Just as the title says, or did third gens even come with R-134A?

 

The 93 camaros/firebirds were the first gm passenger cars to use the r-134 refrigerant

 

how can you figure out what you have in there? My car's a/c works rediculously well so im wondering if mine was converted before i bought the car (beginning of the summer)

 

How difficult is it to convert to R-134A? And how expensive?

 

If you already have the r-12 setup instead of the r-134, i'd say just leave it. To get everything switched over will run you up to about $200. Plus the r-12 works much better than the r-134 systems. However the problem is getting some more r-12. In some areas it's even outlawed because of it depleting the ozone. If you can get your system recharged, I say stay with it.

 

It was about $30.00 at Walmart last time I was there. Can't beat that with a stick!

 

$30 to get a can of R134 or to get the system switched over? I always thought it was a couple hundred bucks to convert it

-Rippin

 

To be able to run the r-134 in a 3rd gen camaro set up for r-12, you have to change nearly every a/c accesory. A 3rd gen's system was not meant to handle r-134 and to have your entire system revamped to accept it will cost your nearly $200 including parts and labor.

 

I'm 99.9% sure it's the whole kit. Sorry I'm not 100% sure, since it's been nearly 10 years since I've owned a 3rd gen. But I do remember seeing the kit cheap at Walmart. If I'm not mistaken, the main problem is simply the O rings, since the R134 can possibly leak past the seals included with the R12 systems. And since it's easy enough to do yourself, the labor part is free!

 

Since its around $200 I am guessing you don't have to change the compressor. Those are fuxing expensive.

 

In shop class at school we convert R-12 to R-134a all the time. You'll need to vaccum your system completely dry. Get a dryer off a 4th Gen, and.........I think that's it.......I'll get back to you tommorow. But I think that's it.

 

You can do it the RIGHT way or the CHEAP way. The cheap way you do in your driveway for about $30 which is basically a few cans of 134, a couple of fittings and a 134 fill hose to hook the cans up. I have done this several times on cars with slow leaks, but otherwise functional A/C systems. Let all the pressure out (whatever R-12 remains) and fill it with 85% as much 134 as the underhood tag calls for R-12. Done. Works just dandy. 134 is designed to work with the existing oil in the system, the R-12 dryer and can even tolerate some small residual R-12 in the system without any problems.

BTW- it will take a good 15-20 MINUTES to fully empty a single can of 134 into the system through the fill hose- HAVE PATIENCE!! The can will get very light and obviously empty feeling when it's all done. If it's still got some weight to it- it's not done yet.

If you want to do it the RIGHT way (or the system sat open to the atmosphere for any length of time due to a broken hose, etc.) you have to install a different dryer and then draw a vacuum on the system, preferrrably overnight to get all the moisture and R-12 out. THEN recharge with 134, again at 85% as much as you would have put in for R-12. Depending on what sat open, what leaked, etc you may also have to add additional oil to the system or you will burn up the compressor in short order. This is a good time to call in a professional since you probably don't have the equipment available to you to do much of this.

If the compressor ate itself up and threw garbage into the lines then you need to have EVERTYING either thoroughly flushed or replaced before doing a conversion/recharge.

 

Damon covered it well.

At my shop we do a lot of A/C work. We charge $180 to convert from R-12 to R-134a, and that includes refrigerant. All it requires is evacuating the R-12, chaging the o-rings and expansion valve, drawing a vacuum on the system, and refilling with R-134a (assuming nothing's broken or leaking.)

 

If you don't want to spend 15 - 20 minutes emptying a can of R134a than just start the engine after adding the first can. Make sure you are filling from the low side, if you fill on the high side you will blow your compressor.

Like Damon said, you don't have to swap anything other than the fittings to swap to R134a. I work at a John Deere Dealership and we change over every system we work on and all we ever change are the high and low side fittings. The shop has been doing this around ten years now with no problems.

Martin

 

There is that R-12 replacement bottles on ebay for under $20. Could I just get that and recharge my AC? I use it maybe 5 times a year and $180 for a conversion is not worth it.