What do I need to do to drain the refrigerant? Do I need to dispose of it in any certain way? Is it a liquid?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

 

R12 is a regulated substance by the EPA, you could be fined if you evacuate the system into the atmosphere but people do it everyday, the choice to vent it or take it to a shop and have them drain it is up to you. personally if i took it to a shop i would tell them this:


"you drain it for free and you can have the freon."

R12 costs about $80+ per lb so it is basically liquid gold, most people however convert to R134a these days since it is ozone safe and a fair amount cheaper than R12.

my hint is, there is a schrader valve on the compressor but it does have some pressure in it so be careful if you plan on playing with it.

freon can cause minor freeze burns on skin so i would wear gloves also.

as well, do not smoke in any areas that R12 freon can be in the air, when burned it turns to a noxious gas and can cause serious illness.

 

Mine has been converted already. Just wasnt sure if it was ozone friendly or not.

 

you don't need to vent it then, you can add freon to the system through the low side pressure port on the top of the compressor, just add small amounts in and check and see if the air is blowing cold inside and that the compressor clutch is engaged.

 

No...im wanting to remove it all from my car. That is why I want to know how to drain it.

 

ahh, well it has about 40-50 psi in the low side on the compressor, not enough to impale you but if you aren't careful you could get hurt. basically some thick gloves or a rag, a flat tiipped screwdriver and a steady hand is all you need.