May 11, 200421 yr my 88 turbo full time 4wd a/t ,the ac does not work, i am going to switch the compressor from the square 1 to the working round 1 , my question is wal-mart has a kit for 35 bucks and it says will convert from r12 to r134 , just follow the directions , will this work? or should i take it some where to get it done ?
May 11, 200421 yr I'm no pro. The kit will work but you need more than the kit. If your compressor has gone bad, did it make metal? If so you need to to flush the system. If it didn't make metal or get other trash in the system, at the very least you need to vacuum the system. Would be better to change the drier also.
May 11, 200421 yr Yeah I changed over to 134A last year on my Legacy and Loyale. The Wal-Mart kit works fine. I had a bit of trouble with the cheap plastic connector but it worked. Make sure you get all the old oil out of the system first. Stay cool.
May 11, 200421 yr a new evaporator/drier is a must does one compressor work better than the other? I have a square one that may be bad. should I swap it if I have to get a new one?
May 12, 200421 yr You can flush out the system your self. You need what is called a flushing gun, and some flushing fluid. The fluid is reusable. The flushing gun consists of a cylinder that you put the fluid in and then pressurize with an air compressor. Then it has a normal blow gun, that you stick into a port on whatever part you are flushing. DO NOT flush the evaporator(that's the coil inside the car, the condensor is in front of the radiator.) unless you remove the expansion valve first. It's a good idea to get new "barrier type" hoses when you get a new receiver drier. R134a refrigerant molecules are smaller then the pores in the old rubber hoses, and they go right through, although, most people don't change the hoses, and they work ok, apparently because the old oil has coated the inside of the hoses, preventing the r134a from leaking through. New O-rings should always be used. You should be able to get them at most any auot store. Remove all the old ones and take them with you, so you can match them up to the new ones. Every connection will have at least 1 o-ring, sometimes 2. So you will have at least 1 at each end of the condenser, each side of the drier, both compressor outlets, and both ports on the evaporator, and then I believe you will also have a couple on the expansion valve, which is under your glove box, connected to the evaporator. So, you should have a minimum of 7 o-rings, probably 8 or more, including the expansion valve. And the drier, you should also be able to get at a parts house, it's really only the R-12 that is a restricted sale item, not the hardware... If you flush out the whole system, you don't really need the "kit" from Wal-Mart. Just get an 8.5 oz can of R134a oil, and about 4 12oz cans of r134a, a charging hose, and the fitting adaptors...should come in just under $30, I think. You can use the kit if you want, that will work just fine too. Only difference is each can of r134a in the kit, has 2oz of oil already in it, so you don't need the seperate can of oil. Or, if you prefer, you can get a bottle of oil at a parts house, and just pour the right amount into the intake port of the compressor, just before you charge it with r134a. Lot's of info, I know. I spent many months crawling the internet and reading up on auto A/C systems, and r134a conversions. Need any more info, or clarification, just ask! RedLance
May 12, 200421 yr Author only 1 problem i have no compressor , is the drier a special item to order ? or 1 size fits all
May 12, 200421 yr order the correct dryer. and have a vacume pulled on the system before you charge it. this helps make sure there are no leaks or moisture left in the system. I f you do it the wall mart kit way you will have a decreased a/c system life. the oil type you want to use is called PAG oil. there are listings for how much you will need to add. If you are doing this with out gauges it will be a bit dificult to determine if you have charged it correctly and if the compressor is working properly.
May 13, 200421 yr when you buy o-rings, make sure you get ones that are ok for AC systems! napa has a good selection of these... I bought a charge hose with a gauge built in line with it for my retro fit...it makes it lots easier. it says what pressure it should be at with r134a. remove the dryer and take it into the store...there are a few different ones. most are now compatible with r12 and r134a. the only place that carried my dryer was an AC specialist shop called AAPAK...no other parts stores had it so you may want to call in advance... ive talked enough... let me know if you have any questions eric
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