North American Turbocoupe Organization



Air Conditioner Recharge
martin0660 Offline
Posting Freak
#1
I did a lot of searching, but am still a little confused by what I have with my AC system on my 88.

This car was retroft to R134A by the previous owner, and has worked "okay" for the last couple of years. The air has gotten a little worse, and the compresser is cycling a good bit, so I wanted to throw another can of refrigerant in there. The system was switched over with a new dryer, and the large hose was cut for the orifice I assume as it is clamped.

Well, The ONLY quick connect fitting on the system is in the line that runs from the compresser to the condenser. This fitting has a red "H" cap on it, and my R134 hose doesnt fit this connection. There are no other fittings or taps in any of the lines, and this one is deffinately to big for my R134A hose, as well as the fitting on one of the "quick fill" cans.

So my question is that the point I should be adding refridgerant, or am I missing something? I am suspecting that this is the wrong adapter fitting on there, but want to be sure. Any input appreciated.

Bob Myers

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My 88 Thunderbird TC Pictures, Updated 5-8 with a few drag pics
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BJL Offline
Moderator
#2
the fitting thast you are tlaking about is a "high side" fitting, DON'T CHARGE FROM THERE WHILE RUNNING. it can get up to about 300 psi or more and blow that lil can up.

there shoudl be a fitting on the reciver dryer, but if it has been chnaged it may not be there anymore. that problay when you confused , the fitting for you hose is for low side charging, and the fitting is on my dryer in my gray car,
for a no low side fittign i belvei your sopposed to take the a/c comprssore cylce switch off the reciver dryer and chatrge from there, and jumper the cycle switch connector.
im not 1005 sure about this but that my i was told on when i charged my blue car and it worked. till the comprssor clutch went.
i hope i clarified this , if not pm me and il try to explain better.

to make it blow cold you should evacuate the whole system and pull a vacuum on it for about an hour, this will boil any moisture in the system and actually get the a/c colder.
you shoudl also replace a few orings near the condensor they tend to leak oon the fox chassis cars.
Brian Larkin
88TC 330,000 miles
Slightly Modified
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TurboCoupe50 Offline
Posting Freak
#3
It's basically as Brian stated... DON'T try to charge it from the high side..

Probably won't do you any good, but here is a pix of my converted '87 TC..
http://www.members.cox.net/mr428/tc134a.jpg

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Two 1988 Turbo Coupes

1987 Turbo Coupe

1988 Turbo Coupe 5.0 with Trick Flow heads and other mods.

1988 Base T-bird 5.0 Windsor Jr heads and other goodies

1969 Fairlane Cobra (stock)

A couple of Aerostars

Oh yea the wife has a Grand Marquis...
1988 Turbo Coupe331 AOD

1972 Comet GT

1969 Fairlane Cobra 428CJ 4-Speed
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dezridin2 Offline
Member
#4
also..only use 80% of 134a vs r12..there should be a sticker someware where it tells you how much r-12 the system takes..
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martin0660 Offline
Posting Freak
#5
Thanks guys, I got it.

The picture was very helpfull. I do not have a fitting on the dryer as yours shows. As I said, this car had been "retrofit", so it is a little off stock. For reference, there is NO low side fitting on the system visable, and the hose from the compressor to the dryer has been cut and clamped on to the new dryer. I assume this is done to save cost on the replacement dryer, and to change the orifice tube?

Brians directions were right on, Remove the pressure switch, screw on a low pressure R134A adapter fitting, then connect there to fill. I did have to jumper the pressure switch to make the system cycle. There is a shrader valve in the dryer, so the system remains closed with all the switching around.

I did not vacuum the system this time, as it has been working, just a little poorer than typical. I added one of the little cans of refrigerant, and it brought it to the top of the "okay" range on my cheap gauge. I am okay with this as this is the first I've added in the three years I've owned this car.

I will be pulling this engine over the winter, so I will redo the entire system while that is going on [Image: wink.gif] I'm typically not real big on AC, but its been humid as heck here and raining a lot so you cant have the windows down.

