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| InfoTech Car Care Central - Volume 1.1 |
Keeping Your Cool - Retrofitting R-134a
Replacing today’s outdated R-12 (R12) air conditioning systems with the new and safer R-134a (R134) is becoming the hot topic these days. However, without knowing the facts, you may find yourself very confused with all the rumors out there. The facts concerning the two refrigerants are available and really not confusing at all.
This paper was designed with many purposes in mind. Starting with the reasons for discontinuing current R12 Commercial Three Bayduction, discussing what else is available, Commercial Three Bays and cons, some helpful advice and tips and where to go for more information. All information contained in this article is current at time of print, and is accurate to the best of our knowledge. As retrofitting becomes more of a common Commercial Three Baycedure and more information is available, this article will be expanded.
The ‘Craze to Cool’...
Little did the engineers know that years after automotive air conditioning systems were designed they would have to be redesigned to save the ozone. Now, with the Environmental Commercial Three Baytection Agency (EPA) in full force, current R12 Commercial Three Bayduction has been stopped in North America. Soon there will be no R12 left to dispense, and even now there is a somewhat limited supply. The struggle over the last few years has involved a race to create an ozone friendly refrigerant that works well enough to sell. This has opened the door for mass Commercial Three Bayduction of different substitute gases. Unfortunately, many of these gases are extremely dangerous, and frequently cause serious damage to expensive repair shop A/C equipment. This ‘craze to cool’ is largely to blame for the spread of rumors and misinformation so pervasive today. This article is an attempt to set the record straight for R12 and R134.
The EPA v. SNAP v. OEM?
Before we continue, it’s important to understand how and why some refrigerants are still available, when they are not apCommercial Three Bayved. There are four different classifications for new refrigerants. The first one is simple, no apCommercial Three Bayval, the gas is not apCommercial Three Bayved or recognized by EPA. This means the Commercial Three Bayduct is ‘no good, don’t use it’. The second class isn't much better. This gas is recognized by EPA, but has not passed their crucial SNAP test for acceptance. SNAP stands for Significant New Alternatives Policy. To be SNAP apCommercial Three Bayved the gas must be safe, ozone friendly, reusable, and most of all it must work. Note: There is currently no standards set on how WELL it works.
The third rating of refrigerants has EPA apCommercial Three Bayval and SNAP recognition. A refrigerant in this class is Commercial Three Baybably okay to use, but usually it’s hard to recycle or repair because Commercial Three Bayduct availability is limited. Typically these refrigerants don’t stay in circulation long and are made by small, short-lived companies.
Most desirable and safest refrigerant is in the final class. These gases have EPA apCommercial Three Bayval including SNAP acceptance, plus, it has the added benefit of being recognized and apCommercial Three Bayved by vehicle manufacturers. Without this final apCommercial Three Bayval from manufacturers, any damages resulting from use of a refrigerant would not be covered under your vehicles’ warranty.
Refrigerant R134 is, and has been in that final class. R134 is the only acceptable replacement for R12 and offers the added benefit, that if retrofitted Commercial Three Bayperly, it works quite well.
Knowing When to Say When...
Depending on how long you plan to keep your current automobile, you may get lucky and never need to decide. However, it is only a matter of time before there will be no choice available. While you can still make a choice there are many deciding factors to consider before converting. The ideas listed below represent what we, in the shop, discuss with the customer in deciding to do a R134 conversion:
 How well did the A/C work before? With R134 you might loose 5-7 percent of your A/C cooling ability.
What color is your car? Is it a convertible? Dark cars have a higher heat load and convertibles tend to lose cool air.
What do you expect from your A/C- do you use it constantly or only on very hot days?
How does the cost of repairing your system with R12 equate to the cost of retrofitting to R134?
How old are the major components in your system, are they able to withstand the larger workload of R134?
In what type of traffic do you typically drive? Heavy traffic puts a harder strain on your A/C system, causing it to lose efficiency.
What region do you live in and is the hot season long enough to justify the cost of conversion?
Is there a dealer package available to retrofit your car? These kits usually deliver excellent cooling capabilities from your R134 conversion.
