---- Robert Fisher <garciasghostvw@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> I'm not sure about something here... when you say "freon" are using it
> generically for "automotive refrigerant" or do you mean R-12? You may know
> this already but you don't want to put R-134a in with R-12 for various good
> reasons.
>
> If it had R-134a and you want to re-charge it, as someone else pointed out
> you need to fix the leak first; this link is to the R-134a retrofit
> technical bulletin and gives the various capacities:
>
> http://www.gti16v.com/tb879503.htm
>
> Cya,
> Robert
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> titantic01@AOL.COM
> Sent: Saturday, April 03, 2010 2:35 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Adding freon
>

So, the AC does not blow cold, though it did for a while after I got my camper last spring.  Well, it blows sort of cold.  I have inquired of three different shops about retrofitting it to R134a, and each of them has advised against it, and even seemed very reluctant to do the work.  I said that I wanted to find the leaks, fix them, and retrofit.  Each shop advised me to simply refill with R12.  I won't do that, and so have chosen to do without AC.  It does get hot on the road sometimes.

What do you guys recommend?  If the system needs work, why not retrofit at the same time?  After all, I figure it will leak again in eventually, and I'd rather it leak R134a than R12.  Is there a reason not to retrofit, other than the belief that many seem to have (which may be true) that it is not as good a refrigerant?

Thanks,

David McNeely