Date:         Fri, 11 Mar 2016 08:48:38 -0500
Reply-To:     Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: removing air conditioner without spilling the freon
Comments: To: jbclem <jbclem1@charter.net>
In-Reply-To:  <6CF580889D074940878C5CA727C7C2D2@downstairsxpo>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Recovery equipment consists primarily of a gauge/manifold set, a pump, and the recovery tank. Anyone servicing home and industrial refrigeration/HVAC systems has portable recovery equipment. Of course there is a cost. If the system is still R-12 that will present another problem as they need to put that in a dedicated tank or a tank for mixed stuff which adds more expense for them to send it to the recycler. 
 
Do you know if there is even any refrigerant in there to recover? My bet is the system is not working and that it all leaked out anyway. A system left empty or worse open after you remove the compressor will be destroyed over time anyway. 
 
As for service access the only time I have ever had to lift the compressor out of the way is for engine removal and maybe drivers side head removal. Four bolts and it can be lifted out of the way with the hoses connected.   
 
Dennis

 
> Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2016 03:43:48 -0800
> From: jbclem1@CHARTER.NET
> Subject: Re: removing air conditioner without spilling the freon
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> 
> Just to be clear...I don't want to strip all AC parts from this Vanagon (1986 sunroof/non-Westphalia).  I just want to remove the compressor because it gets in the way of working on the left side of the engine.  I also don't like air conditioning so I won't miss it.  I'm not going to throw away the compressor and it's bracket,  so in the unlikely event that I sell the car it'll still be available for hookup.
> 
> The problem is I can't drive the car to an AC shop for evacuation...I temporarily cancelled the insurance and my insurance agent reported this to the Calif. DMV, who then arbitrarily suspended the registration.  
> 
> I was hoping someone had figured out a DIY method to evacuate the system.  I just found out that Autozone will lend out a vac pump, so that's a starting point.