Holy fricken tamole..... A/C

[MiniPigg]

Well I think it was about 3 months ago I called around asking about recharging my system with R12. At that time the only shop with R12 said he had just recently ran out and would have to order more. He told me about 100 dollars per pound used.

I just called him today and he told me the new price was 230 dollars per pound. FK that.

Then I thought about going to the R134. It seemed like a reasonable replacement and a DIY conversion with only a few parts.

After doing more reading I came across FREEZE12 on mud. This might be the best route for me. But I have a few more Q's.

I am still in the process of converting our FJ62 to a desmog'd 2FE.
The A/C was pulled from the truck to make it an easier job. So it has been exposed for some time now. I will buy a drier as mentioned in other threads. I am also thinking of dumping the oil and replacing it with the FREEZE12 kit. What are the thoughts on opening the compressor up and replacing some o rings?

 

[Hank]

Take the time to replace all o-rings and oil, buy a new drier, assemble the system, use a flush, pull everything out and hold it for 30 minutes or more. Put the system in a vacuum for 30 minutes or more, if your work holds, charge away and enjoy icy cold air.

 

[Okie_dave]

If the system is open, I agree with Hank. Do it right the first time.

Mine was still sealed in the vehicle. I pulled a vacuum on the system for an hour, charged it with Freeze12, and it still works great 2 or 3 years later.

It gets hot and humid in Oklahoma in the Summer. I am very pleased with Freeze12.

 

[akarilo]

Interparts on 11th street has plenty of Freeze 12. I was running it but finally took the plunge and converted to R134. Just more conveinient for me due to availability. I'll admit it's not quite as good as the Freeze, but it's adequate.

 

[Dynosoar]

R12 is available on Ebay and you can easily get it south of the boarder. Tijuana, MX has tons of Autoparts stores and it gos for about $8.00 a can(1 lb).

Dynosoar

 

[MiniPigg]

Awesome.... the kits seem to be about the same price as the Freeze12. Now I am curious which is going to work better and put out the best cold air.

 

[meatloaf]

R12 is available on Ebay and you can easily get it south of the boarder. Tijuana, MX has tons of Autoparts stores and it gos for about $8.00 a can(1 lb).

Dynosoar

Just be careful..If you get caught with refrigerants at US Customs, it is similar to the of smuggling narcotics.

 

[Spike Strip]

OK, Peter, wanna make a TJ run? -- Just gotta watch out for the Narcocorridors, they're shootin' each other and the Mex cops and any poor bastard that gets in the way.

Viva Bush's War on Drugs!

Sorry, off-topic rant.

S.

 

[MiniPigg]

Just be careful..If you get caught with refrigerants at US Customs, it is similar to the of smuggling narcotics.

What about buying it on ebay? They seem to have a number of R12 kits for a reasonable price.

 

[Dynosoar]

R12 is considerably safer than Freeze 12. Freeze 12 is flammable. So if you spring a leak it could be a problem.


Dynosoar

 

[cruiser88]

Take the time to replace all o-rings and oil, buy a new drier, assemble the system, use a flush, pull everything out and hold it for 30 minutes or more. Put the system in a vacuum for 30 minutes or more, if your work holds, charge away and enjoy icy cold air.

I think Hank means before pulling vacuum put some nitrogen in......manifold gauges should read close to 29.92 when you are pulling a vacuum(well when done)......oh yea Harbor Freight sells some cheap ones if you cannot borrow one.

 

[MiniPigg]

R12 is considerably safer than Freeze 12. Freeze 12 is flammable. So if you spring a leak it could be a problem.


Dynosoar

According to the Freeze12 website their product is not flammable.

freeze 12 r12,FREEZE12 COMPATIBLE R12 REPLACEMENT A/C REFRIGERANT

 

[philos1]

Don't forget the expansion valve - Mine was bad and killed a compressor in no time at all.

and X2 on the TJ R12 cans, if you're worried, just dirty the can up a bit and call it a spare. In any case they (customs) probably don't even know what R12 is.

 

[MiniPigg]

Im going to wait on the AC stuff for now. We move to WA this week.
After we get settled in I intend to complete the AC.

