-nick

Hey folks,
I have a receipt that shows that the AC was just topped up with 2.4 cans of R12 about 6 weeks ago (for $280!). I just bought the car less than 3 weeks ago and the AC barely blows cold while in traffic. If the revs go up, then it gets cooler, but I really doubt it's approaching the ~55F or so everyone seems to be reporting on here.

Also, the far left and right vents don't blow very hard - maybe half the force of the center vents. Is this normal? The center vent stream of air doesn't make it anywhere near the driver position either. The best I can do is to get it to shoot behind the seat. Is this just a quirk?

Can anyone offer any thoughts so I can bring it in for service with my eyes open?

Thanks,
nick

The Stig

Couple of decent threads around on air con. Mine's already converted to R134 because R12 is a banned substance in Ontario. My problem ended up being a leak at the Schrader (sp?) valves where the coolant goes in. Simple and cheap part, but the search for the leak and the coolant refill cost a fortune. Typical isn't it.

Rennen

Was the system pressure tested? I'm guessing there is a leak somewhere and all the R12 that was injected is now floating in the atmosphere somewhere. The other posibility is that your evaporator is clogged up with gunk or perhaps your compressor is kaput (probably not since you say you do get some cold air).

-nick

I looked over some threads and I just scheduled the car in to EPE in Natick. They're quoting ~$600 for the R134a conversion + dye test - if nothing goes wrong. I wish the conversion had been done rather than filling up with R12! I'm crossing my fingers that the leak is something simple too, and not the evaporator...

cobracarrera

Nick,

I was just discussing this with another rennlist member....What you said about the side vents is true. Mine does the same thing...The center vents have a stronger force of air (cool or heat) flowing from them, but it barely cools down my cabin as well. ( I barely drive the 964 in the hot hot summer)

I may be in the need for the update and repair like you.

964's are not known for having great cooling charecteristics from what I heard.

I think 993's and 996 are better in that respect.

P.S. How is the Sheepie (OES) doing.

Andrew

Computamedic

Just topping up the gas, whether R12 or R134a, is not a very good way to go about recharging the system because there is no way of knowing how much refrigerant is in there other than by measuring the pressure - and that's no great indication.

The better solution is to have the system evacuated and the existing refrigerant captured (if there IS any). Then you can perform a proper pressure test to establish if there are any leaks before attempting to re-gas.

The conversion to R134a requires only that the valves be changed (and the receiver/dryer if the system has been open to the air). The parts (excl. the receiver/dryer) should be no more than $100.

I've just had my car re-gassed with 655 grams of R134a including the necessary PAR46 oil and the whole thing including evacuation, leak test and re-gas was less the $100 at a local tyre place.

It's not unusual for the system to need a re-gas once a year if the car it little used since the seals dry out and let the refrigerant escape. Used daily it's likely to last a lot longer.

Regards

Dave

-nick

Hi Andrew,
Glad to know my vents are at least in line with everyone else's. Though I'm surprised that this unbelievably over-engineered hvac couldn't at least get the vents equalized and pointed at the passengers! Sheepie is doing quite well - she took a first happy ride with the top down on Monday

Dave, when you put it that way - the bill is a bit steep. It does include a new receiver/dryer. Something I thought was par anytime you evacuate the system completely. This is a well-loved shop and I can't imagine them inflating the work. But I'll check around a bit (and read through some more old threads) as they're slightly inconveniently located anyway.

-nick

Hey all,
In my thread reading last night I navigated to this Griffiths conversion kit -
http://www.griffiths.com/shop/index....roducts_id=188

Is anyone familiar with this? If I have the R12 evacuated, then it seems fairly simple to bolt these bits on then take it in for the R134a fill. It sounds like emptying the front condensor of oil is a worthwhile task while I'm in there.

frankvan

On the topic of poor air flow distribution, I've found (twice now) that if one of the front blowers is seized or not fully functional you will get poor, uneven air flow. I think what happens is that the one good blower pressurizes the system with air and it that pressure "leaks" out the side with the broken blower. Both times after I've replaced a blower I'm amazed at the volume of air that does come through the vents. With only one blower functioning the max speed setting is about the same as speed one or two with two functional blowers. On blower speed 4 (or five depending on how you read it) when both blowers work it should be enough to ruffle your hair!

Then again, maybe it's just me...

Computamedic

Nick,

That conversion kit looks good value. The process of evacuating the system will remove all traces of the old oil anyway and the R134a re-fill should be done as part of the same process along with the new ester-based oil. I don't believe you can/should remove the connections once the evacuate has been done. AFAIK it's only necessary to replace the receiver/dryer if the system has been compromised by being open to the air whereupon the desiccant becomes expended. It's not a real expensive part anyway so it's probably worth doing if you have the part. Evacuating the system does not normally compromise the receiver/dryer.

Dave

-nick

Hey all,
I just got back from the local AC shop with reasonably cold blowing air. They were getting 60F at the vent, which I guess is in the right range. They suggested that I could top it up with a bit more r134a to bring the temp down more. If I could just get the vent to point AT me now...

Anyway, the R134a conversion wasn't bad at all -

$105 to have a local shop evacuate / vacuum the system + install the schrader valves
$154 for the Griffiths kit
$0 my labor to remove the compressor, empty & refill the oil, then to replace the drier and any o-rings I could get to. This work was really extraordinarily easy.
$170 for the local shop to pull a vacuum again and fill with R134a
=====
$425

A good bit better than the $600 I was quoted by the specialist - and the local shop cracked the lower rear shock bolts for me with an air gun for my H&R/Bilstein swap!