All automotive systems are leaky.

Also consider that no more R12 is being manufactured and that all existing R12 Freon will be released to the atmosphere, it's a matter of when.

Thanks, Tom Hargrave
www.kegkits.com – Electric Brewery Info
www.towercooler.com – Beer Tower Cooler
http://goo.gl/niRzVw - My Amazon Store
www.brew-control.com – Electric Brewery Marketing and Direct Sales
http://www.hackpilot.com/roadkill/ - A little twisted humor

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf Of David McNeely
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2020 11:27 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: found some freon 12 should I recharge old AC

All true, I guess.  However, it would be unethical to add R12 to a system with ANY leaks.  R12 has been outlawed for new equipment for a good environmental reason.  And it might be that what is a "slow leak," what is an "excessive leak"?  Who knows, and who wants to make that determination?
mcneely

On Mon, Apr 13, 2020 at 11:02 PM Tom Hargrave <thargrav@hiwaay.net> wrote:

> Your mechanic lied to you, or at least he misquoted federal law. You 
> are allowed to add Freon to a system with slow leaks, you are not 
> allowed to add Freon to a system with excessive leaks. But repair the 
> leaks and you are allowed to add Freon again, even R12.
>
> Thanks, Tom Hargrave
> www.kegkits.com – Electric Brewery Info www.towercooler.com – Beer 
> Tower Cooler http://goo.gl/niRzVw - My Amazon Store 
> www.brew-control.com – Electric Brewery Marketing and Direct Sales 
> http://www.hackpilot.com/roadkill/ - A little twisted humor
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On 
> Behalf Of Richard Koerner
> Sent: Monday, April 13, 2020 10:12 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: found some freon 12 should I recharge old AC
>
> (I tried sending this before...nothing happened...might be useful for 
> someone.  So am trying to send again.  Will NOT be offended if of no 
> use for anyone.)
>
>
> I wanted to fix my 85 Vanagon A/C after doing the Subie 2.2 conversion.
> Conversion came with a Subaru A/C compressor; my converter had to get 
> a couple new lines made.  Re-filled system with R-12.  Excellent!....for
> about 2 months...doh.   So there is this local San Diego A/C shop who knows
> Vanagons; took it to him.  Using "sniffer" thing, discovered many 
> leaks; most were O-rings, easily fixable and they did so.  
> However....there was still one small leak coming out of Evaporator (on 
> an 85 Tintop it's a big monster contraption hanging down from ceiling 
> behind front seats).  To fix that would be like $2000....and super 
> brittle plastic housings.  By Federal Law, he could not add R-12 to a 
> system that had been determined to have leaks.  So the decision was made....convert to R-134A.
>
> All was good for about 9 months.  But, slowly weaker performance.  I 
> asked my guy about that Stop-Leak product available for R-134A.  He 
> said, Yes it might work, or help at least.  Here is the Big Thing 
> though:  once you have that Stop-Leak stuff in your system, it opens a 
> whole can of worms.  If you ever need your system evacuated, it will 
> RUIN a shop's equipment.  So nobody will work on it, and you are on your own forevermore.
>
>
> I considered all my options....and decided to try the Stop-Leak.  
> Worked very well, like magic.  Still a tiny leak from somewhere.  So 
> now the situation is:  every year around June 1 or so, I hook up my 
> gauge set, and add a can or so of R-134A to the appropriate High and Low Side pressures.
> It generally lasts all summer and fall.  Over winter and spring, I 
> never need A/C of course.  But then come June 1, I repeat the cycle.
>
>
> Not sure if the wisest approach and decision-making.....but so far so good.
> Rich
> San Diego
> -----
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