<VV> AC questions

[aeroned at aol.com]

Thanks for the advice guys. I found a couple sources for R12 and now have 9 cans, more than enough for a recharge (not too difficult to find and I paid less that $20 per can). The car is going to one of the two shops in town that still handle R12 on Thursday. It will be serviced by their "old car guy" and I'm going to remain on site incase he has any questions about the Corvair system (I just hope I know enough about the system to answer his questions). I've already told them about the compressor not running with the engine lid open. The goal would be to find and repair any leaks and get the system recharged so it's cold again (it worked for a while back in May, so I don'r suspect any major problems).

Stay tuned...
Ned


-----Original Message-----
From: corvairduval <corvairduval at cox.net>
To: virtualvairs <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Thu, Jul 18, 2013 5:05 pm
Subject: Re: <VV> AC questions


I would use R-12. It was designed for R-12, and R-12 works better than
134a in Corvairs.
The alternate refrigerants may work, but then you have a system that must
e drained and recycled the next time you need to open the system. You need
edicated recycling systems for that, which most shops do not have.
You have found some shops do still have R-12 equipment, but they will not
ouch a mystery filled system. Unless you just release the alternative
efrigerent into the air and go in with an empty system. Now if the shop
ses an alternative refrigerant, then they would work on it filled with
hat particular brand.
Now let's talk economics. We know R-12 works, and can be bought (maybe not
n  the middle of July right now) for $20 to $25 a can on "that auction
ite". A can is between 12 and 16 ounces, depending on how old it is.
hat's maybe $1.56 to $1.78 an ounce. You need about 4 pounds, 64 ounces,
aybe more, just check the lable on that A-6 compressor. I've seen some
hat were 5.25 pounds. That's about $100 to $120 for a complete fill of
omething that works fine.
Freeze 12 is selling for $15 to $30 a 12 ounce can on "that auction site"
ight now. Hmmm, $1.25 to $2.50 an ounce. How is this cheaper than R-12 by
ny amount worth considering?
R134a is currently $15 a can at Auto Zone or Advance. Yes, Walmart is only
10 a 12 ounce can. That's $.833 per ounce. So, you can fill the system for
53, but first you must drain the system, flush the old oil and add new
il. And add the cost of the adapters to use the R134a gauge manifolds.
gain, where is the big savings? Oh, and if you still have stock hoses,
ount on adding more R134a as time goes by just from R134a leaking through
he unlined hoses. Of course the other usual leaks in the system will
robably be larger than that(compressor shaft seal).
The price of R-12 has not gone up as predicted since that big price
ncrease in 1995/6. It has stayed steady as the demand has gone down. Oh,
o that's right. Everyone else: do not use R-12 - so I can forever!
Frank DuVal
Chillin in my 66 with R-12
 
Original email:
----------------
rom: jim bannister jimster1 at earthlink.net
ate: Thu, 18 Jul 2013 10:55:34 -0700
o: aeroned at aol.com, virtualvairs at corvair.org
ubject: Re: <VV> AC questions

f it were me, I'd not even try to find\pay for a refill of R-12.  I'd get
ne of the "alternative" refrigerants.  They are on a par with R-12 and much
older than R-134.
im

I want to get the AC serviced in my 66 Monza. There aren't too many places
hat will touch the R-12 systems anymore. A couple places still have the
quipment but need me to provide the R-12. That's not too difficult to find.
So my first question: How much R12 do I need to completely refill the
ystem?
There are a couple places that will convert the system over to 134.
My second question is how effective is the stock Corvair AC system with 134?
Thanks,
ed
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