jef3380

For your 3.2, G50, R-12 air conditioning using the factory hoses, how often do you recharge your air conditioning system? Thanks!

ricster

every year or 2

ron mcatee

Whenever my vent temperatures drop below 45 degrees. The older system like yours and mine have a tendency to lose about 1/2 of a pound of freon a year. Some more, some less. I recharge on the average of every 3 years.

theiceman

actually in any HVAC system you should never have to recharge. If you do it is leaking. People in general recharge due to the expense in fixing the system.

ron mcatee

The older ssytems without barrier hoses will lose freon over time. Trust me.

rusnak

I can't even get R-12 anymore.

Maxhouse97

Yeah really where are you guys getting this stuff? I thought it was outlawed 15 years ago? I would love to get some myself...

jwilson95

R12 harder and harder to find. Just recharged mine for the first time with R134A and it is cold now. Interested to see how long it lasts.

abe

R12 is not available but R12a which is a combination of hydrocarbons propane/butane is available and efficient. R134a is less efficient but cheaper then R12a. The biggest problem with R134a is that the molecules will leak in the old hoses. You also have to add a different oil than what is used in R12/R12a and in some cases change the expansion vaulve. In some cars just changing the hoses, adding R134, changing the accumulator/dryer may be enough modification. Also you check the pressure on the high and low side to determine the amount of R134a needed...you do not use the viewing glass on the dryer.

abe

rusnak

abe, you are right on the money. That is exactly what I did. If I change back to "R12a", then I guess I'll have to do a flush, change xv, change back to the mineral oil, and find R12 fittings? That alone is probably reason to continue on with 134a.

theiceman

Will Ron all i can say my 87 never had a leak and had original hoses and I never had to recharge it in 17 years, and it was r12. I eventually sold it still cold AC.
Also I don't know if it is realted but had my Ac in my house for 20 years .. never had to recharge. In fact in canada they won't let you as it is illegal and you need a licensed Ac guy to find and repair the leak so you don't keep pumping freon into the enviroment.

originalmotorhead

So how would you know which port to hook the bottle up to? I've got an 80 sc and there's no charge in it, best i can tell. The compressor has two nipples on the side facing to the back of the car, the top one does not appear to have anything inside it, the bottom one has the schrader valve(like on your valve stem). there's also two screws next to these, which I assume are for closing off the valves for removal and service ?

Tom

abe

When you charge you always charge on the low pressure side...the hoses that comes from the evaporator. The hoses that goes to the condensor on the hood is the high pressure side. I don't know about the York compressor since I upgraded mine...but sometimes there are symbols like R for return or S for suction on the compressor that lets you know which side is which. To me it was obvious just knowing where the hoses were coming in and out on the upgrade compressor. Again, charge is on the low side.
abe

rusnak

Tom, you probably need a new receiver/dryer, and most likely a flush if the system has been empty for long. If the hoses are good, then all of the o-rings should be replaced. Probably the valves too. Personally, I'd switch the compressor to a newer one. The York is awful.

originalmotorhead

Maybe I should just yank it all out, save the weight, make more room under the hood too? I just thought I'd try a fill and see what it does since I had leftover cans of r134 from a van i filled last year.

Tom