ozziesironmanoffroad

so i decided today that very soon i will be starting to collect parts for the a/c system in my truck, and installing them. i need a/c lol. so far i know i need :

R12 freon
compressor
evaporator
thermistor
a/c on/off switch
vacuum switching valve
condensor
reciever/dryer

am i missing anything?

rdhill

R12 isn't economically feasible anymore. You will need to switch to R-134A. We just paid $118 for 30 pounds of R-134, enough for about 16 vehicles. R-12 the last i looked cost nearly $50 per pound here.

You will not need any significant modifications to run R-134. Since you are installing from scratch consider using the green neoprene O-rings. And don't forgot some ester based oil for the compressor.

rdhill

Don't forget belts, idler pulley and brackets!

93YotaGuy

I did this a few weeks ago and your best bet is to go to a junkyard to pull all of your parts. Be sure to check them all before installing.

Also, you might want to buy a brand new expansion valve because they tend to get clogged easily and it will save you money down the road. If you have a faulty expansion valve like I did you too will end up wasting 50 bucks to evacuate and recharge the system only to have to take it apart again and spend the money to evacuate and recharge at a later time.

ozziesironmanoffroad

i wont be wasting nething... i get r134 for free... . employee discount. id just rather use R12, its more efficient. if im gonna end up using 134, i might as well buy an aftermarket system where i know everything is 100% in working order.

93YotaGuy

Well then the question is...

Where are you going to get the R12?

ozziesironmanoffroad

my shop has a unopened can of about 30lbs of r12. but what sucks is our R12 machine, someone threw away the fittings. but i know a guy at another shop that would hook me up.
my main question is though, after thinkin bout it while getting my coffee, does r12 really perform THAT much better than 134? like, very noticably?

Toyotero

does r12 really perform THAT much better than 134? like, very noticably?

I believe that the text book answer is that an R12 system running R134 is approx 10% less efficient.

The problem is that they two gases operate at different pressures, and the R12 system was designed with the characteristics of R12 in mind. They two gases just happen to be close enough to be convertible, but not perfectly.

On my 88, I replaced the compressor and converted to R134. With R12, it was ice cold all the time. With R134, it was great in mornings, evenings, nights and cloudy or rainy days (cooler or wet condenser).

On a hot, humid Texas day, it couldn't keep up. It was 100X better than nothing, but it

Humorously, a better non CFC gas to put into an R12 system is propane. It's characteristics are almost the same as R12... but you'd better not ever get a leak or kaboom.

Toyotero.

mattaway

i recently "upgraded" my truck to r134a. i would of kept it r12, but the parts guy where i work told me r12 is about $100 a pound.... if you can find it. and i'm pretty sure you can only buy r12 with the proper ASE certifications and what not. they won't sell it to just any joe shmoe off the street

yes r134a is less efficient, but it's alot better for the ozone layer, alot cheaper, easier to get ahold of, and the fittings to upgrade the lines are about $4 a piece....