Tom,

I'm in the same boat, and here is what I have learned from my reading,
and talking to my local mechanic whom I will probably have do the job.

1 - have the system flushed out thoroughly with truckers Air Brake
alcohol. Several shops wanted to stick me with a high priced "Official"
cleaner and flushing agent that cost about$80/gallon. My man said "No
way - the Air Brake stuff works fine." Much, much cheaper.

2 - have the R134a hardware installed.

3 - have the system serviced with Freeze 12.for performance better than
R134a.

There are several things here.

First - the change to R134a is going to give you an operating head
pressure greater than the original Freon 12. So if there is any weakness
in your compressor or elsewhere in the system, your system will likely
fail soon after installation. Not going to fail, but like to fail.

Second, - Freeze 12 performance is very near that of Freon 12 - and with
lower head pressure than that of R134a. Freeze 12 can be legitimately
used as an auto refrigerant PROVIDED  that the system has FIRST been
converted for R134a.

There is nothing wrong with R134a - if you have a system built for it.
But old Freon systems converted to the higher pressures of R134a can be
problematic. And I don't want problematic in the dog days of summer.

Regards,

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver
Chelsea, AL where it's hot as blazes and we are having a drought and are
verging on water rationing.

Tom Myers wrote:
> Record temps in Upstate New York today!
>
> And i need to attempt to resurrect my Westy A/C this summer.  I had 2
> near
> accidents last summer from dozing off at the wheel of a 90 degree van.
> The
> system has been empty for 2 years and I hope it is rescuable. So aside
> from
> a new dryer and an small R-134 conversion kit from Bus Depot -  i am
> wondering where to start.  I am thinking there is a logic to taking
> the van
> to a AC shop and just have them attempt to charge it up with alot of leak
> detector and r134 hose seal oil and just to see how bad the system is.
> From
> there make a determination what would be involved.  has anyone had any
> experience bring back the A/C?  i do not mind the idea of doing multiple
> rounds with a AC shop if i know what to tell them to do first.  I am
> looking
> at the archives regarding condenser retrofits right now.
>
> Thanks for the time
>
> Tom Myers
> Hot Rochester NY
> http://motsvan.blogspot.com
>
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