From box of air conditioning parts to a cool ride - what should I do before instal?

Discussion in 'The Big Chill' started by schwemf, Jun 26, 2016.

  1. schwemf

    schwemf Mike Schweitzer

    Hello,
    I have all the a/c parts, apart, in boxes, and am preparing to install them. Is there a write up on what needs to be done to what?
     
  2. musclecarz

    musclecarz Well-Known Member

    Re: From box of air conditioning parts to a cool ride - what should I do before insta

    Unless you are sure everything was in good working condition when removed and you will be staying with r12 then Id flush/pressure check the evap and condenser. New hoses, drier and recalibrate the poa valve if going to 134a. Pag oil for 134a, mineral oil for r12. Ester oil if going with 134a and the sysyem isn't completely flushed of the mineral oil.
     
  3. schwemf

    schwemf Mike Schweitzer

    Re: From box of air conditioning parts to a cool ride - what should I do before insta

    John Eberly posted this:

    I can cruise in comfort now that my a/c is back together and working after at least 15 years of being torn apart. I thought that some of the steps might be valuable to others so here's what I had to do to get the system working again -

    First, reused all original components except filter/dryer. All hoses and compressor were off the car.

    Flushed hoses, evaporator, and condenser twice - once with mineral spirits, once with dedicated A/C system flush (Napa I think, smells like citrus) - did not flush muffler or compressor with solvent-

    Flushed compressor with double end capped PAG oil.

    Filled with about 8 oz DEC PAG in compressor and 2 oz in filter/dryer.

    Re-calibrated POA valve. Procedure for this can be found on Arizona Mobile Air sponsored forum - lots of good info there http://www.autoacforum.com/

    Assembled system with new green o-rings and sealing goop.

    Installed a new filter/dryer - aftermarket from eBay.

    For test I pressurized the system to 102 psi with compressed air. Held pressure for 3 days, so I evacuated it to 25 inches of mercury using my Mityvac hand pump - it held this vacuum for most of a week, until we pulled it dow to charge.

    Evacuated the system with my friend's homebuilt compressor/vacuum pump (build from an old refrigerator compressor).

    Filled the system with 60 oz of R134a

    I had to fix some other stuff too -

    I somehow ended up with a long snout water pump, had to replace it with a short version to get my '68 accessory pullies to line up.

    The controls had problems - two switches behind the controls broken, thanks to board member California GS68 from Weymouth MA I have new(er) switches now! Thanks Ricky!

    Anyway, the system now blows nice cool air almost instantly after you turn the ac on. It's not ice cream headache cold like an old R12 system, but stays plenty cool so far in humid Michigan.
    John Eberly
    '68 GS400
    former '71 Centurion Convertible (gave to my brother)
    former '95 Riviera (gave to my daughter)
    WAITAMINNIT!!! I'M RUNNING OUT OF CARS!!!
    BPG #1430
     
  4. musclecarz

    musclecarz Well-Known Member

    Re: From box of air conditioning parts to a cool ride - what should I do before insta

    He would have gotten better performance with a parallel flow condenser. Also I would put the system in a vacuum first. If it doesn't hold, then pressure check with nitrogen and soupy water.
     

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