A/C Conversion kit
04-28-2004, 09:07 AM
#1
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Location: Massachusetts
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A/C Conversion kit
I found a conversion kit to change my AC over to the new R134A. It was at Advanced Auto Parts for $35 and looks like just what I need. Its called the Interdynamics RKR7 I believe. Has anyone converted to the new coolant with any luck? Thanks!
04-28-2004, 09:19 AM
#2
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Location: Roanoke,Virginia
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I did mine last summer. Took me all of about 10-15 minutes and I didn't even have to create a vacuum in the system. Before anyone says anything about that, I checked my AC the other day and it still works just fine.
04-28-2004, 03:47 PM
#4
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Location: MD
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I used that exact same kit from Advance on both my Z28 and my 88 S10. I did my car a couple of years ago, and did it properly, but recovering the R12 and vacuuming the system for an hour.
The S10 was done last summer, also properly.
Both have worked flawlessly since. However, the Z28 does not seem to cool as well as the R12 did, while the S10 is the same.
Rather than just releasing the R12 to the atmosphere, consider taking it into a shop to recover and vacuum it. If you're good, you might find a shop that will recover the freon and vaccum the system for free, in return for the R12 - which is worth a good bit these days
The S10 was done last summer, also properly.
Both have worked flawlessly since. However, the Z28 does not seem to cool as well as the R12 did, while the S10 is the same.
Rather than just releasing the R12 to the atmosphere, consider taking it into a shop to recover and vacuum it. If you're good, you might find a shop that will recover the freon and vaccum the system for free, in return for the R12 - which is worth a good bit these days
04-28-2004, 09:40 PM
#7
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If it's empty there's probably a reason. If you try to fill it with R134, it will become empty again.
I converted my truck over last month. I have access to an AC recovery machine so I was able to do it properly.
A proper convertion requires a few things.
#1 You need to replace the accumulator (big silver canister) It's also called a filter/dryer. The old R12 one will be contaminated and a new one needs to be installed. The R12 contamination which can include the old R12 oil isn't good for a R134 system.
#2 The kit should include lots of o-rings. All the o-rings in the system need to be changed. There's one at the end of every fitting including the high pressure sensor. The old R12 o-rings are not compatible with R134.
#3 The oil in the compressor needs to be changed. This means you need to remove the compressor and dump out the old oil. R12 oil isn't compatible with R134.
#4 The fittings need to be changed. The ones in the kit just screw on but the valve cores in the old fittings need to be removed first or else the next time the system is checked, you won't be able to read any pressures.
Once all that's done, the system should be pressure tested with nitrogen to check for leaks. No sense filling the system up if it's all going to leak out. If everything checks out then the system needs to be brought down into a vaccum because air and moisture in the system will create too high of a pressure for the AC to work properly. Once it's in a vaccum, approximately 80% of the R12 charge is added as R134.
A quickie conversion is not a proper conversion and will cause more problems down the road. If properly done, it should take a couple of hours.
I converted my truck over last month. I have access to an AC recovery machine so I was able to do it properly.
A proper convertion requires a few things.
#1 You need to replace the accumulator (big silver canister) It's also called a filter/dryer. The old R12 one will be contaminated and a new one needs to be installed. The R12 contamination which can include the old R12 oil isn't good for a R134 system.
#2 The kit should include lots of o-rings. All the o-rings in the system need to be changed. There's one at the end of every fitting including the high pressure sensor. The old R12 o-rings are not compatible with R134.
#3 The oil in the compressor needs to be changed. This means you need to remove the compressor and dump out the old oil. R12 oil isn't compatible with R134.
#4 The fittings need to be changed. The ones in the kit just screw on but the valve cores in the old fittings need to be removed first or else the next time the system is checked, you won't be able to read any pressures.
Once all that's done, the system should be pressure tested with nitrogen to check for leaks. No sense filling the system up if it's all going to leak out. If everything checks out then the system needs to be brought down into a vaccum because air and moisture in the system will create too high of a pressure for the AC to work properly. Once it's in a vaccum, approximately 80% of the R12 charge is added as R134.
A quickie conversion is not a proper conversion and will cause more problems down the road. If properly done, it should take a couple of hours.
04-28-2004, 09:48 PM
#8
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 969
Originally posted by Stephen 87 IROC
If it's empty there's probably a reason. If you try to fill it with R134, it will become empty again.
I converted my truck over last month. I have access to an AC recovery machine so I was able to do it properly.
A proper convertion requires a few things.
