hi guys, I have spent hours on this forum and the net trying to determine what I need to do to recharge my A/C system. it was cold last fall, but it doesn't get very cold now.


here is my game plan. any thoughts or personal experiences are appreciated!


replace dryer with new denso unit
vacuum system with harbor freight unit hooked to my compressor and make sure there are no leaks
if no leaks, charge with R12 (from fleebay) until sight glass is full


anyone done this before with R12? it sounds like there are a ton of O-rings as well that may be a good idea to replace. which ones should I definitely replace and what are the sizes and/or part numbers for those rings and where should I get them???


is there any brand(s) of the vintage r12 in cans that work the best? how much do I need? do I also need an 4 oz. r12 oil charge, or can I just use the 12 oz. cans of r12?


its hard to find info on the r12 stuff anymore so hoping some of you have experience with it!


thanks in advance!


josh

 

I don't know if they'll do R12, but Jiffy Lube did a good job for me when I needed to pull my R134 AC unit apart to replace the compressor. For $75 total they recovered the old refrigerant and then let me take it home to fix the compressor and whatever else needed work. I then brought it back, they pulled a vacuum on it (with a real vacuum pump, not the Harbor Freight model that doesn't really pull a low enough vacuum) and recharged it and sent me on my way. I thought it was a reasonable deal, given that I didn't have to deal with the refrigerant, the vacuum pump, or charging it accurately, plus it was all legal with respect to the EPA.

 

Good luck getting r12. I've been looking for a while so I could recharge my system. I even have a few AC guys keeping an eye out for me for when they do a retrofit they can recover the r12 but no one has it in their vehicles anymore anyways. and IIRC the patent or whatever on 134a is going to run out soon and we'll have a new refrigerant...

P.S. I even have people in Mexico looking for it...nothing yet.

 

i took my compressor off and relaced the oil in it and changed to 134a. it works fine for me.