IcemanG17

Hmm....sure R12 is "illegal"......but Mexico isn't that far...& you can still find it cheap on ebay....R134 went up significantly in price recently too.... The bummer is R134 does not have the cooling capacity of R12 and runs at higher pressures....which puts more strain on the a/c lines....

However a properly setup 928 with 134 will work just fine...... You just have to change all kinds of stuff at the same time....

Speaking of cheap R12...I might happen to know a local "friend" who has the equipment and sells it for $10 a lb??

a4sfed928

I have cases of the R12 in my storage building that I'm afraid to sell it to anyone, with my luck I would sell one can to some guy who turns out to be an EPA Rep and off to the clink I go.

morganabowen

I didn't know that it was illegal. When I brought the case across last summer, I told the border officer what I had, and he just waved me thru. If it is illegal, then forget it, I'll just give them to one of the locals here in LA.

blown 87

It is not illegal to posses or sell, you just can't make it or bring into the country anymore, you done dogged that bullet.

ColinB

Paul
Thanks again for this insight. I had no idea there was a 'green' automotive alternative to R134a. Trying now to find some feedback from satisfied customers. You've been happy with your conversion I take it. Was it a simple "drop-in" as their website suggests or did you have to change anything? How do you think the performance compares with the R12 (ie, is it as cold?)

Colin. 89GT

UKKid35

I can't compare with R12 because my aircon was not working when I bought the car. I assumed it was going to be too expensive to be worth fixing, but after the heatwave in summer 03 I decided to get it regassed just in case it would work. There was no conversion at all, just a different refrigerant.

I've now had Isceon49 in my car for the last four years, but I completely accept that London's weather is not as tough on the aircon system as Cape Town's. However I have used the aircon for extended periods on holidays abroad in the south of France (30+ centigrade) and have been very comfortable.

JPTL

Re: hose replacement, I'm not sure that it's absolutely necessary if your hoses are in good shape & not leaking. I realize that oem hoses were designed for R-12 which has a larger molecular structure...however I've been running 134a with the original hoses for 4 years now, and haven't had any noticeable freon loss. Eventually, if I do suffer freon loss, a simple recharge will be in order - for far less than a hose replacement (even after several recharges).
One thing that is crucial is seal (o-ring) replacement - as many as you can get to - if not all. The green o-rings are more crucial for a good 134a conversion.
As far as performance vs. R12, I think it's tough to argue that it's equivalent, however if done right, with properly working components, my 134a system does very well in awful DC sweltering dog days of summer. My AC system has to work pretty hard to cool an interior behind a big hot V8 in a black car, so I have to say that I'm very satisfied with my conversion.

ColinB

Thanks Paul.

JP/Dr Bob/Anybody
Can you tell me the locations of the R134a o-rings that have to be replaced please?

Colin. 89GT

Nightfly

My '86 had the conversion to 134a; seemed to work fine on the one hot day I had it so far. But rumor has it that 134a is on it's way out, again as an environmentally unfriendly substance; rumor also has it that it's because the patent is running out, just the way it did for r12, so the manufacturer again calls the current item 'environmentally unsound' and markets their new product. I would go with whatever is newest and works, and is not patented by some big conglomerate to expire from use in a few years. BTW, I'm freezing today, and so look forward to all that global warming that those substances are supposedly causing.

JPTL

Colin, many of the guys on here are better versed to rattle off all of the locations of all of the o-ring seals, or you can check this link out on Greg Nichols' site I believe that 928 Specialists or Intl. will sell you a complete o-ring set (not expensive). The count & number of specific sizes will confirm the number of the connections in the system that take seals.
You may want to consider replacing the expansion valves, front and back, particularly if they are original. They can get cruddy and clogged over time - particularly the rear, due to lack of use. This can lead to inconsistent pressure at the seals, and make a marginal ring fail prematurely. Not too tough a job with a little patience.
In any case, the best time to work on your system is before you spend the time and money to properly charge it. Even if your system was working well with a very gradual leak, you should replace the reciever/dryer (a must) all o-rings, and both e-valves before charging it up.
Unless you have all of the proper equipment, you should line up an AC specialist to do a thorough evacuation of the R12, then a pressure/leak test to make sure that you caught all of the problematic areas. Doing o-ring & e-valve replacement
yourself can save alot of $, but you'll likely need the right equipment and experience to properly test for leaks and get the proper amount of freon/oil in the system.

Podguy

J.P.

You have a realtive new 928. With the later models Porsche improved on quality. The older cars I have seen all the hoses - not only A/C are rotted. German rubber is just not that good.

Dan the Pod Guy