Converting Your R-12 Ac To New Style 134a Style

[simplegreen]

Converting your R-12 AC to new style 134a style

- by simplegree
- civicland.com



A lot of you guys have cars before 1994. If you do and you have Air conditioning in it, you have refrigerant called R-12. Well EPA passed a law in 1994 discontinuing this "freon".

Here is how you convert your old ac (r-12) into the new kind (134a).

Parts/Items needed.

Converter Kit
Flat head screw driver
Vice Grips
45 mins.

items you "might need" (i'll explain this later)

air compressor
134a Air vacuum


Step 1)

Go to target and buy a kit like this.



You can buy them at target for 30 bucks. This kit has all the main components you need to make this work. It includes the adapter that you need to hook up your new 134a jack onto the r12 jack. Pre-mixed cooling, oil to lube the compressor and sealant to seal up any minor holes in your cooling system.

Next you need this, you need to decide whether your going to do it the ecological way and vacuum out the r12 since it is a ozone depleted. If so follow these steps continue to step 2. If you really don't care and just want to get it done skip to step 3


Step 2

If you are at step two, good for you looking out for the planet. Hopefully you have access to a air compressor, if you do you'll need to go buy this item or borrow it. Harborfreight has it for 13 bucks.


http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Disp...temnumber=92475



Hook up the unit to your air compressor.

Step 3)

Basically what you have to do is take the adapter that comes in the kit (shown here installed) and just screw it onto your old r12 Low side line.






This picture is for reference the top tube/line is the low side. You can always tell the low side because 1, it's thicker then the high side and 2, it will always be cool, the high side will be hot (high and low are reference to the high and low pressure sides of your coolant system.)




if you are doing it the correct way read through to step 4, if you are doing it the shady way skip to step 4b.


Step 4)

Hook up your air compressor, the vacuum unit in the middle and the other end of to your newly installed 134a connection point.

- Continue to suck out all the old stuff.

Step 4b)

Stick a screw driver into the port's pin and just let out all the old R12, warning you have to do this for a good while. Let out as much as possible.. Stop.. let out more.. till there is nothing else to let out. Try not to breathe it in, it's not the best for your lungs.

Step 5)

Once all the old stuff is out, the connector port is hooked up, grab a can of your 134a and connect it to the filler hose, like so.



Step 6)

Turn your AC on full blast and select the "circulate internal air" button.. (the one that blows out faster air).

Then place the connector hose onto the port and squeeze. This will give you what the pressure is inside your system. If you still have pressure obviously go back to step 4. (side note you might have to press down on the point of connection between the hose and the port to get good fill, i did)

Step 7)

Once you reach the desired pressure (between 25 and 45 psi) let the car run for about 15 mins on full blast air.

After the car runs for a while, turn it off.. for maybe another 15 mins, after that start the car back up and repeat step 6 to insure you have consistent pressure.

Step 8)

Enjoy your new cold air, that doesn't take more than 3 mins to cool down.