OK, I got some R12, thanks to Larry.  Can someone send me step by step instructions to re-charge.  Cannot find my old notes.  I have the origianl service manual, it was written for shop workers back in 79.  When I paid someone the last time I did it he put the R12 in at the top of the dryer, there is a fitting near the larger line that goes into the evp/box.  I do not have a site glass.  Fitting near back of compressor also, goes to top of dryer, large line.  3rd fitting on small line that goes to the condensor, front of car. 

dang dude i wish i could help you the only way i have ever charged a car was to vac the whole system then weight in the charge i have never had much luck with just toping off the system and what kind of pressures you will be looking for sorry

You can use the fitting on the compressor OR the accumulator/dryer for the low side hose.
The small, metal line is the high side. the fittings should be different sizes, also, with the larger of the two being the low side(suction), and the smaller fitting the high pressure.
Are you just topping off, or doing a complete re-charge? If the system is empty, you really do need to have it evacuated first. If it is still cooling, but just low, you can add to it with no problems.
You want to see about 30 psi on the low(suction) side, and around 200 or so on the high side. You should have a fan of some kind blowing thru the condenser while doing this, to help keep the high side pressures down.
If you do not have any gauges, be very careful!!! Too much freon will lock the compressor up, or pop a hose. Neither will make your day...


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Joel Adams
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I was just going to top off.  The system is barely cooling, compressor cycles allot. This will be the third time I do it since I restored the car in the early 90s.  Nothing has been done to the system.  I let it go for a long time has been needing a topoff for some time now.

Ambient temps do play a part in how much freon the system will need. You can tell if the system is low just by connecting the gauges to it, and checking the static pressures(before running the engine or the A/C). The system pressure should very close to ambient temperature. For instance, if it is 80 degrees outside, then your system pressure(static) will also be around 80-85 psi. If it is 100 deg outside, system pressure will be in the high 90s for psi. Just a quick way to see if the system is low on freon.

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Thanks for all the help Joel.

Joel please review my notes and let me know if I have it right?

Well I tried it, clearly I don't know what I am doing, good grief : (

It all looks fine, except you want the A/C on High, and high blower.
Is the compressor kicking in at all? If it is really low on freon, the compressor will not come on, but adding some freon to it should cause it to kick in.
The gauge hoses are usually color coded. Blue for low side/suction, red for high side/pressure, and yellow for intake from the can/jug. Only open the valve on the LOW side of the gauges...NOT the high side. Opening BOTH can cause high pressure to be pumped into the freon can, and cause it to explode!! The only real reason you would ever want to open the high side valve would be to equalize the high/low side pressures after charging, or when evacuating the system.


When you're done, close the valve and let the system equalize before removing either of the hoses. This will allow time for the pressures in the hoses to lessen, making much less of a mess when you disconnect them. The middle/feed hose does not need to be removed from the gauges, or the can.
Adams' Apple2010-09-27 10:20:20

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Joel Adams
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Yes the compressor does cycle.  I was opening both sides and the low side pressure would go very high when I opened the valve on top of the R12 can, releasing the freon.

The gauge faces should be labeled for R12, or 134, or maybe even R22. You'll need to look at the lettering where the numbers start in the circle...it will usually be R12 on the outer circle, and the other types(R22, 134, etc) on the inner circle. Not all gauges are the same, so I can't tell you what yours has.

What pressures do you see on the gauges when you hook them up,  without it running, and running?(all valves closed)


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Joel Adams
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Gauges are marked, it looks like the very inner red scale is mark R22 & R12, a double scale.  The next red scale is marked R502 this one is in the middle.  Black scale on both are not marked, most outter.

The high side only goes to 200psi??? Wow...that's not gonna give ya much to go on...
Could you get a pic of the gauge faces?


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Joel Adams
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone that helped me get my A/Ccool again.  A big special thanks to Joel Adams.

That's great..I guess you need AC down there all year! Hopefully you can remember how this all goes for the next top off! I haven't charged a car with a little can in a long time. Got any of that R12 left for next year? That stuff is getting really hard to find in those small cans! We can get that Freeze 12 stuff but we don't for obvious reasons! Drive cool.
Rich

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My first parade at Carlisle 2010

O, I took good notes.  Pretty cool down here right now.  R12 was easy to get but pricey, $29 for a 12oz can.  Too much bad info on the street about Freeze 12.

I don't think that 29$ t fix the AC is all that bad.. I would buy a few extra cans to get you thru a couple of years..who knows how long they will be around! I avoid the Freeze (propane)12 also..
Rich


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My first parade at Carlisle 2010

There is also a product called Frigg 12, which is basically the same crap as the Freeze 12, with different labeling.We had a salesguy stop by the shop one day and gave us a case of it, and said "Try it out, and see what you think".
I actually called the tech support number listed on the can, and eventually got to speak with someone that was supposed to know all the tech specs and such....he didn't know crap...didn't have any idea if it was a complete, SAFE drop-in replacement for R12, or anything else.
Like an idiot, I blew a can in my '74 a  year or so later before driving to an NCRS meet. It took just about 80 miles of highway driving to lock the compressor up, and burn the belt off, before I even realized what had happened. Needless to say, I were NOT a happy camper that weekend.
Any of the other vehicles we used that crap in at the shop also wound up with massive internal damage shortly after....
I will update everything I have to 134 when the time comes. I will not worry about locating, or paying for R12 anymore. I have found that 134 works just as well in most cases, and there is very little extra needed to upgrade to the 134 from R12.


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Joel Adams
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That had to really make you ######off.. I have never used either one..probably never will..body shop had one towed in with minor front end damage that exploded on impact! insurance sued the shop that charged the AC with that stuff..they didn't know it had propane in it! I felt bad for that shop! The car was a total loss..
Rich

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My first parade at Carlisle 2010

It's not just the propane in it....that crap has some other chemicals that will apparently break down the oil in the system. Either that, or it keeps the oil from mixing in, and being circulated thru the system....

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Joel Adams
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Got to love all those oil breakdown chemical stuff and stuff..I just don't want to have a fire ball going 20 feet into the air with the condenser popping in an accident..that's what happened to the car I saw..people barely got out of the car in time! I am not sure how bad the shop got nailed but I think it was settled between all the insurance companies.
Rich

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My first parade at Carlisle 2010