68, R134 conversion

["Dick Benjamin" <dickb@xxxxxxxxx>]

I dunno about that Venturi effect pump, Kerry - I suspect it is not going to
be adequate.

I too have a Robinaire setup:  nothing but the best, with tightly closing
valves, and the ability to run it the other way to evacuate a canister back
into the system so one can save the precious R12 during a repair.

My experience with Harbor Freight is that their "house" brand of anything is
a piece of ----!  They do have decent deals on name brands, occasionally,
but you have to watch real close on the names - they are very cute copies
sometimes.  If it's made in China, it ain't worth the paper it's packed in -
not that I'm biased or anything!

Dick Benjamin
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kerry Pinkerton" <pinkertonk@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2003 5:39 AM
Subject: Re: IML: 68, R134 conversion


> Harbor Freight sells a venturi style Vacuum pump for just a few bucks
(less
> than 20 I think). It requires an air compressor but will pull about 26
> inches of mercury.  A good vacuum pump will pull 28.  I got a Robinaire
pump
> from Ebay for about 120 bucks and love it.  The HF thing will work though
> and R134 is cheap if you have to have it redone.
>
> KerryP
> Patch panels fabricated
> Pinkertonk@xxxxxxxxx
> dte.net/57imperial
> Imperials -- 50 Limo, 57 roadster, 61's, 62, 68 Convert, 73, a 66 300 and
a
> bunch of lesser marques
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <chrysler1978@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Friday, April 25, 2003 11:02 PM
> Subject: Re: IML: 68, R134 conversion
>
>
> > How do you go about "vacuuming the system"?  How do you pressurize it to
> > test for leaks?  How do you detect a small leak?
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Dick Benjamin" <dickb@xxxxxxxxx>
> > To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Sent: Friday, April 25, 2003 10:17 PM
> > Subject: Re: IML: 68, R134 conversion
> >
> >
> > I converted my 55 Hudson about 3 years ago, and my 56 Packard about 2
> years
> > ago - both are still cooling well.
> >
> > My son converted his 94 Jeep about 3 years ago also, and it is still
> working
> > well.
> >
> > In all of these conversions, I first vacuumed the system and checked for
> > leaks - and fixed the ones I found.  I did not replace the original
hoses
> > (they were not leaking).  I had a bad evaporator valve (leaker) in the
> > Hudson, my son had dumped the R-12 by mistake as he was pulling his
engine
> > for a rebuild, and the Packard has apparently a very slow leak (like 3
or
> 4
> > years to go down) which I have been unable to find.    The 134 doesn't
> seem
> > to make it any worse.   I drove the Packard today, and ran the AC, as it
> was
> > a very warm day, and it's still cooling fine.
> >
> > Dick Benjamin
> >
> >