Dana
1981 DeLorean DMC-12 (5 Speed, Gas Flap, Black Interior, Windshield Antenna, Dark Gray)
Restored as "mostly correct, but with flaws corrected". Pictures and comments of my restoration are in the albums section on my profile.
1985 Chevrolet Corvette, Z51, 4+3 manual
2006 Dodge Magnum R/T (D/D)
2010 Camaro SS (Transformers Edition)
Location: Northern NJ
Posts: 8,581
My VIN: 10757 1st place Concourse 1998
R-12 is available on E-Bay. Stay with it as long as you can. -134 will diminish your capacity. You can also use R-414 (a blended substitute).
David Teitelbaum
Location: Florida: Pinellas County
Posts: 2,110
My VIN: 5003 Never placed Concourse
Club(s): (DCF)
I live near Tampa. I've been using 134 and haven't had any issues with it keeping me cool. Of course, the proper way to convert to it is to change the hoses, the oil in the AC system, flush it, new accumulator, etc. So, with all of that, it is easier and cheaper to keep R12 in it but I really don't have a problem with the 134.
-----Dan B.
This worked for me.
http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?18...l=1#post260346
Thanks,
Lenny
DMCH New Build in 2005, Stage II, DPI Stainless Exhaust, Eibach Suspension, 170 Mph Speedometer, Xenon Lights, Wings-A-Loft, DMC Wide Angle Side Mirrors, 3rd Brake Light
Posts: 1,313
My VIN: 03238 Grey & Black Hybrid - Auto - work in progress Former owner 10902 - Universal 93 Raffle Car
Particularly being an AC tech, you shouldn't have any issues hunting down the leaks and getting everything sealed up pretty well. I'd vote for staying with R12. You ned to pull and hold a hard vacuum either way, and you don't want to be leaking either. Some people go to R134a because they can live with a small leak and just top off every year, but I'd imagine you have the tools and experience to find the small leak easily so it won't matter.
R12 just cools better. 134 is fine if you don't have R12 - but R12 works better.
*As to the Hawaii comment - many homes there don't have AC - you need to remember its average temp in Hawaii they are looking at. When it hits 84 degrees every day year round, your going to have an average high temp - but a hot day in Hawaii is usually 87. What's a hot day in Florida, Texas, Arizona or California?*
Posts: 1,250
I do have all the tools, but sometimes chasing leaks is still an issue. I have a slow leak in my Bronco. I top it off about three times a year. Every part on the AC is new in the last two years. I believe the leak is in the new evaporator. But it's difficult to get at. I just live with it. Most of my experince is with walkin refrigerator/freezers. Slightly differnt.
On the Delorean, I first will put my gauges on and see if there's any pressure. There's no reason to pull a vacuum if there's still pressure in the system. (Nothing can leak in if there's pressure.) If that's the case, I will just top it off and see what happens. If there's no pressure, I'm going to pressure it up with argon to see if there's any giant leak. (Ever since I stopped doing regular work in refrigeration, I charge my nitro tank with argon for back up to welding) I can force the compressor to start to see if it's locked up. At that point, if I don't have a leak, I can vacuum it and put R12 and some oil in. I have recovery equipment if I want to pull it back out.
DMC 8 has a fantastic referb thread, but I would just buy new stuff.
In Florida, it rarely hits a 100, but gets regular 92-95 days.
Posts: 1,313
My VIN: 03238 Grey & Black Hybrid - Auto - work in progress Former owner 10902 - Universal 93 Raffle Car
Helirich - see PM.
Posts: 1,250