A/C conversion
 

Could somebody tell me in idiot terms what is involved in converting to or from R-12. Older style to newer. All I know is the drier is the silver canister by the airbox and the compressor is the thing next to the alternator. Oh and the condensor is the thing in front of the radiator. :o I'd take it somewhere but as of now I trust NO ONE!

in really idiot terms no, but I can provide the short version.

flush the system, replace the receiver/dryer, add in the proper oil, evacuate the system, add in new refrigerant.

If the system isn't working, first you need to know what's wrong & fix that problem. There are many things that can be wrong, mechanically and electrically, if you're going to try & do this yourself, you've got a lot of searching & reading to do - in addition to probably new tools to buy, i.e., vacuum pump, and gauges.

There is an easier/cheaper way. You can get what's called a "Drop In". This is an R12 substitute which does not require any modifications to the system. I had it done a couple of years ago and it works great. IIRC The gas they used was "RS24".

Phil.

I converted an 87 and 88 jeep Cherokee by just buying a $39 kit they had at PepBoys. Came with a can of Pang oil, 3 cans of the new refrigerant, two conversion adapters and a sticker to show when the conversion took place.

Is the SVX a different system that mechanical parts need to be replaced?
:confused:

I converted my 92 SVX with a kit from Advance Auto Parts, part #RKR7. It costs $34.88, and now comes with a CD to explain things.

Not really. The path I described is for "insurance". It can be (and many times has been) done as you have.

BTW, just in case someone looks for the oil, it's PAG (short for PolyAklylene Glycol - try to say that three times fast). There's also another 134 oil listed as POE (if memory hasn't failed). R-12 uses mineral oil. There are some issues about mixing the various kinds, but generally PAG in the compressor works OK with the residual mineral oil in the rest of the system.

Here's a web page reference that outlines the issues (why flush, etc.) without the technical jargon: http://www.scg-acparts.com/faq.htm

Conversion
 

The O'Ring seals should be replaced also. The Freon seals will not last with the R-134.

Lee

I sure hope I didn't destroy/shorten the life of the AC. That kit sure made it sound like there would be no problems. So far, they are working ok, well the 88 anyway. My brother just Totaled the 87.

'Drop-ins' aren't always a good idea. Most of the time they are some form of propane (or other form of HC) and not quite as good refrigerant(s). Some are potentially damaging.

I've converted many, many cars to r-134. Changing the o-rings really isn't necessary. Flushing the system of old oil is a good idea, but most guys don't bother. Downside is a reaction between the refrigerant and the old style oil. PAG oil will usually go both ways. When conversions were first being done there was also concern regarding hoses but since then we've found that they were not a problem. FOR WHAT IT IS WORTH: usually most garages don't bother flushing the system. Personally I haven't seen any repercussions, but the compressor remanufacturers cry and cry about repetitive failures of their products due to incorrect oil/refrigerant mixes. MY Perception: compressor failures typically leave metal debris in a system when they fail and if that debris isn't removed before installing a new compressor the new one will ingest the garbage and fail again. IF I were retro-fitting I'd probably just recover, evacuate and refill with r-134. Just my two cents worth... YMMV.