A/C questions

[izzy]

When i bought my 85 svo last year, the previous owner said the A/C worked fine until the cluth on the compressor broke. He replaced it from a 92 N/A 2.3 mustang right as i bought the car. He told me since where he lived (Eureka, CA) was never really hot, he never turned it on. When i brought it home, i never really used the A/C either until now that i am going to skool in phoenix, az, I NEED A/C. The problem is that it doesn't come on, the compressor clutch never seems to grab or something. The previous owner sounded like he was positive that it wasn't the clutch and that maybe i just need some R-12 fill up. I went to Kragen/Checker/Shucks (whatever you guys call it, Kragen here in CA) and bought the $30 Castrol R=134a conversion kit. It basically came with the adapters and like some little springs or something but the directions SUCK! Anyone have their SVO's A/C converted yet? If so, do you really have to convert the entire system like this sleezy A/C shop told me (compressor, hoses, etc>)? If you did convert yours, what all things did you have to do? Please help me as i am leaving the beginning of August and must, MUST have functional A/C.

Just some quick notes:
1. I don't think its the switch as it didn't work before i broke a lever on the old one and replaced it with another one from another ford with the same setup (trust me, i made sure it was the correct one with all the hi-lo, vent, defrost, 2 or 3 a/c settings, can't remember)

2. I know your not suppose to but i poked one of the stock fittings with a loooong screwdriver and not too much R-12 came out, maybe just needs a fill? R-12 though!? Hmm, maybe it is time for that conversion.

3. I checked mostly all hoses and not really seems worn or torn anywhere, my engine compartment is pretty intact.

please help, thanx
izzy

[Majestic]

I converted my 85 SVO about 2 weeks ago. The R134a retrofit kit works fine. Took me about 5 minutes to fully convert the system. Just install the hose connector adaptor onto the LOW PRESSURE hose (passenger side hose, by the drier near firewall), start the car and let it idle with the A/C on max, high. Connect the can to the hose and release the r134a. You'll need to turn the can upside down and shake it periodically. You should not require more than 2 of the 11 ounce oil,charge, sealer and max cool cans that are included in the kit.

If it does not blow cold after putting 2 cans in it, I would suspect the compressor is bad. You should verify that the clutch is turning when you engage the A/C.

[izzy]

a/c

Majestic,

What brand of retro kit did you install? Mines is the Castrol and its the one they gave me at kragen when i asked for it. It says its for 79-9? fords from R12 to R134a and it just came with the fittings, little springs, and a little plastic can of oil the same size as the oil that goes into 2cycle engines. The only thing is that the oil is in that little plastci bottle. Its not pressurized or anything, i guess your just supposed to pour it in somewhere, but where? I dunno, maybe i should just return it and get another kit, maybe there is a different one for mustangs?

thanx
izzy

[Majestic]

I am at work right now and don't know the brand of kit off-hand. Definitely return yours, though. The one I bought came with the fittings (4), 2 cans of pressurized oil/coolant/sealer/max-cool (each can is 11 ounces), can to fitting charge hose (a complete piece of ****, btw) and instructions. I paid approx. $40 for the entire kit. I bought my kit at O'reilly Automotive. I don't know if you have an O'reilly in you area. I do know, however, that Autozone does NOT sell the same kit.

I would be happy to look at the kit when I get home and post back later.

Chris

P.S. - It just occured to me that Autozone does sell the same coolant/oil/sealant combo listed above in cans with the charge hose attached (kind of like a can of Fix-A-Flat). You would just need the correct low-pressure fitting for your car; which I think you can by seperately at Autozone for about $2.00. The cans I mentioned above are about $15 per around here. So, you could possibly complete the project for $32 plus tax.

Good Luck

[SVOeric]

You guys are going to laugh at me, but I converted my 93 ranger about 2 years ago, and I bought the kit at K-mart for $34

it had good instructions, and all the cans I needed, along with the formula to figure out how much 134 i needed to replace my r-12 (It is not a 1:1 swap) .. use the same amount of 134, and your system may POP!

ALSO:: If your system has 0 r-12 in it (which is VERY likey, since the compressor was swapped) the clutch will not kick on. You may have to pull the connection off the filter, and jump it to get the clutch to kick on for the first can.

[izzy]

a/c compressor

Thanx for all the help guys, at least i have some kind of isea on what to look for. As far as the compressor goes, actually the compressors the same one, stock one actually, just with a different cluctch on it. The clutch on the compressor was replaced to make myself clear, i don't know if i did. Good thing you told me its not the same ratio as R12 or else i woulda done it

Well, later on i guess i'll go an return that kit and get my money back, perhaps ill go and check for that one svo eric mentioned at k-mart lol.

Thanx, keep me posted on new advice to try.

p.s. One question tho, all i really need is that one fitting and the stuff in can huh? I mean i can just buy the correct fitting and plenty of coolant? Nah......ill be on the safe side, just buy a whole kit. The kit svoeric mentioned, was it specifically for fords? Mustangs? What, wil it work on any car? thanx.

