not a clue on that
> myself. I'm going to try and do it myself.
>
> Good luck.
>
> John
>
> John Rodgers
> Clayartist and Moldmaker
> 88'GL VW Bus Driver
> Chelsea, AL
> Http://www.moldhaus.com
>
>
> On 5/23/2011 2:41 PM, David M wrote:
> > Well I have been given an ultimatum by the wife. Get the a/c fixed or
> get rid
> of the Vanagon. Its about to hit 100 degrees here in AZ so it would be nice
> to
> have working a/c again. The system was working fine around 10 years ago but
> lasted maybe one year after a $450 refill with freon at the VW dealer. It's
> still the freon (R12) system and I'm not prepared to pay the cost of
> regular R12
> refills so it has to be a conversion to R134.
> > How much should it cost to have this done? I was quoted a $1000 flat
> fee by
> one place but that seems expensive. Is a lot of labor involved? Can a
> regular
> a/c place handle this or is the Vanagon system too unusual?
> >
> > -David (1987 Wolfsburg)
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
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