R12 Topping Off

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How would I know what type my vehicle currently uses? Does it say on the
A/C unit? Is there a certain year it switched over? I currently own a 98
s-blazer & 98 K1500. Would these use the R12 or the 134?

Dave
"do_not_spam_me" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Spiderman" <[email protected]> wrote in message

news:<[email protected]>...
>
> > I have a 1989 Chevy S10 Blazer that blows out warm A/C. It's
> > low on R12 so the compressor just cycles on/off. I'm gonna top
> > it off with R12. Is a gauge necessary or can I just play it
> > "by air".

>
> Try the forums at www.aircondition.com, a place dedicated to car A/C.
>
> People who know better than me are going to hate what I'm about to
> say, but if nothing else is wrong with the A/C you can get the R-12
> charge about right if you monitor the inlet and outlet pipe
> temperatures of the evaporator while the engine runs at fast idle
> (must be fast, and run the engine at least 10 minutes before charging)
> and you slowly (emphasis on "slowly") put in R-12 until the outlet is
> almost as cold as the inlet. Ideally they should be equal, but it's
> safer to undercharge than overcharge.
>
> > Where can I find the normal low-side, high-side pressure ranges?

>
> Any car repair manual that covers GM vehicles since they went to
> orfice tubes?



 
On Thu, 3 Jun 2004, dcbryan wrote:

> How would I know what type my vehicle currently uses? Does it say on the
> A/C unit? Is there a certain year it switched over? I currently own a 98
> s-blazer & 98 K1500. Would these use the R12 or the 134?


All '94-up vehicles in North America use R134a. The refrigerant and oil
are called out on the A/C information plate or decal, located near the
front of the engine compartment and/or on the compressor body.

-Stern
 
Thanks

Dave
"Daniel J. Stern" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:p[email protected]...
> On Thu, 3 Jun 2004, dcbryan wrote:
>
> > How would I know what type my vehicle currently uses? Does it say on

the
> > A/C unit? Is there a certain year it switched over? I currently own a

98
> > s-blazer & 98 K1500. Would these use the R12 or the 134?

>
> All '94-up vehicles in North America use R134a. The refrigerant and oil
> are called out on the A/C information plate or decal, located near the
> front of the engine compartment and/or on the compressor body.
>
> -Stern



 
Actually, 94/95 was the change-over. My 94 Jimmy used R-12...

On Thu, 3 Jun 2004 13:45:56 -0400, "Daniel J. Stern"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On Thu, 3 Jun 2004, dcbryan wrote:
>
>> How would I know what type my vehicle currently uses? Does it say on the
>> A/C unit? Is there a certain year it switched over? I currently own a 98
>> s-blazer & 98 K1500. Would these use the R12 or the 134?

>
>All '94-up vehicles in North America use R134a. The refrigerant and oil
>are called out on the A/C information plate or decal, located near the
>front of the engine compartment and/or on the compressor body.
>
>-Stern


 

"dcbryan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:j9Jvc.12891$sI.8058@attbi_s52...
> How would I know what type my vehicle currently uses? Does it say on the
> A/C unit? Is there a certain year it switched over? I currently own a 98
> s-blazer & 98 K1500. Would these use the R12 or the 134?
>


There should be a tag on the compressor, if it's still original, showing the
factory charge, or possibly on the receiver/dryer. If it has been converted
by a shop there should be a label somewhere showing that as well.




 

"Daniel J. Stern" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:p[email protected]...
> On Thu, 3 Jun 2004, Bruce Chang wrote:
>
> > Where the hell are you getting R-12 for $20/can? Dreamland?

>
> $10 to $25/can is the going rate.
>
> -Stern


Show me a legitimate source where I can buy R-12 (in the US) for $10 a can
and I'd gladly pay you a nice finders fee.
Bob


 

"Bob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Daniel J. Stern" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:p[email protected]...
> > On Thu, 3 Jun 2004, Bruce Chang wrote:
> >
> > > Where the hell are you getting R-12 for $20/can? Dreamland?

> >
> > $10 to $25/can is the going rate.
> >
> > -Stern

>
> Show me a legitimate source where I can buy R-12 (in the US) for $10 a can
> and I'd gladly pay you a nice finders fee.
> Bob


Most Ebay sellers that sell R12 are legitimate. Just about all of them
require you
supply a copy of your EPA card before they will ship it this is right in the
description.
And also these days a lot of brick-and-mortar stores are selling on Ebay and
more
and more are signing on every day. Where have you been?


Ted


 
Just to throw my 2cents in...in Austin at A-Line Auto parts a 12 ounce
can goes for $44.95/can. You have to have an IMAC (?) license and a
city license as well to purchase it. I'm not a mechanic, I just
called to see what the cost and licensing requirements were for
fun...OUCH!!! $45 a can? Wow! I think I heard that in Mexico it's a
BUNCH cheaper...go figure.

"Ted Mittelstaedt" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> "Bob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > "Daniel J. Stern" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:p[email protected]...
> > > On Thu, 3 Jun 2004, Bruce Chang wrote:
> > >
> > > > Where the hell are you getting R-12 for $20/can? Dreamland?
> > >
> > > $10 to $25/can is the going rate.
> > >
> > > -Stern

> >
> > Show me a legitimate source where I can buy R-12 (in the US) for $10 a can
> > and I'd gladly pay you a nice finders fee.
> > Bob

>
> Most Ebay sellers that sell R12 are legitimate. Just about all of them
> require you
> supply a copy of your EPA card before they will ship it this is right in the
> description.
> And also these days a lot of brick-and-mortar stores are selling on Ebay and
> more
> and more are signing on every day. Where have you been?
>
>
> Ted

 
On Thu, 3 Jun 2004, Mike Levy wrote:

> Actually, 94/95 was the change-over. My 94 Jimmy used R-12...


