#1 |
I have read all the threads here I could find on AC. I posted a topic over on an AC website, but only got a couple of generic responses, mainly telling me not to convert to R134a. I don't really want to anyway and have access to plenty of R12 so that isn't an issue for me. However, the car always leaked out a can or two every year which wasn't an issue back when I was paying a buck or two a can when I was driving the car. I can see two of the springlocks are leaking by the oil on them and it looks like the compressor is slightly wet behind the clutch but it isn't easy to judge how bad it is since the car sat idle so long.
I plan on replacing the accumulator and the lines as they are dirt cheap for these cars. The problem as everyone knows is the HR980 compressor. It seems the supply for new ones has dried up. While my compressor is more likely than others to be in good shape on the inside since the car has spent its whole life in a moderate climate I am debating on ditching it and going with something a little more serviceable.
From my research, it seems that you need special tools to get the clutch hub on and off and put the seal in and out of the HR980. The factory service manual lists about a dozen tools needed to do the job, including one to install an o-ring. I was wondering if anyone here has replaced the seal in the HR980, and if so what are the minimum of tools needed to do the job and how successful they were.
Hard to justify spending a lot of money on tools to do one compressor when I could put that money along with what the seal costs to a better compressor. Of course I'd have to fabricate brackets, but I don't intend on selling the car so if this compressor is as bad as its reputation I would have to do that eventually anyway. From what I can tell the cost of the lines is pretty much a wash since the accumulator comes much cheaper without the line attached.
Also, I was wondering about the 2.3L Mustang bracket. From what I can tell, these cars came with an FS6 compressor, which is a pad mount. Do more modern compressors share the same bolt spacing as the pad mount FS6, like possibly the fs10 or pad mount compressors from Sanden or Seltec? How well does the FS6 tolerate R134a if I decide to convert?
No doubt the easiest route would be to replace the accumulator, lines and o-rings for about $50-75, evacuate the system and put the R12 to her and hope the compressor doesn't leak too bad. Maybe worth pissing a similar amount dollar wise in Freon away just to find out rather than spending hundreds converting. I am considering that too, but I don't like relying on luck as it usually doesn't work out for me.
Would like to hear opinions on this or any other ideas on the AC system of these cars. Thanks
I plan on replacing the accumulator and the lines as they are dirt cheap for these cars. The problem as everyone knows is the HR980 compressor. It seems the supply for new ones has dried up. While my compressor is more likely than others to be in good shape on the inside since the car has spent its whole life in a moderate climate I am debating on ditching it and going with something a little more serviceable.
From my research, it seems that you need special tools to get the clutch hub on and off and put the seal in and out of the HR980. The factory service manual lists about a dozen tools needed to do the job, including one to install an o-ring. I was wondering if anyone here has replaced the seal in the HR980, and if so what are the minimum of tools needed to do the job and how successful they were.
Hard to justify spending a lot of money on tools to do one compressor when I could put that money along with what the seal costs to a better compressor. Of course I'd have to fabricate brackets, but I don't intend on selling the car so if this compressor is as bad as its reputation I would have to do that eventually anyway. From what I can tell the cost of the lines is pretty much a wash since the accumulator comes much cheaper without the line attached.
Also, I was wondering about the 2.3L Mustang bracket. From what I can tell, these cars came with an FS6 compressor, which is a pad mount. Do more modern compressors share the same bolt spacing as the pad mount FS6, like possibly the fs10 or pad mount compressors from Sanden or Seltec? How well does the FS6 tolerate R134a if I decide to convert?
No doubt the easiest route would be to replace the accumulator, lines and o-rings for about $50-75, evacuate the system and put the R12 to her and hope the compressor doesn't leak too bad. Maybe worth pissing a similar amount dollar wise in Freon away just to find out rather than spending hundreds converting. I am considering that too, but I don't like relying on luck as it usually doesn't work out for me.
Would like to hear opinions on this or any other ideas on the AC system of these cars. Thanks