[alfa] re: Air conditioning question (No Alfa content)

[Joe Elliott <jee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

An '85 vehicle would have been charged with R-12.  Adding more R-12 
is expensive, and environmentally irresponsible if you have a slow 
leak.  Converting to R-134a is an expensive procedure that will 
require professional evacuation of the remaining R-12 in the system, 
among other things, and will compromise the effectiveness of your air 
conditioning.

The solution that I would recommend would be to add a hydrocarbon 
refrigerant (see http://www.autorefrigerants.com and 
http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/~jee/refrigerant/) to your 
partially-depleted charge of R-12.  This may be illegal, and will 
prevent useful recovery of the remaining R-12 in the future, but if 
you have a slow leak, that R-12 will eventually find its way into the 
atmosphere unless you spend the money for professional recovery right 
now.  If you do choose to go that route, I would still recommend 
replacing the R-12 with a hydrocarbon refrigerant rather than more 
R-12, or R-134a, for myriad reasons.

Joe Elliott



> Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2004 10:41:02 -0400
> From: "Watry, Andrew (LNG-SFR)" <Andrew.Watry@domain.elided>
> Subject: [alfa] Air conditioning question (No Alfa content)
>
> Sorry for the lack of Alfa content, but this question might apply to others;
>
> I have an 85 Jeep Wagoneer with AC.  The  AC works OK, but would benefit
> from recharging.  Would it be R12 or R134a (or whatever)?  I would bet big
> money the system has not been converted from whatever AMC installed in 1985.
> To recharge, can you just use one of those over-the-counter recharge cans
> from regular auto parts stores? Any need to go to an AC specialist to clean
> out the system, pull a vacuum first, etc?  Thanks
>
> Andrew Watry
> Planning to take Wagoneer, if it keeps its act together, to Bonneville to
> see Bonnie run
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