A/C conversion kit questions
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,244
Likes: 1
I dunno my uncle's truck lost all it's r12 and it cost to much to get more so he just put in r134 and it worked the whole time till he parked it. I did the same thing mine had been dry for years and i put the new stuff in and it worked till i realized dad had unplugged the compressor and i plugged it back in an found it out was locked up(dad never told me) so i dunno about all that not compatible and needing to change over parts. i'd try to just put r134 in there and if it dont work nothing ventured nothing gained and a few bucks on r134 just to try.
my .02
my .02
im with him worst thing happen is it not work and have to change everything anyway besides that its just $50 extra if it doesnt work
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,569
Likes: 5,606
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
what happens when you use the auto parts store "quick conversion" kits is called black death by A/C folks, cause after it runs for a while everything inside the A/C lines turns black just before the compressor seizes due to the incompatability of the oil that plugs up the orifice tube..
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,244
Likes: 1
well hell from what everyone is saying u need a new compressor condenser drier orifice tube
xD thats pretty much the whole damn system so screw it and as far as u cant vent r-12 into the atmosphere i have a valve core remover that says different
yea its illegal and if the epa is right next to u ur going to get one hell of a fine
so the way i see it is if u try it and it tears up it doesnt matter because u have to change all of it anyway
xD thats pretty much the whole damn system so screw it and as far as u cant vent r-12 into the atmosphere i have a valve core remover that says different
yea its illegal and if the epa is right next to u ur going to get one hell of a fine
so the way i see it is if u try it and it tears up it doesnt matter because u have to change all of it anyway
Fleet Owner
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 20,789
Likes: 1,753
From: Kentucky
Before I would waste money with a backyard R-134a conversion and risk ruining all the lines, condenser, compressor, etc. open up the system, pull the orifice tube to see what kind of crud is on it. If it is reasonably clean, install a new tube, receiver/dryer and every o-ring you can find on the a/c lines. Pump it down, make sure it holds a vacuum then install one of the R-12 drop in replacements such as Freeze 12, Autofrost, Duracool. Do some research, then pick one. Most run ~$8-12 a can.
Charge the system by weight. Then check your vent temperatures and pressures. If it blows up then you know it was a failing component not an issue of an incompatible refrigerant. O-rings run $6 for a bag of universal fit, the last receiver dryer I purchased was about $28 shipped to my door. The orifice tube was about $4 at Advance Auto. I had some leftover AutoFrost (R-406a) from another project, they originally set me back about $8 a can 7 years ago. Add in $10 for the conversion fittings. So for around $60 you can have a decent working system again without having to worry if it is going to implode on itself.
Charge the system by weight. Then check your vent temperatures and pressures. If it blows up then you know it was a failing component not an issue of an incompatible refrigerant. O-rings run $6 for a bag of universal fit, the last receiver dryer I purchased was about $28 shipped to my door. The orifice tube was about $4 at Advance Auto. I had some leftover AutoFrost (R-406a) from another project, they originally set me back about $8 a can 7 years ago. Add in $10 for the conversion fittings. So for around $60 you can have a decent working system again without having to worry if it is going to implode on itself.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
From: Westerville, OH
Before I would waste money with a backyard R-134a conversion and risk ruining all the lines, condenser, compressor, etc. open up the system, pull the orifice tube to see what kind of crud is on it. If it is reasonably clean, install a new tube, receiver/dryer and every o-ring you can find on the a/c lines. Pump it down, make sure it holds a vacuum then install one of the R-12 drop in replacements such as Freeze 12, Autofrost, Duracool. Do some research, then pick one. Most run ~$8-12 a can.
Charge the system by weight. Then check your vent temperatures and pressures. If it blows up then you know it was a failing component not an issue of an incompatible refrigerant. O-rings run $6 for a bag of universal fit, the last receiver dryer I purchased was about $28 shipped to my door. The orifice tube was about $4 at Advance Auto. I had some leftover AutoFrost (R-406a) from another project, they originally set me back about $8 a can 7 years ago. Add in $10 for the conversion fittings. So for around $60 you can have a decent working system again without having to worry if it is going to implode on itself.
Charge the system by weight. Then check your vent temperatures and pressures. If it blows up then you know it was a failing component not an issue of an incompatible refrigerant. O-rings run $6 for a bag of universal fit, the last receiver dryer I purchased was about $28 shipped to my door. The orifice tube was about $4 at Advance Auto. I had some leftover AutoFrost (R-406a) from another project, they originally set me back about $8 a can 7 years ago. Add in $10 for the conversion fittings. So for around $60 you can have a decent working system again without having to worry if it is going to implode on itself.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 20,789
Likes: 1,753
From: Kentucky
I filled my '92 F350 with R-406a last fall when I replaced the condenser, orifice tube and receiver/drier. It works great as a drop in replacement for R-12 systems. R-406a is supposed to cool a little better than R-12, but I suspect your Torino would still need a boost with the extreme Texas heat. I was in Dallas last week, 100+ every evening!
If you do get serious with the A/C system consider using a red orifice tube instead of the factory blue. That should help you out for little cost. If your vent temps and pressures are still high you might consider a custom parallel flow condenser.
If you do get serious with the A/C system consider using a red orifice tube instead of the factory blue. That should help you out for little cost. If your vent temps and pressures are still high you might consider a custom parallel flow condenser.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