On the good side of things. I finished my 2FE desmog conversion and started her up last night. Now I just need to work out any bugs.

 

[UpsideDown]

R12 is considerably safer than Freeze 12. Freeze 12 is flammable. So if you spring a leak it could be a problem.


Dynosoar

Having used hydrocarbon refrigerants for a couple of years now, I find this comment to be unfounded in any kind of fact (regarding the safety aspect).

If you want to make a similar comparison, you should fill your fuel tank with water since its not flammable and gasoline is far too dangerous because it is... just look at all those cars the explode in TV movies! And think about all the lead in car batteries. OMG! Panic!

R12 is illegal in Canada (and many other less-than-backward nations), and there is no good reason to use it in any locale on this globe of ours, period. R12a (the hydrocarbon product - sold under many brand names such as Dura Cool and Red Tek) and Freeze 12 are excellent products that are very affordable and easy to use. The cool very well, being quite comparable to CFC R12. And, they do not deplete the ozone layer to any real degree since they don't contain Chlorine compounds and therefore do not get involved in radical reactions in the upper atmosphere.

~John

 

[Joe_E]

Thanks for the tip on this Freeze12!
I was debating what to do during my rehab with the AC. This seems like a much better alternative to worrying about a 12/134 problem with the compressor.

 

[rchalmers3]

Having used hydrocarbon refrigerants for a couple of years now, I find this comment to be unfounded in any kind of fact (regarding the safety aspect).

If you want to make a similar comparison, you should fill your fuel tank with water since its not flammable and gasoline is far too dangerous because it is...

Not so fast there bub, here's something to consider:


Hydrocarbons in liquid form, like the fuel in your gas tank (using your example) is rather inert, I would agree. I've seen guys throw their lit cigerettes into a pan of gas to put them out. Always gave me a start, but I think they wanted that reaction from me.

It's hydrocarbons in a gas, or finely atomized and in the correct combination with oxygen (and an ignition source) that make for movie type pyrotechnics. I've heard it's more potent than TNT in the correct mixture. Properly harnessed, this combo hauls your behind around all the time!

Now consider that in your passenger compartment, where you, your family and friends sit as you take them places are all in a virtual combustion chamber! The hydrocarbon gas in your A/C system get shoved into your "chamber" through the A/C liquid line and gets expanded into gas form right there in the evaporator at the feet of your passenger!

So now that you have filled your A/C system with propane or another hydrocarbon, a finely atomized or gaseous hydrocarbon is now being introduced into the passenger compartment of your car! A potential leak of your A/C system inside your truck, along with a ignition source is now in your possible future.

I think that why the auto manufacturers all used inert gasses for air conditioning. It sure wasn't price, 'cause making refridgerent is expensive. The manufacturers would have used petro chemicals in the A/C if they thought they could have gotten away with it!

Just because hydrocarbon refridgerent is now being sold does not make it OK. You must find out what the risks/benefits are for you to decide. Also, I am ignorant of the chemical blend of the propane. Maybe they have a retardant or other chemicals to reduce the chance of explosion.

I'm not judging you or sermonizing, I'm just taking your above quote to task.

Respectfully sumbitted,

Rick

 

[jpeg]

Im going to wait on the AC stuff for now. We move to WA this week.
After we get settled in I intend to complete the AC.

if you'll be in western wa, don't bother. you'll only need your a/c for one week in august

 

[cruiser_guy]

I've gone with R134a simply because it'll be available longer and easier since all cars use it from the factory.

I had a vehicle that had been retrofitted with an alternative a few years ago (R409 I think). Try finding a shop that would touch it! I ended up searching on the internet, finding a shop 6 hours and a border crossing away to evacuate it (they no longer used it but they agreed to discharge and evacuate it) and open the system so that a local shop would work on it!

I put R134a into it. Easier to fix down the road. Freeze 12 may be a popular retrofit now but will it be in 5 years from now and will shops touch it?

 

[Mace]

how hard is it to clean out the AC system???


My 60 has had the hoses disconnected fromt he firewall for a while now. It is getting damn hott here in Vegas. I want AC..