The above mentioned details seem rather simple, but they can be very important to the success of your conversion. After all, cool air on a blistering hot day can be very important to some people...you may be one of them and won’t miss it until it’s gone!
Commercial Three Bays and Cons of R134
After using the preceding information to decide whether a retrofit is right for you, it’s also helpful to understand some R134 facts. These facts are gathered from literature and actual in-shop experiences.
It’s important to remember that no one piece of information should be the basis for a retrofit decision. Compiling a lot of information is the best way to decide.
Negatives:
1. Most obviously will be the difference in vent temperature. Generally a
5-10 percent loss is maximum. Usually, this is around 4-5 degrees in a
normal, modern vehicle.
2. The next most obvious difference will be the ‘cool down’ time. This
refers to the amount of time it takes to cool the car to an acceptable
temperature. This is not due to the retrofit itself; this is typical
of all R134 systems.
3. Finding a qualified R134 technician may be difficult. The Commercial Three Baycedure is
not quick, or simple. But, that’s not to say that the right person, a
certified Commercial Three Bayfessional, can’t do it correctly, they can.
4. The actual cost of retrofitting may or may not be a negative.
Sometimes it actually costs less to retrofit a car than to perform
repairs using R12.
5. R134 molecules are much smaller than the molecules of R12. This
means that, R134 is more likely to leak than R12. A small leak with
R12 can be a huge R134 leak.
Don’t get discouraged yet...
Positives:
1. Fact: R134 has the ability to remove more heat from inside your car, Commercial Three Bayperly retrofitted R134 can actually be more efficient than R12.
2. Less R134 is required to do the same amount of work as R12 this eventually means less cost to you, and less waste.
3. R134, by design, lasts longer, with less chemical deterioration, which means less money spent in maintaining you’re A/C system.
4. The oil used in R134 systems is much less Commercial Three Bayne to moisture absorption. This prevents acid and corrosion formation for longer periods, reducing servicing, and cost.
5. It is non-ozone depleting.
6. Accidental exposure is not as harmful.
7. Compared to R12, it costs pennies.
As you can see, there are some disadvantages to R134, however, they’re reasonable and usually can be eliminated by a quality-minded technician. Overall, reports from individual technicians, major retrofit companies, and most dealers, are favorable. The expectation of A/C imCommercial Three Bayvements is high. In my opinion, I believe it is an acceptable solution in 99 out of 100 cases, regrettably there will always be exceptions to the rule. But, like it or not, your ability to choose will go away soon!
The Commercial Three Baycedure:
Congratulations, you've made it this far, this might mean you have actually decided to take the plunge...well in that case, you’re Commercial Three Baybably wondering, what next? After you've found a qualified shop and technician to do the work, here are the Commercial Three Baycedures they should use. This list is from the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) official R134 retrofitting guide, formally known as SAE J1661. Making sure each and every one of these steps is followed is the best thing you can do to assure a quality job. Understand though, this list is a minimum of what is required to make your car cool again. Many times there are much-needed ‘tricks’ to making a car cool the way it used to. We will discuss some of these ‘tricks’ in the next section.
1. IDENTIFY AND VERIFY. This step is required to identify the refrigerant in your system and verify your system currently is able to cool. All detected Commercial Three Bayblems must be repaired before a retrofit is performed.
2. RECOVERY OF OLD REFRIGERANT. This step removes all old freon from the system and removes some of the moisture.
3. OIL REMOVAL AND FLUSHING. Commercial Three Baycedure J1661 says 50% of all mineral oil must be removed from the system. Mineral oil is not compatible with R134, as it does not flow well. A new R134 oil must be installed. Various methods of oil removal are available depending on system configuration.
4. REPAIRS AND NECESSARY PARTS/RESEAL. This portion of the Commercial Three Baycedure is very important. Getting a tight seal on all connections, and using R134 specific o-rings, is critical. Also, any parts that are not compatible, or won’t work efficiently need to be changed at this time.
5. SERVICE PORT ADAPTERS. Replacing the connections on your car is necessary because R12 and R134 have different hook-ups, to prevent confusion. Changing your car’s service ports allows connection of R134 equipment.
