Hello Cetin.  I don't think you can legally charge an R12 a/c 
system.. at least in Canada.  The systems have to have an 
evacuate/recharge and pressure test performed by licensed people.  
They pressure test first, and if the system passes, then they do the 
evacuate/recharge.  An aluminum sticker is affixed to the vehicle as 
well indicating what was done, by whom, etc.  This sticker is placed 
in the back of my wardrobe closet in the my '90 Westy as this is 
where  the service point is.

They hook up a machine to the a/c, and all the fluid in your system 
is run through this machine which "dries" out the freon, and is topped up to 
fill your system.  It takes them over an hour to do.  It costs me 
around $100 to do this .. including the freon.

It does sound that your system is low... if it's too low on freon, 
there is a low pressure switch which will shutdown the compressor.
I had this symptom before, and an evac/recharge fixed things up 
nicely.

Harry.

> OK, folks, here's one:
> 
> I'm not sure if it's just that the EV AC is too strong, or that my Vanagon's
> AC needs to be re-charged.  Before I mortgage my house and take the Vanagon to
> the dealer, are there any things I can do myself? Like trying to recharge the
> AC myself and see if it gets better?  I had done this years ago on a Renault 18
> and it was not hard at all.   Is it possible to do the same on the Vanagon?
> 
> Any ideas, opinions appreciated...
> Cetin
> 
> 
-------------------------------------------------------
Harry yates         Internet: hyates@bcit.bc.ca
'90 Syncro Westfalia          Burnaby, BC
'87 Golf Diesel