[SVOeric]

the kit I bought was a generic kit. it came with many fittings, and you only needed 2. the others were for GM's and such.

like i said, it had fairly good instructions... I'll be getting another one of these kits when I get the A/C lines on my SVO.

[Majestic]

Ok...The kit I used is manufactured by Interdynamics and is model #RKR5 (www.id-usa.com). I converted the 85 SVO with this kit and recharged the 84 as well. Piece o' cake.

Good luck,

Chris

[izzy]

a/c retro followup

Ok, i went and bought that kit you were talking about. It did come with everything and i picked it up at kmart for $29.99. It came with 3 big 15 oz cans of R134a with 3 oz.s of oil in each. The intructions say to only add about 85% of R134a of the original R12 capacity (on my SVO its 2lbs &10 oz = 42oz of R12 capacity) so i put in about 2 full cans and about 1/4 of the 3rd for a total of 36 oz (85% of 42 oz R12 is about 36 oz of R134a). I hope you all can uderstand what i did. Anyway, my a/c works now, i guess the system was fully empty of R12 as i thought my compressor didn't work anymore cuz it wouldn't spin...it does now--it started to about 1 1/2 a can into it. Anyone wanting to retro their A/C instead of buying expensive/harmful R12, buy this kit. I also saw it at Kragen for about ten bucks more for those interested (K-marts the chepeast i've seen )

I do, however, have 2 small problems:
1. After filling my system up and ice air comming out from the vents, i went to disconnect the fill hose from the adapters and the low side connector seemed to be leaking really slowly but i still heard it. I went to remove the adapter as i thought maybe that was the problem but it was still leaking. I don't know if its the old valve core thats bad (maybe thats why there wasn't anymore R12 in the system ) or maybe the stock fitting sucks. I didn't want to be leaking a whole bunch of R134a out so i put the stock cap back on it and tightened it with some channel lock pliers and the hissing went away A/C still works fine but i think its still leaking very slowly. I might try to remove that valve core and put in a new one if tightening it doesn't help but that means i gotta refill

2. I don't know why but sometimes when i turn the A/C switch on, my left interior blinker light stays on and my stock tach stops working and my interior clock goes off (blank). When i turn the A/C off, they all start working perfectly again with no information lost on the clock so its not like a fuse pops or nothing I just checked again, same thing only it does it with any heaeter/a/c setting. I even drive around with it like that to see if RPMs affect anything (more current from the alt), nothing. Sometimes it doesn't do it but then it does other times (specially when the engine is warm) It doesn't seem to be just the a/c setting, it does it on every setting when it does do it. Anyone experienced this before?

thanx, izzy

[Majestic]

Is the connector (low service port) itself leaking? If so, you'll be better off just replacing the whole line. As for the short, looks like you have some wire tracing to do. Sounds like one of your hvac wires has a bare spot that occasionally touches something else.

Anyway, glad you have cold air, at least..

Chris

[KevinK]

They make a service valve assembly that allows you to remove the schrader valve core. Seen it in JC whitney. With that, replaceing the valve is a 5 minute fix. Find a shop with the tool.

AC work is not all that difficult as you have found out. I still use R12 but I replace all the orings in the system when it has any kind of leak. The Ford replacement ones were green color the last time I did it.

[SVOeric]

you should be able to swing by any auto-parts store, and get a new valve. -- Bad news -- You are going to loose all that r-134 you just put in durring the process...

If you do decided to put a new valve in, try not to get any of the r-134 on your hands when it is escaping..

I believe it is the same tool you would use to take a valve stem out of a tire... that is what I used when I changed mine.

Anyway, the ones you use for A/C are stainless, or something, regular ones will fit, but I think they will rust.. so make sure you get the ones FOR A/C

I guess A/C is getting pretty high on my list of stuff to do, since the heat index has been 105 ++ here, so I need to get started on my A/C

** Danger -- begining of rant -- **

BTW: for the person that said "Dangerous R-12"
here is a note--- Salt water is more dangerous than R-12 to the atmosphere/o-zone --
That is correct, Someone did a study (that has been validated), and found out there was more CFC that comes off the OCEAN naturally in 1 day, than if they opened every A/C system ever built with r-12 in it.
The truth of the matter is, The patten on R-12 was about to run out. So some very smart business man decided to show a few of the Enviro-people that R-12 was bad, and they had this new stuff that was "better" -- so now we have some nice laws in place to keep the business going, without competition...

** End of rant **

[KevinK]

The new replacement for R12, R134 is due to be phased out as well. For the same reasons. It's just not as high on the list of gases to be phased out. I think the date is 2015 for the R134 phase out.

[Greg]

You guys scare the HELL out me!!!!!

[SVOeric]

umm... I'm not sure why,
but --hey-- everyone needs to be scared sometimes!!