I just purchased an Interdynamics "Auto Air Conditioner 2-Way R-134a Retrofit & Charging Kit" Model #CRK-6T

It comes with 2 cans of R134a refrigerant with oil, leak sealer and o-ring conditioner; Low & High Side service port adapters with lock-on adhesive; color coded service port caps; can tap valve; R-134a quick connect/disconnect hose fitting; R-134a high side pressure charging hose and a retrofit label.

It claims the process is 5 easy steps.
Here's the link to the 5 easy steps:
http://www.id-usa.com/retrofit.htm

Have any of you ever used this or something like it?
Is it too good to be true?
Is there anything I need to do to my '79 BEFORE I use this kit?

Thanks for your help!!

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-Adam Wartell
NCM Lifetime Member #1222
Founder: C3 Vette Registry 
C4 Vette Registry, C6 Vette Registry

My first Vette, now owned by JB79:

Adam,
Funny you should ask. I just installed an Interdynamic's kit in my 81 last night. Mine had the separate can of oil and 3 cans of R134. I had a mechanic friend use his guages to do it for me. My system had no R-12 left in it. We pulled a vaccuum for awhile and it seemed to hold so if it has a leak it must be a very small one. I was going to but leak sealer in it but I bought the can with the cap that connects directly to the low side and couldn't get it on the fitting due to lack of space. So we charged the system anyway and it works great. I will monitor the pressure from time-to-time to see if I am losing any refrigerant. R134 is cheap enough to add a can if it gets low. If I had to do it over again, I would use the kit that you have because I the oil is already mixed in the R134 cans. I think the 8 oz. full can of oil was too much. Hope this helps. Good luck. tom.

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Stock 81 silver/charcoal |IMG|http://www.photohost.org/gallery/data/3429/2432tah81_jpeg-200k_.jpg|/IMG|

I took my 72 COnvertible in to have the A/C recharged. The place only does retrofits anymore. R12 too expensive. Anyway they couldn't do it because they could not get a kit with fittings to fit my compressor. ODD original compressor and probably the same on many other Chevys on the road. Really ticked me off. Where did you get your lits? I called ym local NAPA store and they said they had a kit to fit . When I explained the situation to them they said yeah they have heard of it, so the solution they said was to buy extra fittings.

I got my kit at Autozone, but Wal-Mart had the same thing. The kit comes with the new fittings that are R134 compatable but is designed for 1976 and up vehicles. The instructions indicate you can get fittings for pre-1976 vehicles from the company. Contact Interdynamics at www.id-usa.com. Tom.

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Stock 81 silver/charcoal |IMG|http://www.photohost.org/gallery/data/3429/2432tah81_jpeg-200k_.jpg|/IMG|

I sent the company an e-mail this morning and this is the answer I received. It reads like they do not sell the pre-'76 fittings. I would hate to buy the kit and not be able to find the correct fittings.


Prior to 1976, the Low Side and High Side service ports were the same size. This means that when you retrofit, you need a special adapter for the High Side service port on a pre-1976 vehicle. These are readily available to most auto parts stores. At AutoZone, you have to get them at the Parts Counter. They are only a few dollars.

You can add the High Side adapter AFTER you've done the rest of the retrofit. Its purpose is to allow mechanics to hook up R-134a equipment to your system the next time you have it serviced.

You can read more about retrofitting on our website:
Interdynamics Retrofit - Frequently Asked Questions

Bill Appel
Director of Sales
interdynamics, inc.
e-mail: interdy@aol.com

Is there anyone who charges with R-12 anymore.
I've been told the R-134 doesn't get near as cold.
This could be a problem for me in Arizona if it's true.

I have heard that R134 gets colder than R12 Differant strokes for differant folks I guess. Maybe there is a qualified tech in our Vette land that knows for sure??

you can still get recharged with R-12 in Florida. congress made a special exemption for Florida. but it is expensive. last time i checked 1 small can is $34.00 but you have to be licenced to buy it.

