Good warning Ken,
I had posted the same of course.
just wanted to say .....
I let someone use  volvo car of mine once.......an old one, they managed to
turn on the AC .....
when I got the car back,..........a connecting rod inside the AC compressor
was sticking out the side of it ....blew it right up.

AC shops can retro fit a pressure switch pretty easily I'd say.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ken Wilford" <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, July 26, 2009 6:51 PM
Subject: Re: Trip Report: Westywoman has risen again!

> Melissa,
>
> Glad you are back.  One thing I want to warn you about and that is DO
> NOT use your AC with the freon low in your van.  The early Vanagons (up
> to 86) have no low freon cut off switch for the compressor.  That means
> if you turn on the AC just to use the fan the compressor will also come
> on.  This can cause the compressor to lock up, throw the belt and take
> the water pump belt along with it.  I know this from personal experience
> and it almost cost us a motor when a lady did this to keep her dog cool
> while renting one of my sister's Westies.  Just FYI.  Now if you had an
> 87-91 Vanagon these do have the pressure switch in the refrigerant line
> which will not allow the compressor to come on when the freon is low.
> It is idiot proof in that way and probably because they got complaints
> like the problem we had with our 86 Westy.  I hope you enjoy the van and
> if you need any help or parts please consider us.
>
> Good to have you back!
>
> Ken Wilford
> John 3:16
> www.vanagain.com
>
>
> Melissa Mourkas wrote:
>> Hello all:
>>
>> Saturday morning, I caught an early flight from Sacramento to Orange
>> County. I was picked up at the airport by a lovely young couple in a
>> creme-colored 1984 Vanagon Westfalia camper. By 11:00 a.m. I was
>> merging onto the jammed I-5 freeway in my newly purchased 1984 Westy.
>> Getting through LA traffic gave me plenty of time to get used to a
>> new clutch & tranny. On and off, on and off. Stop and go. Ugh.
>>
>> I cleared the LA slog and headed for the Grapevine, to make a frontal
>> assault on the 4000' Tejon Pass at a blistering 100-degrees at 2:00
>> pm! What was I thinking? Oh, wait, this is a water-cooled engine - no
>> problem. Up and up we went and the temp gauge barely moved. Shrugged
>> it off. I only had to gear down into 3rd a few times. Remarkable!
>>
>> I drove on by the Los Padres National Forest campsites and continued
>> down to the great Central Valley. I decided to avoid the twisty
>> mountain roads because my brakes were feeling a little squishy, so I
>> thought I'd stay on flat land where I could coast to stop if necessary.
>>
>> The Valley greeted me with a blast of dry heat. I would have been
>> happier if the a/c worked but I knew it was not blowing cold when I
>> bought it. But the compressor and fan both come on, so hopefully it's
>> just in need of a recharge. I sweated my way up to Visalia, where I
>> decided to quit driving for the day. The store at the KOA campground
>> had wine, a corkscrew and a paper coffee cup, so I was in business. I
>> pulled out of my suitcase some sheets and a small pillow. Having no
>> other camping supplies and it being so bloody hot, I just hung out
>> and read a magazine until the sun went down, had a shower and crashed
>> in my new bunk.
>>
>> By 5:40 a.m. Sunday, I was on the road again and pulled into my
>> driveway in Sacramento at 9:30 am, just as happy as a pig in mud!
>> Other than the squishy brakes, I had just driven 410 trouble-free
>> miles in my new VW camper!  And cruised along at 65-70 mph!  The bus
>> doesn't have a name yet, though I am sure one will come to me as our
>> adventures continue. I hope to keep this one for many years.
>>
>> Melissa (grinning!)
>> 1984 Westy
>>
>> (sold my '81 eight weeks ago)
>>