GOOB Posted June 5, 2005 Report Share Posted June 5, 2005 I am looking at retrofitting my r-12 to r-134a. what is the going rate to have someone just evacuate the system for me or........can i do this myself in my parking lot? i am already getting the "low refrigerant" message. does this mean it is already depleted and i can go ahead and retrofit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted June 5, 2005 Report Share Posted June 5, 2005 Do not vent the R-12 to the atmosphere - that is illegal.....Have a shop recover it for you. Why do you want to convert the system to R-134a anyway??? It is possible that you just need a shot of R-12 since the system is 12 years old.... Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOOB Posted June 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2005 thanks for the response KHE...i have been back and forth with this a million times. last year i got the system recharged and exactly one year later, it's low again....LEAK. i figured if i was going to spend the money to fix the leak, i may as well convert it. any idea how much it costs to just have the remaining r-12 removed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeM Posted June 5, 2005 Report Share Posted June 5, 2005 I would recommend against converting the system. I was quoted $800 once for a R134 conversion. I also supposedly have a leak that cannot be found. I dont know how this is possible. But its a very slow leak, cause it takes about 3-4 months for the system to completely shut off the compressor... and is apparently undectable using a dye test. I thought a sniffer tool would work but who knows. Anyways, when you convert to R134-A, the system will never blow as cold as before. I would recommend taking it to some place you know as reliable or maybe even the dealer (yikes) and have the leak found. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOOB Posted June 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2005 let me ask another question...does anyone know where i can get this so-called "FREEZE-12"? i can remember a few years ago on this board when someone was praising this stuff. is it still available and where can i get it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted June 5, 2005 Report Share Posted June 5, 2005 I guess while you have it apart you could replace and NYLOG all the o-rings, replaced the AC Compressor seal and hope for the best. If you are going to discharge the system, you might as well flush it, replace the orifice tube and accumulator and replace the o-rings and replace the compressor seal. I also just bought a condenser for about $200, maybe you go hit with a rock look for dents in the condenser. The compressor comes out a lot more easily than I thought it would, I had heard it was hard but it wasn't once you get the oil filter adapter out (two bolts). Then you get a chance to replace the adapter o-rings. Considering that you have to replace the accumulator anyway, I would just fix the system as it was designed. I have heard however that there is a conversion factor going from 12 to 134a and if the proper amount of 134a is not used the cooling will not be as good as it was with 12. Funny story time. Riding in the car last night my wife says, your AC is lousy! I said, it should be the Compressor is HOME! If we didn't have so many family functions you would be riding in cool car now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOOB Posted June 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2005 hey scotty, i have heard both sides of the conversion story. some LOVE their new 134 and others miss their 12. the main reason this is pressuring me RIGHT NOW is because i have a trip planned to south carolina from wednesday until sunday. i plan on taking the wife's toyota camry (gas mileage) but she has told me that the only way that's happening is if i fix my a/c. my days are so short (between work and my daughter) that i don't have time for hardly anything...so i understand your little "funny story" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted June 5, 2005 Report Share Posted June 5, 2005 Just have the leak fixed and recharge with R-12! As far as taking a trip and the choice of vehicles is a Japanese-can or a Cadillac, the choice is obvious.....CADILLAC!!! R-134a is NOT as cheap is it used to be.......a 30 lb cuylinder of R-134a is running about $350 and I just missed a 30 lb. cylinder of R-12 on ebay for $340.........That is why I have to ask why you'd want to convert to R-134a........ Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOOB Posted June 8, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2005 well, i purchased a do-it-yourself kit and decided to do the conversion. had the system depleted and in the process of installing but cannot get it to take any of the 134A. what am i doing wrong? quick question...does the compressor need to engage before the system will "take" a can? it will not engage because the system is depleted. i am at a lost....HELP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GM-MAN Posted June 8, 2005 Report Share Posted June 8, 2005 If you have the system leak tested with nitrogen and evacuated, the evacuation will allow perhaps 20 to 30 ounces into the system before it is no longer in a vacuum. This should be enough to engange the clutch on the compressor with the A/C turned on to allow the suction side to take in the remaining freon. Of course, I only fill freon from 30lb cylinders through my guages, never from a can so I don't know if the procedure is different. I'm also in the process of converting my Eldorado to R134a so if you could tell me what you did to convert it, that would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted June 8, 2005 Report Share Posted June 8, 2005 Goob, you have to clear the codes through the DIC or pull battery power to enable the compressor but you need to have the system vacuumed down first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted June 8, 2005 Report Share Posted June 8, 2005 well, i purchased a do-it-yourself kit and decided to do the conversion. had the system depleted and in the process of installing but cannot get it to take any of the 134A. what am i doing wrong? quick question...does the compressor need to engage before the system will "take" a can? it will not engage because the system is depleted. i am at a lost....HELP! Goob, Read my response to GM-MAN. If the kit was one of the $30 kits at WalMart, Meijers, etc., those are compressor-killers.....If you have the leak fixed and have it recharged with R-12, it will likely be fine for many more years. Did you have the system evacuated prior to charging? What part of your system was leaking? Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOOB Posted June 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 well, i finally found someone locally who knew what he was doing and had the system evacuated...PROPERLY. It's only been 3 weeks but so far so cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted June 23, 2005 Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 well, i finally found someone locally who knew what he was doing and had the system evacuated...PROPERLY. It's only been 3 weeks but so far so cool! Where was the system leaking? Did you convert to R-134a? Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOOB Posted June 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 to be quite honest, we did not do a leak check. yes, i did convert it over. after asking a few questions and pretending to be clueless (depending on who you ask), the gentlemen seemed to be pretty knowledgable with his answers. he said he did not want to "take" my money because the conversion kit proclaimed to have an additive to seal leaks and it should work for my leak (his words). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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