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|IMG|https://www.c3vr.com/member_uploads/1301_1400/1333/br80.jpg |/IMG|

MY PRESSURE WAS SO LOW THAT THE AC WOULD NOT COME ON.
AT THE CARLISLE CORVETTE SHOW I BOUGHT "ENVIRO-SAFE REFRIGERANT
TWO CANS OF REFRIGERANT AND ONE CAN OF"O" RING SEALER PLUS A
HOSE WITH VALVE. YOU HAVE TO PULL THE ELECTRICAL PRESSURE PLUG
AND SHORT IT OUT WITH A JUMPER. 1. START CAR 2.TURN ON AIR.
3.PUT IN CAN OF "O" RING SEALER. 4. PUT IN ONE CAN OF REFRIGERANT
CHECK COOLING WITH HAND OR THERMOMETER. SHOULD BE AROUND 55F
IF NOT PUT IN SECOND CAN. I ADMIT ITS A BIT RISKEY WITHOUT A GAUGE.BUT IT WORKED FOR ME. IT REPLACES HFC-134a & other
CFC-12 SUBSTITUTES. THE ADDRESS IS ENVIRO-SAFE REFRIGERANTS, INC
100 CAROLINE, PEKIN, ILL 61554 PLEASE ADVISE IF YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS. E- MAIL JANDERD@AOL.COM

I want you all to know that Envirosafe (and some other products like it such as Duracool, HC-12a, MX-12a, etc.) are hydrocarbon based flammable substances similar, if not exactly like the propane in your barbeque grill's tank. Installation of these types of refrigerants could be dangerous to you and your Corvette if somehow system integrity were to become comprimised. Further, while it's very unlikely you would get caught, or even if so, procecuted, it is illegal to install flammable refrigerants as substitutes for CFC-12. For more information visit www.epa.gov/ozone/title6/609. Go to "Fact Sheets" and then to "Legal Status of"... Or call MACS (the Mobile Air Conditioning Society) at 215-631-7020 for further information. MACS' web site is www.macsw.org

Be real careful of the alternative refriderants on the market. R-12 or R-134a should be the only 2 used in automobiles. I still have a bit of R-12 to use in my car, but I've heard from several that R-134a will work OK in the older systems.

I have been told by Gordon Killebrew, the C4 expert, to not change to 134. He said that older systems were not made for the less dense 134 and you will never be happy. I really don't know but 134 is much cheaper.

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C3VR Life Member #4
NCM Life Member #994
Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association Life Member

I used the interdynamics kit in my 73 that I got from walmart.

First we evacuated the system. When we put the first can in it took about half and then stopped. Come to find out that the plastic piercing valve that they supply was defective. I bought a professional tap and it worked great.

The a/c blows very cold.

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techelec

i have decided to get my AC recharged with R-12. it is still avaiable and after having an AC shop look at mine they wanted to convert to 134. but would have to change lots of parts to get it to work as well as R12. by staying with R12 i just need the broken compressor replaced and the system purged and filled. i contacted a referegerent company and they told me that 134 will work as well as R12 but the entire system has to be set up for 134 which is why the AC shop had to replace all the extra parts also the 134 works at much higher pressures and that R12 systems arn't engineered to work at these higher pressures especially in such older cars as mine.

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|IMG|https://www.c3vr.com/member_uploads/1301_1400/1333/br80.jpg |/IMG|

