Not alternating current

My 88 K5 could use a can of R12. Should I try my luck at finding one or just do the change over?

I heard they are doing away with R134A as well and the entire systems we now use will no longer be compatible. That alone leaves me wondering what I should do. Its not the time financially to stock up on 134 or I would just change it over and do just that.

Also whats the general rule of thumb when changing a r12 system over to 134 in regards to what really needs to be put in it. Charge with oil premixed or a can of compressed oil and straight charge? It seems like it would be hard to get the correct amount of oil in no matter how you do it.

I have gauges and a suction pump to do whatever I need to but its been a while and my HVAC REF degree is in residential HVAC not auto. I know if I change it over I might as well change the dryer and O-tube and all that. In the past I blew up two comp in a row for my truck, from the shop I worked at having faulty equipment (clogged filter and no oil went in). So I feel discouraged when it comes to Automotive A/C.

Thanks for the help.

 

you do need different fittings for the r134. i converted my 1990 pretty much by just putting fittings on it, didnt mess with anything else. you will need to evap the r12 out of there somehow.

if you want to stick with r12, everytime i go to a flea market they always have tons of those cans for sale out there

really not sure about the oil. i would hope they would have directions on the can or the oil itself to tell you how much to use. at work we have the big a/c machine and just started using tanks or r12 with oil/dye mixed into it so we dont even mess with it, before we had a huge syringe thing that you just pushed 1 line into the car

 

I live in a cow town and R12 is hard to come by. I don't even know what a can would cost since I never bought any, or seen any for sale.

I should have fittings for the change over. But most every car is diff, and you cant get the info off a bottle, in regards to how much oil you should have in your particular system. I really don't want to blow another comp. Even the thought of a possibility makes my nervous.

 

maybe see if they sell the cans with oil already in them that way theres no worries about how much they put in. but yeah sorry thats about all the help i can be with this problem.

 

The compressor in my 92 K5 Blazer died a few years ago, so I did the swap to 134. Not a real big deal. Some fittings, a compressor, the condenser, expansion valve, and the drier. I took it to a Chevy Dealer to evacuate the system and charge it. They said it would cost $150. Then I get a call on my cell. They need to replace some fitting, which I already did, and now the cost will be $2500. So I told them to leave it alone. Picked it up, took it to a AC shop to charge. $125 later and all was good. That was about 10 years ago.

http://www.autoacforum.com/
http://www.youracauthority.com/
http://www.autoacsystems.com/index.html

 

The oil in r12 systems don't mix in r134 systems! Besure to have your system evacuated and flushed. Then change the dryer, tube, high and low side fitings and refill. Otherwise the conversion will be a waste of time and money

 

just curious why is that necessary? i converted my 90 by just changing the fittings and filling it up. 2 years later it still works fine. this is the only old truck i ever converted so maybe i got lucky

 

They wanted to give you a good ol boy screwing huh. Dang.

Might do that but like your story. Most every time I let someone touch my cars its been way over price and or they got money for nothing. Thats why I want to do my own work.