#1 You need to replace the accumulator (big silver canister) It's also called a filter/dryer. The old R12 one will be contaminated and a new one needs to be installed. The R12 contamination which can include the old R12 oil isn't good for a R134 system.
#2 The kit should include lots of o-rings. All the o-rings in the system need to be changed. There's one at the end of every fitting including the high pressure sensor. The old R12 o-rings are not compatible with R134.
#3 The oil in the compressor needs to be changed. This means you need to remove the compressor and dump out the old oil. R12 oil isn't compatible with R134.
#4 The fittings need to be changed. The ones in the kit just screw on but the valve cores in the old fittings need to be removed first or else the next time the system is checked, you won't be able to read any pressures.
Once all that's done, the system should be pressure tested with nitrogen to check for leaks. No sense filling the system up if it's all going to leak out. If everything checks out then the system needs to be brought down into a vaccum because air and moisture in the system will create too high of a pressure for the AC to work properly. Once it's in a vaccum, approximately 80% of the R12 charge is added as R134.
A quickie conversion is not a proper conversion and will cause more problems down the road. If properly done, it should take a couple of hours.
If it's empty there's probably a reason. If you try to fill it with R134, it will become empty again.
I converted my truck over last month. I have access to an AC recovery machine so I was able to do it properly.
A proper convertion requires a few things.
#1 You need to replace the accumulator (big silver canister) It's also called a filter/dryer. The old R12 one will be contaminated and a new one needs to be installed. The R12 contamination which can include the old R12 oil isn't good for a R134 system.
#2 The kit should include lots of o-rings. All the o-rings in the system need to be changed. There's one at the end of every fitting including the high pressure sensor. The old R12 o-rings are not compatible with R134.
#3 The oil in the compressor needs to be changed. This means you need to remove the compressor and dump out the old oil. R12 oil isn't compatible with R134.
#4 The fittings need to be changed. The ones in the kit just screw on but the valve cores in the old fittings need to be removed first or else the next time the system is checked, you won't be able to read any pressures.
Once all that's done, the system should be pressure tested with nitrogen to check for leaks. No sense filling the system up if it's all going to leak out. If everything checks out then the system needs to be brought down into a vaccum because air and moisture in the system will create too high of a pressure for the AC to work properly. Once it's in a vaccum, approximately 80% of the R12 charge is added as R134.
A quickie conversion is not a proper conversion and will cause more problems down the road. If properly done, it should take a couple of hours.
04-29-2004, 10:04 AM
#9
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Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: MD
Posts: 2,022
Well if the freon really is empty thats all the more reason to do the job properly. If freon can get out, dirt and moisture can get in. If you don't pull a vacuum on the system and just install the R134 kit not only will the AC not function properly, but damage could occur to the compressor, or several other components, and could contaminate the dessicant bag in the accumulator/dryer.
There is an easy way to tell if the freon is low without any expertise or gauges. Check your AC clutch cycle rate. Turn the AC on and watch the clutch. Record how long it is on, how long it is off, on, off, etc. Then post your findings.
Stephen87IROC - New O-rings are nice, but if no leak is present they are not needed. A complete recovery will remove all but a trace amount of R12 and its oil. So the dessicant bag does not need to be changed. However the shadetree method of purging the system and then installing the new kit is foolish and will cause contamination issues. Our shop has been retrofitting cars since the retrofits were introduced. We've not once changed the o-rings or dessicant bag in a properly sealed system. Not one comeback out of the estimated 2000 cars we've done.
There is an easy way to tell if the freon is low without any expertise or gauges. Check your AC clutch cycle rate. Turn the AC on and watch the clutch. Record how long it is on, how long it is off, on, off, etc. Then post your findings.
Stephen87IROC - New O-rings are nice, but if no leak is present they are not needed. A complete recovery will remove all but a trace amount of R12 and its oil. So the dessicant bag does not need to be changed. However the shadetree method of purging the system and then installing the new kit is foolish and will cause contamination issues. Our shop has been retrofitting cars since the retrofits were introduced. We've not once changed the o-rings or dessicant bag in a properly sealed system. Not one comeback out of the estimated 2000 cars we've done.
04-29-2004, 10:49 AM
#10
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Roanoke,Virginia
Posts: 341
Originally posted by firebirdjosh
What kit did you use to convert it?
What kit did you use to convert it?
I used that same kit from Advance. My AC at the time was completley empty of freon, so I had nothing to release. Just put the fittings on, start the car with the AC on, and emptied like 2 bottles into the system.
I think the R134a does just fine. If I let the AC run long enough on max (usually 30 min or so) I start to get frost on the registers and condensation on the windows.
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