cletus

It's approaching summer here in GA which is always hot. My car has what appears to be a functioning AC system except it has no freon in it, but we aren't entirely positive of that. It may have a leak somewhere, but you never know. Since the old stuff is getting hard to get a hold of, I was debating just trying one of the conversion kits to see what happens. My boss seems to think the only thing keeping the AC from running is the low pressure switch in the system that keeps it from running without freon. I know he has had some pretty decent luck pulling of the conversions on other cars. Just wondering if anyone had tried it on our old cars with any results.

It'd be nice to have working AC, but if it's too bad, I'm just going to yank it all. It isn't worth too much money to me.

damon

buy the good kit with a new drier and fittings and it should work just fine

peejay

Since 2000, every car with R-12 that came into my shop automaticall got a conversion.

RX-7s should work OK for it, they have several advantages - the A/C is controlled by a temp sensor on the evaporator, meaning you don't have to worry about re-adjusting for the different pressures that R-134a uses. We have engine-driven fans, which helps maintain BIG airflow over the condenser. (If you have an electric fan, make sure it is the biggest, meanest one you can get - 1600cfm would be barely adequate in my opinion, get something over 2000cfm) Also, we have relatively wide-open engine bays, instead of a cramped FWD bay where the air runs right up into the engine and has little room to escape.

TheAMAZINGNorad

My old mechanic did it for me. He did a GREAT Job, but he was a great mechanic who worked on cars nobody else would, hehe, so he knew what the hell he was doing as he had done this before. In the morning and night, it will freaking freeze your *** out of the car. During the heat of the day, it takes a few mintues to really get cool. IMO, the damn car needs a stronger fan. Once ya get all the vents blowing on ya, its nice, and it was 94 out today. Plus, its easier to refill it yaself. I think im gonna recharge it this weekend, got a kit that lets ya do it.

cletus

Cool guys. Thanks for the responses. I figure it's worth a shot.

My only concern is that I have an electric fan. I wonder if I'm going to need to do something to trick the fan to come on (apparently temp controlled by a sensor stuck in the radiator) or if it is hooked up for AC or something like that. It was in there when I got the car.

damon

wire it strait to the acc fuse or a toggel switch so it can turn on and off to your pref

rotorhead

got a conversion kit from walmart 3 years ago and it's still blowing cold. pretty easy to do, too.

MIKE-P-28

iTrader: (1)

Guys all you have to change is the fittings on the compressor I just changed the accumulator and the fittings and I was good to go. Shame when i took the motor out I had to remove the A/C, let all that good freon go up

Also on the electric fan I noticed that almost every new car I seen as soon as you kick the A/C on the fan comes on

peejay

The electric fan relay kit should have a second wire that goes from the A/C compressor clutch wire to the fan relay. The wire must have a diode in it since there are two power wires going to the same terminal on the relay.

Or you could just wire in a second relay, same way - the relay is triggered by the A/C compressor clutch wire. The fan will come on any time the A/C clutch is energized, which is really the only time it needs to be on for the A/C.

eddierotary

iTrader: (7)

i buy mine last day and is worth it. and cheaper that the r-12.

Directfreak

iTrader: (2)

This is exactly how I did it on my old SE. With 3 Electric fans.

2x 16" = One pusher, one Puller, both on the radiator switched via electric thermostat
1x 12" = One 12" directly on the Condensor? (mini A/C radiator?)

Worked flawlessly over here in S.Florida with hot *** days and nights.

brownmound

I think I have something new to work on this weekend! So, any recommendations on where to buy the conversion kit and which one to get?

Right on.

MIKE-P-28

iTrader: (1)

I used some fittings from a GM product Just different (R-134a) fittings on the compressor, and changed the accumulator (by the radiator)

79+80_rx-7

whats an "accumulator"? And what does it do??


THANX LATERS, Andrew

brownmound

I did the conversiont this weekend. Takes about five minutes and blows pretty cold. Recommended fully.

Right on.

85RX7GS

iTrader: (1)

Hmm, that kit at Walmart is pretty cheap, right? Maybe I'll do that this week.

jimtesla

My Compressor.....seems to bring the engine rpms down.....Took it to a AC shop and they said it needed to be replaced....I bought another used comp....but the AC guy says not to use it.....If I swap this out and do the wal mart conversion.....anything else I need to do...?
Thanks
Jim

BadAssRX-7

you cant mix 12 and 134 right? i got a 30 lb can in the garrage

brownmound

I don't think you should mix but mine was empty already.

Right on.

cletus

If you just wanna get rid of the 12, I'll come by

rotorhead

the walmart kit was like 30 bucks or so and came with everything needed to do the swap. i've seen the kit elsewhere as well. it's just a box that says r12 to r134 conversion kit. pretty simple, huh?

BadAssRX-7

nope my a/c (r12) is cool but not cold aND I HAVE 2 LBS OF 12 LEFT SO ILL RERESH IT SOON. cletus. if all you need is the stuff added i have the guages and a vacume pump to evac. the sys. all you need is the 134 and the adapter to put it in

WackyRotary

The kits from walmart have oil that is compatable with both systems. ONly problem is you should have the system fully clean and evacuated with vacuum to remove ALL mosture when you do this with new o-rings and new filter. This is because water is corosive combined with the refrigerant. But if its just low on R-12, you can risk it, but there is a chance it will leak out or it may not. If it slowly ran low on R-12 normally, you'll likely be safe. And R-134a is cheap enough to add every 6months or a year if it leaks slow enough.

cletus

When I got this car the AC didn't work and the previous owner I don't think ever tried to do anything about it. So I am not sure at all about the state of system. There is some 12 in there, but not very much. But it's below the point where the compressor will actually run. I think I might as well give the conversion a shot real quick and if it works, great, if not, who wants AC components? Considering it most likely atleast has a small leak, 134a would be a better way to go.

brownmound

Mine was in the same state. Only I was the previous owner and just didn't refill it last summer (suffered instead, why I don't really know). Two years ago when I had R12 filled up the dude said I had leaks and needed to replace the evaporator.

I bought the conversion kit and leaked a little bit of R12 out of the system, but it was low enough that the compressor wouldn't even kick on, just like yours. I highly don't there was any moisture in the lines since I haven't used it in two years. I just changed the fitting (I think it was low pressure, the kit doesn't have the right fitting for high, but you don't need that anyways) and filled her up. Used maybe a can and a half. Maybe it could use some more. It blows cold enough. Not like these new cars though, but definitely chill you at night, during Texas heat it'll "help". My car dies when I turn it on anyways so I can't really use it until I figure that out.

Right on.