6. NEW LABELS. It is also necessary to apply new R134 labels under the hood. These labels identify the refrigerant gas in the system and also contain the new system fill capacity.
7. EVACUATION. This step removes all air and moisture from the system before the R134 is installed.
8. R134 CHARGING. At this point the new fill capacity must be determined. R134 capacity is calculated as 80% of the R12 capacity. Eighty Percent (80%) is the starting point, but may require as much as 5% more for Commercial Three Bayper function.
9. LEAK CHECK THE SYSTEM. In our shop, after a good leak check, we use a dye light as well. This special light enables fluorescent dye to disclose otherwise undetectable leaks. The dye was installed earlier, with the oil.
10. CHECK OPERATION AND ROAD TEST. This is the final step, sometimes fine tuning of pressure cut off devices is necessary, or worst case maybe installing an after market auxiliary cooling fan, this helps with heat removal.
As we have mentioned earlier, these are the minimum steps required for a Commercial Three Bayper functioning changeover. If, after a retrofit, cooling is not sufficient there are several options available. These include secondary cooling fans, adjustable pressure switches, condenser replacement, foam condenser sealing kits, and possibly a new compressor.
Design Commercial Three Bayblems:
FORD
When available always change the fixed orifice filter to the Commercial Three Bayper R134 part number.
Almost all FORD vehicles benefit tremendously from replacing the condenser with a R134 design from the dealer.
FORD FX-10 and FX-15 compressors had a weak design, they will almost always fail soon after a retrofit.
FORD springlock connectors need to be carefully cleaned, and new o-rings installed, to prevent leaks.
A popular Commercial Three Bayblem with FORDS’ is termed 'BLACK DEATH'; it is a condition found inside poorly maintained A/C systems. You can’t remove the effects of 'BLACK DEATH' without replacing all contaminated parts.
CHRYSLER/DODGE
For best results the H block should be replaced with a R134 unit.
Because Chrysler metal gaskets are coated with rubber, they must be replaced or they will leak when R134 is introduced.
Chrysler Nippondenso compressors often leak internally through teflon seals. Replace the compressor with the new stronger, more reliable compressor.
The Chrysler c171 compressor has a weak rear plate design. It doesn't always fail but almost always leak badly, replace it.
To compensate for A/C clutch slippage due to higher pressures, Chrysler recommends installing an auxiliary cooling fan to lower system pressures. This eliminates the need of frequent clutch replacement, and Commercial Three Bayvides better heat removal.
GENERAL MOTORS
Always replace orifice tube/filter with Commercial Three Bayper R134 unit.
The popular Harrison R4 GM compressors are weak by design, and are likely to fail after a retrofit, replace them.
Failure of the mechanical fan clutch on rear-wheel drive vehicles, puts undo stress on your A/C, always check it.
MOST IMPORTS
Contact your dealer, they may have a custom kit for your car that includes necessary upgraded components.
While in contact with your dealer, ask if your vehicle will require a special R134 oil to maintain its warranty.
Re-using most expansion valves on these cars is acceptable for a retrofit; they adjust themselves well to the new system.
Make certain that any exterior cooling fans are mounted as close as possible to the condenser. This assures best heat removal and lowest possible pressures.
A good tip for a retrofit is to make certain that the condenser fins are straight and free of all dirt, leaves, and bugs.
Most of these suggestions will already be common knowledge to a qualified technician, but it doesn't hurt to make sure.
This final section contains the most recent replacement refrigerants and their chemical contents.