Bob Myers

[This message has been edited by martin0660 (edited 07-17-2005).]
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BJL Offline
Moderator
#6
if you consider going back to r-12. let me as i can still get it, its bit costy, but can. as soon as i change al my o-rings and clean out the a/c system and add a new dryer i putting bakc in r-12. i prefere r-12 over anything, its much colder!
glad to see you got it workin.
pick up a set of a/c gauges, ther elilke 39 bucks though my tool mags, and they are very helpfu;l once you understand the presure charts! a/c is easy!

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Brian J Larkin
1988 Turbo Coupe Gray
got turbo? I do NOW!
sequential turn signals, 3g alt,afpr, k&n,255lph pump, gillis valve, 2in dual exhuast with SN95 SS tips. tripcomputer
1988 Turbo Coupe
dark blue
needs soem TLC (and a motor)
Brian Larkin
88TC 330,000 miles
Slightly Modified
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Hurff Offline
Senior Member
#7
(mood, darkly lit alley, sounds of cats prowling, think film noir)

uh, so Brian..... still have access to 12. What's a fix gonna cost ?

Ok, seriously. I have my daily driver that is just slightly low on charge. (380k on the same A/C system, its due) I ordered a Freeze 12 kit, but if topping it off is in any way reasonable.... and available....

Im at [email protected]
'
thanks
steve
1987 TC - RIP
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TurboCoupe50 Offline
Posting Freak
#8
Quote:Originally posted by BJL:
i prefere r-12 over anything, its much colder!

Thats for sure... Back on '02 when the wife went to Carlisle with me she said, you gotta get some A/C on the Bird. So I replaced acculimator and some hoses, evacuated it for a hour so and a freind hit it with the R12. She wore a sweater and stayed wrapped up in a blanket for the whole trip.. It still cools as good now as it did three years ago...



------------------
Two 1988 Turbo Coupes

1987 Turbo Coupe

1988 Turbo Coupe 5.0 with Trick Flow heads and other mods.

1988 Base T-bird 5.0 Windsor Jr heads and other goodies

1969 Fairlane Cobra (stock)

A couple of Aerostars

Oh yea the wife has a Grand Marquis...
1988 Turbo Coupe331 AOD

1972 Comet GT

1969 Fairlane Cobra 428CJ 4-Speed
Reply

martin0660 Offline
Posting Freak
#9
Well, I would love to go back to R-12. This car was converted when I got it. Can you go back to R-12 without major complications after the new oil (pag?) was added?

I was half hoping it wouldnt take so I could ditch all the AC stuff and knock some more weight off the nose of the car [Image: biggrin.gif]

I cant wait for it to cool off so I can make some passes without the air running, should pick up a little then [Image: wink.gif]

Bob Myers

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

[This message has been edited by martin0660 (edited 07-18-2005).]
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TurboCoupe50 Offline
Posting Freak
#10
Quote:Originally posted by martin0660:

Well, I would love to go back to R-12. This car was converted when I got it. Can you go back to R-12 without major complications after the new oil (pag?) was added?

I don't think I'd flip flop them back and forth... Once Its been switched I'd keep it, R12 ain't gonna be available forever. I used the 12 because mine had never been converted.

The wifes '93 Grand Marquis seems work fairly well on 134, but when I bought the new components(compressor burned up, literally poured ashes out of the old one) I had them check the '94s that used 134A and everything was the same except for the pressure switch. So apparently the system was designed with the new juice in mind..
Quote:Originally posted by martin0660:


I cant wait for it to cool off so I can make some passes without the air running, should pick up a little then [Image: wink.gif]

Bob Myers


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'.



------------------
Two 1988 Turbo Coupes

1987 Turbo Coupe

1988 Turbo Coupe 5.0 with Trick Flow heads and other mods.

1988 Base T-bird 5.0 Windsor Jr heads and other goodies

1969 Fairlane Cobra (stock)

A couple of Aerostars

Oh yea the wife has a Grand Marquis...
1988 Turbo Coupe331 AOD

1972 Comet GT

1969 Fairlane Cobra 428CJ 4-Speed
Reply





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