| Subject: | Re: Vanagon a/c |
| From: | John Rodgers |
| Date: | Tue, 24 May 2011 23:43:02 -0500 |
Any possibility of getting a picture of all this?? Thanks. John John Rodgers Clayartist and Moldmaker 88'GL VW Bus Driver Chelsea, AL Http://www.moldhaus.com On 5/24/2011 12:01 PM, Stephen Grisanti wrote: > If you remove the pad over the engine compartment two milk crates stacked are nearly the perfect height for upper cabinet removal (may require a piece of thin plywood or two for shims). One person working alone can wrestle it into position on the crates in order to unhook speaker and A/C wiring, etc., then drop it completely. If you cut the slits in the cabinet sides while it's out this will make for easier removal/reinstallation work in the future. > > Stephen > > > --- On Tue, 5/24/11, Peter Lapp<carrothospital@GOOGLEMAIL.COM> wrote: > > > From: Peter Lapp<carrothospital@GOOGLEMAIL.COM> > Subject: Re: Vanagon a/c > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Date: Tuesday, May 24, 2011, 10:27 AM > > > Ditto on the cabinet. It's a pain in the you know what to get out and then > even worse to get it back in. At the advice of someone who's done this many > times, I cut slits in the side of the cabinet so instead of holes for the > evaporator pan, there are U shaped slits so you can lift the cabinet right > back into position. > > If you don't want to worry about R12, just get some Redtek. That stuff is > great and is compatible with the existing equipment. You can also rent a > vacuum pump and manifold gauge set from an Auto Zone and pull a vacuum on > the system to check for leaks before you charge it up. That way you don't > waste a charge. > > Anyway, I'm going through the process right now, and that's my 2 cents. > > -p > > > On Mon, May 23, 2011 at 8:17 PM, David Clarkson<dvdclarksn@aol.com> wrote: > >> 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) >> > >> > >> >> >> >> >
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