At 11:59 AM -0600 4/3/98, William Ward wrote: >I've decided to take the big plunge and have the A/C on my 86 GL repaired >and need advice. It does get hot here in TX. First, it's completely empty >- no freon (R12) and it has an aftermarket compressor which could be a >Sanden, York or Tecumseh unit. Next, my mechanic suggested I replace all >the O-rings before we make a leak test or waste any refridgerant. He also >suggested I consider converting to R-134A, for all obvious reasons. From >visual inspection, all components appear to be okay, the compressor turns >freely, all wires and hoses are intact, all fans and controls function, but >the compressor clutch does not engage (because there's no freon, I suppose). >This is a large unit with the major components mounted in the top rear and a >long duct along the roof to the front of the Vanagon. > >Any and all advice on what to do first, how much $$$ to expect to dish out, >and who to perform the task (dealer or ... ) will be greatly appreciated. > > >Bill Ward 86 Vanagon - recently purchased >Pottsboro, TX 65 Mercedes 190 Sedan > 56 Chevy PU, BBW, V8 - For Sale > 58 Plymouth Belvedere under construction Bill, I recently had some A/C work done on my 90 Multivan. I too considered converting to R-134 but because all I needed was a recharge I saw no reason to go through the expense of converting. I think it really comes down to the price of the conversion vs just fixing what you have, do whats ever cost effective. As far as having a dealer do it--forget it, take it to an independant VW mechanic or an A/C & radiator shop that works on German cars. I took my van to a dealer last summer for an A/C check and they totally missed diagnosising the problem, they also wanted to charge me $2000 to fix it, it ended up costing me about $200 at an independant VW garage. Beware of VW dealer service. Good Luck Tim |
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