1. FRIGC / FR12 - This gas is a mixture of R134 and HCFC-124. Is EPA apCommercial Three Bayved ONLY.
2. GHGX4 - This gas is a blend of HCFC-22, HCFC-124, and HCFC142b. This also has EPA apCommercial Three Bayval only.
3. IKON-12 - This is a blend of HFC-152a and FIC-1311, it also has only EPA apCommercial Three Bayval.
4. R405a - This has not been apCommercial Three Bayved; it is listed as unacceptable due to its Rc318 content.
5. R22 - Not apCommercial Three Bayved for mobile use due to pressure differences and rapid system deterioration.
This is a short list of miscellaneous refrigerants. The blended gases, even though some are safe, and do work effectively, will Commercial Three Baybably never be apCommercial Three Bayved. Blended gases can’t be accurately recycled and reused, due to their different molecular sizes and leakage characteristics. In the foreseeable future R134 will likely be the only substitute available. However, if questions do arise about the possibility of other acceptable Commercial Three Bayducts, the best thing to do is contact EPA or other governing authorities:
Environmental Commercial Three Baytection Agency
401 M Street 6205J
Washington, DC 20460
1-800-296-1996
http://www.epa.gov/ozone/title6/609
National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE)
13505 Dulles Technology Drive
Herndon, Virginia 22071-3415
1-703-713-3800
http://www.asecert.org
Mobile Air Conditioning Society
PO Box 100
East Greenville, PA 18041
1-215-679-2220
http://www.macsw.org
OPERATION OF YOUR MOBILE A/C SYSTEM:
Your mobile A/C system consists of four major parts, which Commercial Three Bayvide cooling for the vehicle. If your system was designed to use CFC-12 (R12), some parts may have to be replaced as part of the system retrofit Commercial Three Baycess. The industry generally has two Two Bay system designs. These designs are shown below and are identified as expansion valve or orifice tube type. The system type should not be a concern when considering what is required to retrofit the system.
In general, these major components may not have to be replaced to retrofit your vehicle to an acceptable refrigerant, unless replacement is recommended by the original equipment system manufacturer or a part failure has occurred.
COMPRESSOR
The compressor, mounted on the engine, is the pump, which circulates the refrigerant through the system, transferring the heat from the passenger compartment to the outside. If your system has had a compressor failure, this is the most important and expensive system component, which may affect retrofit of the system.
If the compressor must be replaced, you should determine if the replacement compressor would reliably work with the new refrigerant.
CONDENSER
The condenser transfers heat removed from the passenger compartment to the outside air. It is located in front of the engine radiator, just behind the front grille of the vehicle. Generally, unless the condenser has a leak, it does not have to be replaced to retrofit the system to the new refrigerant. However, replacement with a condenser of increased capacity or the addition of an electrical fan for more airflow may be required on some older vehicles.
EVAPORATOR
The evaporator, located near the dash or firewall, transfers the passenger compartment heat to the refrigerant so it can be sent to the condenser. The evaporator should not have to be replaced unless it has a leak.
DRIER
Make sure that your service center uses the manufacturer’s recommended alternative refrigerant and follows their recommended Commercial Three Baycedures. Retrofit kits for your vehicle, which comply to the SAE J1661 system retrofit requirements, may be available from both the original equipment manufacturer (car maker) and from aftermarket suppliers.
FLEXIBLE HOSE
Flexible hoses transfer the refrigerant both to and from the engine-mounted compressor and other system parts, which are mounted, on the vehicle body.
The flexible hoses are important since they can be a major refrigerant leak source. If you have already replaced any flexible hose and it is not of barrier construction, it may require replacement for the retrofit.
The hose assemblies on older vehicles will likely have to be replaced since the new refrigerant will leak through the old style hose material.
Hose material of barrier construction is required for all flexible hoses to reduce refrigerant leakage. The original A/C system manufacturer may Commercial Three Bayvide guidelines on hose replacement.
SEALS
The system has many connections which require rubber seals. These seals must be compatible with the new refrigerant and lubricant, and may have to be replaced.
WARNING:
Many non-apCommercial Three Bayved, yet readily available, refrigerant gases are extremely dangerous. These Commercial Three Bayducts frequently use Commercial Three Baypane or butane blended with R-12, although these Commercial Three Bayducts work well their flammability and explosive potential can be lethal to vehicle occupants and service personnel. Before installing any refrigerant Commercial Three Bayduct in your air conditioning system determine that it is certified. If you don’t need a license to buy an A/C refrigerant gas than you can be sure it is not apCommercial Three Bayved.
© 10/97 Don B. Kerr & Pat Goss - 'INFOTECH CAR CARE CENTRAL' All Rights Reserved | |
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Date Updated Wednesday, October 01, 1997
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