Elijah:
Check the price of R134a. Now about $8 for 12 ounces.
Henry
Elijah Scott wrote:
Brad Hogg <luxoliner@xxxxxxx> wrote:
Disassemble
the system, take the hoses off, throw away the dryer (buy a new one)
flush out the condensor, compressor, evapourator and lines using a
proper AC system flush solution. Replace any incompatile O rings and
hoses. Reassemble and fill with R-134a.
I agree with Brad's cousin. I have converted both my '71 and my '70
Imperials to use R-134a with excellent results.
I've been using R-134a in my '71 Imperial since 1999. The compressor
and hoses are original; the expansion valve and receiver/dryer had been
replaced a couple of years prior to the conversion. I did not replace
any hoses or O-rings at the time of the conversion. I used a $35.00
kit from WalMart that had an oil charge and refrigerant charge. The
system still has a sloooooooow leak, so I usually have to put 1 or 2
cans of R-134a in over the course of a year, but at $2.50 per can, who
cares? The system blows 36-40 degrees at the dash vents.
I did a few extra steps with the conversion on my '70 in 2003. I
replaced all the O-rings with new R-134a compatible O-rings (they're
green and cost about $3.00 for a set); replaced the receiver/dryer with
a new one that specificed R-134a compatibility; and cleaned all the
hoses, condensor, and evaporater using denatured alcohol and compressed
air. I also removed and cleaned the expansion valve--similar to Chris
Hawkins's experience, the expansion valve had some rust and trash
blocking the screen. Total cost for the conversion, including oil
charge, gallon of denatured alcohol, O-rings, and refrigerant was well
under $100.00.
As with most things, different cars will have different quirks to get
the job done, but my experience indicates that Imperials cool
exceptionally well with R-134a.
Best luck!
Elijah
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