Actually, '93 was the first year some vehicles came from the factory with
R134a, and in '94 they all did.

I think you're misremembering your '94 Jimmy.

-Stern
 
Nope,
Mike is 100 percent correct.
The 94 S series Blazer and Jimmy were R-12, takes 2.5 pounds to charge
from empty. However the 94 S Pickups were 134A.
The Blazers were still the old body style. This topic came up before and
I had to put pictures of the compressor in my wifes 94
online before anyone would believe it.
http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=4080238&a=30780228&f=
95 and up should all be 134 A though.
--
Steve Williams
Near Cooperstown NY


"Daniel J. Stern" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:p[email protected]...
> On Thu, 3 Jun 2004, Mike Levy wrote:
>
> > Actually, 94/95 was the change-over. My 94 Jimmy used R-12...

>
> Actually, '93 was the first year some vehicles came from the factory

with
> R134a, and in '94 they all did.
>
> I think you're misremembering your '94 Jimmy.
>
> -Stern





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"Ted Mittelstaedt" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Bob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > "Daniel J. Stern" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:p[email protected]...
> > > On Thu, 3 Jun 2004, Bruce Chang wrote:
> > >
> > > > Where the hell are you getting R-12 for $20/can? Dreamland?
> > >
> > > $10 to $25/can is the going rate.
> > >
> > > -Stern

> >
> > Show me a legitimate source where I can buy R-12 (in the US) for $10 a

can
> > and I'd gladly pay you a nice finders fee.
> > Bob

>
> Most Ebay sellers that sell R12 are legitimate. Just about all of them
> require you
> supply a copy of your EPA card before they will ship it this is right in

the
> description.
> And also these days a lot of brick-and-mortar stores are selling on Ebay

and
> more
> and more are signing on every day. Where have you been?
>
>
> Ted
>

They may very well be legitimate but they aren't selling it for $10 a can
either. Like I said, if I could find some for that price I'd be all over it.
From what I've seen you would be lucky to buy it for twice that.
Bob


 
On Fri, 4 Jun 2004 12:31:20 -0400, "Daniel J. Stern"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On Thu, 3 Jun 2004, Mike Levy wrote:
>
>> Actually, 94/95 was the change-over. My 94 Jimmy used R-12...

>
>Actually, '93 was the first year some vehicles came from the factory with
>R134a, and in '94 they all did.
>
>I think you're misremembering your '94 Jimmy.
>
>-Stern


Not according to my shop. I also distinctly remember the compressor
saying R-12 on it. They agreed with the compressor, said that in
order to diagnose/repair the system when I had a problem with it it
had to be converted so they could ensure it had a full charge, they
had no R-12 left. Turns out all I had to replace was a pressure
switch, but that's beside the point...
 
On Fri, 4 Jun 2004 15:33:11 -0400, "Steve W." <[email protected]> wrote:

>Nope,
> Mike is 100 percent correct.
>The 94 S series Blazer and Jimmy were R-12, takes 2.5 pounds to charge
>from empty. However the 94 S Pickups were 134A.
>The Blazers were still the old body style. This topic came up before and
>I had to put pictures of the compressor in my wifes 94
> online before anyone would believe it.
>http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=4080238&a=30780228&f=
>95 and up should all be 134 A though.



Thank you. I also happen to have a pic of the compressor on that old
truck floating around, for the same reason.
 

"Bob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> >

> They may very well be legitimate but they aren't selling it for $10 a can
> either. Like I said, if I could find some for that price I'd be all over

it.
> From what I've seen you would be lucky to buy it for twice that.
> Bob


You aren't looking very hard then.

Here's a $15 can that didn't get sold:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2478959794&category=46094

Here's a $15 can that did get sold:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2478959584&category=46094

here's another:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2479006246&category=46094

Here's 2 cans that went for $22 for the set:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2479102481&category=46094


Also, if you wait for the wintertime, the stuff gets a lot cheaper on Ebay.

Keep in mind that when the EPA announced they were going to prohibit OTC
sales of R12, the
stuff was selling for something like $4.95 a can, and a whole lot of people
figured the stuff would
shoot up to 10-20 times this price, so a whole lot of people ran out and
bought cases of the
stuff from the local auto parts places and stuck them in the back of the
garage, expecting to
make a killing.

Then later on when those people had A/C in cars that failed, they tried
bringing in their cans
to the A/C places and found the A/C shops wouldn't fix their vehicles unless
they used their
own freon. So the stuff sat.

Now the stuff is almost worthless because the DIY'ers are buying Freeze 12
over the counter
and the A/C places want to buy R12 in tanks, and don't give a crap about the
cost since they
just pass the cost on to their customers. Every summer it's the same
thing - as soon as it
starts getting hot for a few months then the R12 can sales pick up on Ebay
for a while, then
after the hot season the market slumps again.

Ted


 
if its cycling on n off u mite want to check your low press. switch mite
be faulty ..or a bad connection ...just my 2=A2

 
if its cycling on n off u mite want to check your low press. switch mite
be faulty ..or a bad connection ...just my 2=A2

 
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