judd944

My AC has never worked in the car. 5 years I never worked on it or checked it out. I am hoping to recharge it for the drive to OH. What should I look for? can I recharge it from one of those Kits at Autozone?

Yabo

Do a search , theres been 5012950213123 threads in the last .0124214 week. it's all explained there.

In short, you need to draw a vacuum. If it's still R12 and hasn't been retrofitted, you need to get the system evacuated at a shop, replace the orings, and then by the retrofit kit from autozone or wherever and try filling it. it will take about 83 percent or something the amount of 134a as it would have of r12 because 134a works with less pressure.

yada yada yada

Yabo

Oh and you need a vacuum drawn prior to charging which they will do when they evacuate it but if you take off the lines to put orings on youll need to get a vacuum pulled again.

SD Porsche Fan

1. If it won't hold a vacuum don't even bother.
2. If you use an Autozone type kit they come with some sort of 'stop leak' in it. Once you use it don't take it to a shop as the stop leak will gum up their vacuum system and cost you more.

johnny1423

what is the rough fill capcity(after evacuating) in ounces with 134???

VWaddict

Also, if it hasn't had pressure in it in 5 years, I'd say you'll need a new drier/receiver orwhatever they have in these cars.

It's always possible that you have a dead compressor or something similar. -If so, no amount of charging will help you... spin the wheel and find out.

I just stockpiled a whole load of R-12, enough to see me through the next 20 years... so I don't expect to convert to R134 very soon...

Keith

judd944

yeah, I kind of figured there is no "cheap" way of getting this working. Looks like I will just sweat it out.

testarossa_td

Here is the ghetto method. First make sure your control unit works. Second see if the compressor works. These are the two most common failure points.
Engage the lowest temp on your control and activate compressor switch.
Did it spin? IF no could be several different things. Fuse, control unit, ac compressor switch, low pressure switch, AC clutch failure/disconnected wire, bad compressor, expansion valve, clogged lines.

If you can jumper the compressor directly (low pressure switch or directly from battery then you learned something...run it long like this and you will learn more -dead compressor as well as system
Ghetto1:
Buy autozone kit and charge with compressor jumpered until enough is in that the low pressure switch jumper method is no longer needed.

So after reading all the threads on rennlist and aquainting yourself with all that.

GHETTO method 2.

pull off compressor and drier canister. Replace o-rings(autozone) and new compressor/clutch(ebay all day or rennlist) assembly and charge with Autozone kit.

IF...IF it works you can smile for however long...even then you should have done it right the first time... If it does not then you had fun changing out an AC compressor..and get to do it again by doing a proper evac/R&R and vacuum on your system.

of course all at your own risk!

alordofchaos

Ghetto method 3:
Get two cans of Duracool, fill system, hope it doesn't all leak out. Enjoy cold air

I turn the temp control **** up to about 20 and turn the fan down to 1, otherwise it gets too cold!

Chris_924s

Ok, where's the low pressure side? is it the firewall inlet?

johnny1423

no...low pressure side( where you charge it) is underneath..next to the compressor and alternator

Chris_924s

Perfect, Johnny- PM me your phone # and I'll let you know how my AC conversion goes today.

The DareDevil

I charged my system with approximately 2lbs (32oz) of R134a.

Yabo

I believe the car takes 32 oz of r12 originally. which would mean it should take 26-28 or so of 134 a i think

testarossa_td

And as some have stated you kind of have to play with the levels to achieve the coolest factor...plus a lot of the converter kits come with oil in the charge and that lessens the R134 value....so not as cool.