But it doesn't appear to be gone. If Rifledriver is finding it in Texas for under $700 for 30 pounds, and a search on craigslist brings up cans and 30 pound jugs, it's still around. One 30 pound jug will keep a TR in r-12 for the rest of your days, especially if one has a recycle machine. The weird replacement blends are NOT worth the risk. Plus they contaminate your system. As the car owner, you can control what is installed and not be guessing the history, unlike a shop owner that has to make educated guesses on what's in the cars they work on.
This is what I can find locally I can get 12 oz cans of R12 for $35 a can. Or 30lbs for $1000. I could offer $700 but I'd have to remove the compressor again, drain the oil, replace it, flush the system. Image Unavailable, Please Login Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk
You've had your car for many years, you've been running it with R-134- if it's working, don't fix it. You're not the only one running R-134 in their TR's and have a cold AC. I think people that haven't changed yet however should consider keeping the R-12 and just be Boy Scouts and stock up. If i was in your location I would have snagged that thirty pound jug. I paid a bit more for mine last week. But I have SIX cars that use R-12 three that are project cars that will need freon eventually. The little cans are a pain compared to just having a jug. Put the jug on a scale and you're off to the races.
Yea I will just stick to R134. Had my car not been converted then I would have tried staying with R12. I'll fill the AC this coming weekend. I hope it goes well. Makes sense to have a big bottle if you have many cars that run R12. In my case I only have the one that has it. If anything I should be a jug of R134. Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk
No we don't. If you are properly equipped to do A/C you have a gas identifier. Tells you whats in the system. Required by law in a lot of places.
If it is already converted makes more sense. There are oils that are compatible with both but you don't know whats in it. The factory hoses don't do well with 134 but the reality is even with R12 factory standard is a charge would last 2 years. If a car does better, great, just don't count on it. 134 isn't really cheap anymore but it is easy to get to top off a system. Alternative gasses are mostly propane based. If one of those gets used and causes a fire whoever put it in will get crucified and their insurance will just stand by and watch.
Received the AC drier today. It's different from what I have in my car. I was able to swap the pressure switch over. So in the pictures the one with the pressure switch is the new one. Also the new one does not have a sight glass. As you can see it's a bit shorter than what was in my car, and the new one weighs less than the old one, but maybe that's oil and water in it. I got the drier from Polar Bear inc, it'll probably fit and function just fine, and for $60ish it works for me. The one in the car doesn't have any markings other than made in China. So obviously it has been changed a few times before. Question, do I have to add oil to the drier, or just add it to the compressor and it gets mixed around? Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk
Very good point. I'll try scratching some of the paint and see if they really did that. I think what Polar Bear inc and others do is find a cheap drier, paint it to hide the part numbers and sell it to Ferrari owners. Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk
Who uses a sight glass. Been 30 or more years since that was considered an appropriate way to charge. Systems get overcharged routinely that way.
My McGraw Hill book on automotive AC systems, written in 1987, typically used as a high school textbook, says to drain out the refrigerant, put the hose in a cloth and let the gas escape slowly, so the oil isn't drawn out. Within a few years of that book being written, shops were required to have a recycling machine to do AC work, AND have a 609 certificate which I received in 1994- almost 30 years ago. Things HAVE changed.
I wasn't going to use the sight glass, just noticed it's missing. Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk
Question that got buried above, do I have to add any oil to the new drier or just add it to the compressor and it'll get mixed and settle in there? I assume add it to the compressor but figured I'd ask. Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk
Added an extra oz of oil. Recharged with 36 oz of R134. The pressures are as shown below. I feel like I should add a bit more refrigerant to raise them a bit. Thoughts? I'm taking the car out for a drive now to see how it does Image Unavailable, Please Login Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk
Just got back from a long drive. Sunny day in California, windows up. 70ish degrees outside with bright sun. Center AC vents were outputting 45 degrees F air. So I'd say the system is working pretty well, it was getting too cold but I figured I'd leave it running on high the whole time. I can always add more R134 later but for now this seems to work. I'll keep an eye on the pressure to check for leaks. Image Unavailable, Please Login Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk
It's been ILLEGAL since 1992 to simply release refrigerant into the air. A shop MUST have some sort of machine to have the gases drain into, whether a recycle, recover, or reclaim machine. If you don't consider this not changing much, maybe Texas really isn't part of the United States. Forty five degrees sounds pretty COOL to me! A running, driving , serviced ,COOL car! Congrats!
Thank you very much, maybe R12 would be cooler but this works for me. I look forward to driving on a warm day now. We will see how long this charge lasts. Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk
And for $15 per can, I have no issue with that. 2 years would be great, 1 year would be fine. I'll just stock up and recharge when needed Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk
Not just Texas. There is no federal requirement to have recycling equipment to charge 134. Some states have that requirement. For the same reason a 609 is required to buy R12 but 134 is OTC in most states. Its not covered by specific equipment or licensing requirements federally. Its why most shops do not use R12. The need a license and specific equipment. Anyone can buy and use 134 so they do. In California I was required to have it all no matter the gas being used. Probably true in Oregon too but not federally. Everyone was. Its why R12 is still in widespread use there. and its why R12 is not in widespread use in most other places.
