Date:         Wed, 26 Apr 2017 19:20:35 -0500
Reply-To:     John Rodgers <jrodgers113@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Rodgers <jrodgers113@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      '91 Carat AC Inoperative.
In-Reply-To:  <CA+az7_5JUNp2qem7BdJefLWpL2qOT5Ka_GjW=W5p1csKvdKKpA@mail.gmail.com>
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With the summer heat coming on, I'm back on this.

The story: I had never even turned this AC on the years I have had it, rut
set about to resurrect it. When I first turned it on, I did so with
ignition   in accessory mode, not actually starting the engine. The AC
condensor fan did not turn on as it should. I figured the refigerant
pressure was so low or non existent, that the system was in automatic shut
off mode and would require enoungh refrogerant pressure to trigger the
relay to turn the system on. The car had been in mothballs for several
years, but to  my surprise  the system still had some R12 in it. I was
running down the road, whe  I heard a kapow in the back of the van. I could
hear a whistling sound, an on checking, I discovered that the trinary
switch which is essentially the high/low pressure switch, had blown out and
dumped the refrigerant. Replacing the switch, which is ni the left
D-pillar, was no big deal, but I doing so, I discovered the real culprit.
The schrader valve port to which the trinary switch mounts had given up the
ghost. The 'O' ring in the valve had dry rotted letting the pressure out
into the trinary switchsince I would be adding newer refrigerant I had the
system evacuated and that blew out the trinary switch rubber seal. Since I
was going  to convert the system and run  H152a in it, i had it vacuum
checked. It held at 29 in. Hg. I started the engine, turned on the AC, and
started adding the 152a. The compressor did not start. I am at a loss where
to go next. A new receiver/drying was installed. I did not install an
expansionvalve. Just hoping to get by.

Suggestions!!

Thanks!

John Rodgers