Someone (redvet I think) already beat me to it by saying ,,, "I want you all to know that Envirosafe (and some other products like it such as Duracool, HC-12a, MX-12a, etc.) are hydrocarbon based flammable substances similar, if not exactly like the propane in your barbeque grill's tank. Installation of these types of refrigerants could be dangerous to you and your Corvette if somehow system integrity were to become comprimised. Further, while it's very unlikely you would get caught, or even if so, procecuted, it is illegal to install flammable refrigerants as substitutes for CFC-12."
R-12 production in the USA has been banned for about 7 or 8 years. It's been against the law to import it for about 4 or 5 years if I remember correctly. NO AUTO REPAIR FACILITIES in the US are allowed to BUY R-12,,, period. You can use your "stockpile" & THAT'S IT. BTW, if they STILL have R-12 in the shop, then they aren't doing too many A/C jobs. The R-12 that's being sold today is mixed with numerous other agents to give good enough performance in your car but CAN BE DEADLY. Household A/C freon (R-4?, I forget), is one of the more common ones to mix, along with PROPANE. Normally, R-12 will blow out the vents about 30-35 cooler than the ambient (outside) air, but not cooler than 34 degrees. R-134 is only about a 22-27 degree temp change. Higher pressures,,, yes, & not all our OEM compressors will handle it, worry about that later tho, if it blows. Do a thorough flush of the system to help. Condensors also have much much smaller tubing (about 8-12 tubes would fit where 1 tube used to be) to assist in the "gas to fluid"/cool-down change. I almost lost track of where I was going with this,,, but I guess it was to say,, GET RID OF THE R-12,, IT'S NOT WORTH IT. sorry that was so long.

|UPDATED|4/14/2003 11:44:52 PM|/UPDATED|


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EdelBrock Performer w/ 750 doub pumper,port/polished heads, triple cut valves w/4th cut down the throat of the exhaust valves, 286 Comp Magnum cam, 1.6 roller rockers, ball-peen pushrods w/guides, screw in rocker studs w/girdles, Comp double-roller chain, , hi-rise valves covers w/ spacer (needed for the girdles), Flowtech by Holley long-tube ceramic coated headers into Stage II pipes (no cats), chrome wire looms for the MSD 8.5 mm wires, MSD 50,000v coil kit w/advance springs, cap, rotor, module, steel-braided radiator,heater,vacuum hoses, Infinity Kappa 4x6 plates (dash), Sony Xplode 6 3/4" (rear), chrome T-stat housing, A-arm shields, B&M Hammerhead shifter |IMG||/IMG|

R12 sold in florida is recovered from systems being converted to R134 as per state law

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|IMG|https://www.c3vr.com/member_uploads/1301_1400/1333/br80.jpg |/IMG|

ok, I won't go on & on about this but,, look at the "brightest side" possible. Are they purifying the R12 that's about to go into your car? I highly doubt it, because that would be IMPOSSIBLE to do. You will get all the little metal shavings & everything else from other peoples blown compressors that they didn't "filter" out. Blown compressors is THE MAIN REASON people retro to begin with. Not to mention any moisture that was in the system. The very reason you have to replace a reciever/dryer any time you open the system up is because of moisture. How many cars do you think they would have to retrofit to make enough "pure" R12 to fill your system up to capacity?



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EdelBrock Performer w/ 750 doub pumper,port/polished heads, triple cut valves w/4th cut down the throat of the exhaust valves, 286 Comp Magnum cam, 1.6 roller rockers, ball-peen pushrods w/guides, screw in rocker studs w/girdles, Comp double-roller chain, , hi-rise valves covers w/ spacer (needed for the girdles), Flowtech by Holley long-tube ceramic coated headers into Stage II pipes (no cats), chrome wire looms for the MSD 8.5 mm wires, MSD 50,000v coil kit w/advance springs, cap, rotor, module, steel-braided radiator,heater,vacuum hoses, Infinity Kappa 4x6 plates (dash), Sony Xplode 6 3/4" (rear), chrome T-stat housing, A-arm shields, B&M Hammerhead shifter |IMG||/IMG|

QUOTE|BacaBill said: Are they purifying the R12 that's about to go into your car? I highly doubt it, because that would be IMPOSSIBLE to do. You will get all the little metal shavings & everything else from other peoples blown compressors that they didn't "filter" out.

