A/C help

[mellodrift]

hey guys im a newbie so go easy!

I have a 91 SE automatic.

my A/C was blowing warm so i bought those refill cans.

WHERE IS THE DARN LOW_PRESSURE line?

any pictures would surely help

[PhopsonNY]

are you sure you have the right stuff?

the 91 might take r12... hard to get and dangerous unless you get one of the r12 substitutes.

You may have r134a which would be bad for you ac if it has not been converted.

Also check you dont have a leak in the lines

[EviL inside]

hard to get, yes.

dangerous, no.

if it's still setup for R-12, fill it with propane.

[PhopsonNY]

hard to get, yes.

dangerous, no.

if it's still setup for R-12, fill it with propane.

Well. I would not want a freezer burn or fritz from R12, but then... that's just me.

I would do a google for r12 equivalent

[Encryptshun]

if it's still setup for R-12, fill it with propane.

Um, propane might work, but I would NOT recommend it for a car. The experiments done on propane refrigeration involved home or commercial units that were indoor and not exposed to the elements, heat, or moving parts that an auto application brings with it. You try to mix propane in an car system, put the lines under the same pressure as needed to run the car's AC system and then sit the car out on a hot day and you're going to dislike the results immensely. You get a pinhole leak in your evaporator line, add a pinch of static electricity and you've got yourself a flamethrower. Take your car to the shop and have them convert it for you. It will cost (get 3 quotes from different reputable shops), but it's better than fracking around with it yourself and they'll guarantee the work. They'll need to replace your filter/dryer assembly, purge the r-12 and moisture from your existing lines, replace the line seals/o-rings, and re-fill the system, checking for leaks (this might include a dye-check). They shouldn't have to replace your compressor, condensor, or evaporator, so don't let them unless they can show you that they are faulty or leaking.

[My RB25]

Yea A/C work is very expensive. My solution...take it out. Less drag on the motor lol My A/C compressor was rusted to hell when I got the car, so I just removed the whole A/C system (With the exception of the in-dash parts). Most people wouldn't opt for this, but it makes the engine bay look nice and open.

[EviL inside]

Um, propane might work, but I would NOT recommend it for a car. The experiments done on propane refrigeration involved home or commercial units that were indoor and not exposed to the elements, heat, or moving parts that an auto application brings with it. You try to mix propane in an car system, put the lines under the same pressure as needed to run the car's AC system and then sit the car out on a hot day and you're going to dislike the results immensely. You get a pinhole leak in your evaporator line, add a pinch of static electricity and you've got yourself a flamethrower.

propane DOES work.

it's already used in automotive applications. RV's use it, and one of the commercially sold R-12 replacements was nothing but propane.

propane is less volatile than gasoline, harder to ignite, and requires a more precise A/F ratio than gasoline to burn.

go to school.

[Encryptshun]

propane DOES work.

it's already used in automotive applications. RV's use it, and one of the commercially sold R-12 replacements was nothing but propane.

propane is less volatile than gasoline, harder to ignite, and requires a more precise A/F ratio than gasoline to burn.

go to school.

I'd like to see some examples of current, production automotive applications. The RV applications use it in the food refrigeration units. As for your snarky "Go to school" comment, I worked on applicances, including home HVAC, for a living for over 10 years, and had a commercial refrigeration license with the EPA to do r-12 and r-22 reclaimations. My point isn't that it CAN'T be done, it's that if it's done it should be done by a trained pro and not in your driveway.

[My RB25]

go to school.

Ok...done. I do recall my HVAC instructor telling us propane can damage seals in the A/C system...so why use it? Also try and find someone to charge your system with propane, I doubt many shops will want to do it due to the fact their not gonna make any money off of it. Freon isn't exactly cheap. Also if you do have an R-12 system and you bought those over the counter DIY charge kits, you just introduced R-134a into your system and you cross contaminated, so you might as well rip it all out or retro-fit. That's why in Cali those kits are illegal, not to mention how many people vent their freon into the atmosphere or over charge their system or keep pumping more in when they have a leak and don't know it (See why their fighitng to make it illegal?), etc. I think their also trying to make it illegal in WA and then the rest of the country, read it in one of the tech mags.