A/c Coolant

[JBronco]

I got a Question for the experts. I have an 88 Bronco and I made the mistake of putting the r34 coolant in my AC i bought a adapter so that it would fit onto my valve. Since then i have been informed that is very bad for your engine luckily I learned that no to long after i put the r34 in so i had only ran the AC a few times however the AC did blow cool when i put it in but i dont want to use it anymore if it is gonna mess up my engine. Any suggestions?

JBronco

 

[Shadow_D]

I'm not an expert by any means. I have been looking to convert my system from R12 to R34 and have asked a lot of questions.

Most people I have talked to say that the R34 is ok to use in an R12 system but the system must be vacuumed down to at least -3 psi. This is to be sure all of the R12 oil is removed and it serves as a leak check.

Some people I have talked to that have done this told me all they did was e-vac the R12 then put the R34 in and that was it, they also say there have been no problems.

Some people also say you need to e-vac the system then replace all of the "O" rings in the system before you put the R34 in.

As far as the R34 ruining your engine...

The only part of the A/C system that connects to your engine is the compressor. The Refrigerant does NOT go anywhere in the engine it's self. In short you need not worry about it killing your truck, The most it could damage is the A/C system only.

I suggest (from everything I have been told) you have someone e-vac / vacuum the system out then you can replace all of the "O" rings then you can put the R34 in. DO NOT reuse the stuff that you have e-vaced as that is no good now.

I hope this helps, good luck

 

[Desert Donk]

I just had my 85 converted at the beginning of this summer here in AZ. I took the truck to a great mechanic a friend of mine knows. The mechanic has an old Ford F150 that he converted for himself too. He said all the stories about having to replace this or that were just speculation when the new refrigerant systems first came out. But over the years they found most of that not necessary.

What he did for me was to put in new fittings (new refrigerant uses different sizes), and the O rings on those were replaced as they came with the new fittings. He vacumed out the system, then put in new with a partial load and vacumed that out again, this time for a couple of hours. He said getting out all the old oil was the most important thing. It has worked perfectly all summer. And it's hot here. I do notice that on days above 105, when the truck has been parked out in the sun so it is all heat soaked, the AC has a hard time keeping up. It is not as efficient as a system designed to use the new refrigerant. Also, it works best at road or highway speeds. At idle or just a bit more such as in heavy traffic or off road it can be cooler just to open the windows. But at $150 to have someone else do the conversion the cost is sure a lot less. And if where you live the heat is not as dramatic as it is here in Ft. Stinking Desert you might find it even more acceptable.

 

[Ranger429]

Shadow D it is R134a freon not R34 just an FYI, also I believe when you vacuum the system out then replace the o-ring's you need to again vacuum the system out b4 adding the new freon

As far as damaging the engine itself it will not harm it at all, they are not "joined" together

If you want R12 you better have a BIG pocketbook!!! That stuff is like gold.

 

[Shadow_D]

Like I said, I'm no expert, thank you for the corrections. The one thing I hate doing is giving bad info.

 

[Broncoscare]

Hey , I just finished up a A/C course and we went over this kind of stuff. If you want to switch to 134a you need to evac the system all the way. Yes, you do replace all O rings by all means. They now sell a "retro fit" kit for people who want to change over to 134a from r12. I am told Summit sells them. This kit should come with new fittings, and new lables to show that you have converted your system. I would also recomend that you add a dye to you 1oz of oil you add after putting the new freon in. This will show you any leaks now or later down the road, it saves a lot of time. I would recomed letting someone who is ASE A/C certified convert this for you. Any way you go its gonna put a dent in your wallet, so do it right. Letting Jo bob around the corner do things could cause problems, if they are unsure about your a/c system. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

Also your engine isn't hurt, if anything it will be your compressor, because the oils for 123a and r12 are NOT compatable.