All R12 taken out of refitted cars is sold to a distributor which filters and rebottles it for resale back to whoever has a license to buy and install it. The state has lots of regulations reguarding its' sale with hefty fines. It is resold as pure R12 Nothing can be added to it. i'm sure with the milions of older cars with R12 still running around there will be enough supply for many years to come for the few cars still using the R12. Every shop I talk to wants me to convert to R134 but they admitt that it may not cool as well when questioned and some suggested that it may need additional cooling to get it to work properly. I don't see any need to change a system that has been designed and worked for years with R12. I agree R134 works great but only in systems designed for its use.

SIG|

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|IMG|https://www.c3vr.com/member_uploads/1301_1400/1333/br80.jpg |/IMG|

I agree with Garry. These cars are hard enough to keep cool, why change over to a system that you pretty much know up front that will not cool as effectively.

There is plenty of pure R12 available to the trade if you wish to pay the price . Myself I feel the performance of R12 speaks for itself ,and the folks that drive our cars will spend the extra cash for it !



one hoo nose

Geo

i sent this question into a air conditioning refriderant supply company "i am in the process of repairing my air in my 72 corvette. will r134 work as good as r12 in this car. i live in florida and will rather use what ever product cools better. also i plan on leaving the components as stock from the factory. also corvettes tend to run hot as they don't have very good under hood air flow. considering all of this will 134 cool as well as r12"
this is the reply i got back "R12 WILL WORK ALOT BETTER!
IF YOU ARE NOT CERTIFIED TO BUY R12 GO TO WWW.LENZDIST.COM
AND CLICK ON
INDUSTRY LINKS"



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|IMG|https://www.c3vr.com/member_uploads/1301_1400/1333/br80.jpg |/IMG|

will r134 work as good as r12? That was the only part of the question that you had to ask. Pretty much everyone is agreeing that R134 will NOT be as "efficient" as the R12. It doesn't have the same cooling capabilities. We all know that already. Anyway, good luck with your process, it might not break the bank this time around, sooner or later, it will tho.

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EdelBrock Performer w/ 750 doub pumper,port/polished heads, triple cut valves w/4th cut down the throat of the exhaust valves, 286 Comp Magnum cam, 1.6 roller rockers, ball-peen pushrods w/guides, screw in rocker studs w/girdles, Comp double-roller chain, , hi-rise valves covers w/ spacer (needed for the girdles), Flowtech by Holley long-tube ceramic coated headers into Stage II pipes (no cats), chrome wire looms for the MSD 8.5 mm wires, MSD 50,000v coil kit w/advance springs, cap, rotor, module, steel-braided radiator,heater,vacuum hoses, Infinity Kappa 4x6 plates (dash), Sony Xplode 6 3/4" (rear), chrome T-stat housing, A-arm shields, B&M Hammerhead shifter |IMG||/IMG|

if i was worried about the cost of R12 i would be driving a chevette and not a corvette

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|IMG|https://www.c3vr.com/member_uploads/1301_1400/1333/br80.jpg |/IMG|

Ventilation was never adequate to be begin with, let's not make it any worse!!!!


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'69 350/350 conv.

It's overdue, but I'm done venting,,,

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EdelBrock Performer w/ 750 doub pumper,port/polished heads, triple cut valves w/4th cut down the throat of the exhaust valves, 286 Comp Magnum cam, 1.6 roller rockers, ball-peen pushrods w/guides, screw in rocker studs w/girdles, Comp double-roller chain, , hi-rise valves covers w/ spacer (needed for the girdles), Flowtech by Holley long-tube ceramic coated headers into Stage II pipes (no cats), chrome wire looms for the MSD 8.5 mm wires, MSD 50,000v coil kit w/advance springs, cap, rotor, module, steel-braided radiator,heater,vacuum hoses, Infinity Kappa 4x6 plates (dash), Sony Xplode 6 3/4" (rear), chrome T-stat housing, A-arm shields, B&M Hammerhead shifter |IMG||/IMG|