Air Conditioner Recharge

Originally posted by TurboCoupe50:
They let you race with the air on??? You drip water from the A/C and the track I race at will send you packin'.

Sorry, that was a cheap attempt at humor. Our starter will boot you if your drooling, so water on the track is a no-no. I actually pull the small belt off at the track.

Bob Myers

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My 88 Thunderbird TC Pictures, Updated 5-8 with a few drag pics

I have had great success with my r134 conversion. I did a new drier and seals, removed the compressor and flushed both exchangers with a chemical the A/C shop gave me. I kept the R-12 orifice tube,if yours has been replaced that's worth something (like $75 for them to do it here)Then drained the compressor by turning the wheel a bunch with it upside down over a bucket to pump it out; and left it over night upside down.
The shop also gave me oil that was compatable with both r-134 and r-12 to minimize any failures from resdual r-12 oil. PAG? Can't remember.

I bought some cheap r-134 manifold gauges from harbor freight, and the fittings came with the oil, seals and flush purchase. Sucked it down with a harbor freight cheap vacuum sucker for a couple hours and charged to 250lbs high side, 35lbs low side on a 65 degree day.

It's been 2 years, and when I wrecked it last year they had to replace the condensor so I flushed that one and charged it back up. R-134 is cheap so who cares if it leaks a bit down the road. It kept me nice and cold without running on high (eatc) on my trip down to CA for 3,000 miles with weather in the upper 90's.
HTH

Oh I just found the site I used that was invaluable for A/C info and retrofitting. It had gone offline, but I just found it at web.archive.org. I highly recommend it for everyone who is considering it. All of it is good, but you need to see the Service and Retrofit index page.
http://web.archive.org/web/2004051312073.../~pparish/

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88 Red, 5 speed, fender k&n, kirban, walbro, single 3" cat and ultraflow to 2.5" mustang tailpipe, new PRC struts, 20% stiffer springs lowered 1", CHE uppers/lowers, all but leather and sunroof. Forge BPV on the bench...

[This message has been edited by Matt S (edited 07-19-2005).]

Hey Matt,
Great site, he explains in great detail using layman's terms. Thanx for putting that up here.

Bill W.

I have been using Envirosafe Industrial 12a in my truck since the end of last summer. In June I took my family on a 1000 mile round trip to the Texas coast, and the a/c blew cooler than it ever has with R-12. What is amazing is that you only use 1/3 the amount of the envirosafe compared to R12. It's fully compatible with the R12 mineral oil or the 134a synthetic oil, so no flushing required.