It's not so much the parts but the labor that you can get into if the cabinet has to be dropped to get to the expansion valve. If you do the job yourself I would suggest constructing some sort of table that can support the cabinet while you reconnect the wiring hoses and other fittings. Be careful of the fittings on the drain tray that will be very brittle and will break easily. My system was working great and then one day near the end of the season last year I heard a pop from up there in that cabinet and everything got warm. I'm dreading going through that ordeal again.:(

David Clarkson
90 Westy

 

-----Original Message-----
From: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
To: vanagon <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Mon, May 23, 2011 4:31 pm
Subject: Re: Vanagon a/c

 
 
 
  I have the same problem. Got to get the AC repaired. One thing I 
learned the hard way - if y ou do not have freon and don't run the AC 
once a week - the seals dry up and the freon leaks out. So you are 
likely up for replacement of all the seals, including a likely 
replacement of the Compressor. In an upgrade to 134a, you can get a 
complete seal kit from Van-cafe for about $50 or from the other List 
Vendors for similar money. You will also need a new receiver dryer and 
possible a new expansion valve. Because the old AC compressors were 
designed to run at the lower Freon 12 pressures, the higher pressures of 
the 134a may poop out your AC compressor fairly quickly. You really 
should get a new compressor appropriate to the 134a. 
 
134a Upgrade Kit - $50 
Expansion valve - $30 
Receiver-Dryer - $30-$35 
Compressor - $350- $400. 
134a - $35 or so. 
 
Not bad on parts. But then there is the labor. I've not a clue on that 
myself. I'm going to try and do it myself. 
 
Good luck. 
 
John 
 
John Rodgers 
Clayartist and Moldmaker 
88'GL VW Bus Driver 
Chelsea, AL 
Http://www.moldhaus.com 
 
 
On 5/23/2011 2:41 PM, David M wrote: 
> Well I have been given an ultimatum by the wife. Get the a/c fixed or get rid  
of the Vanagon. Its about to hit 100 degrees here in AZ so it would be nice to  
have working a/c again. The system was working fine around 10 years ago but  
lasted maybe one year after a $450 refill with freon at the VW dealer. It's  
still the freon (R12) system and I'm not prepared to pay the cost of regular R12  
refills so it has to be a conversion to R134. 
> How much should it cost to have this done? I was quoted a $1000 flat fee by  
one place but that seems expensive. Is a lot of labor involved? Can a regular  
a/c place handle this or is the Vanagon system too unusual? 
> 
> -David (1987 Wolfsburg) 
> 
>