Has anyone converted an old style R12 air conditioning system to R134a ? I've been googling around for information and I haven't come up with too much.

My basic understanding of the process is that R134a gas is "smaller" than R12 (ie: it has less molecules or something..) So R134a gas can escape from an R12 system. Therefore to convert to R134a you need to replace certain valves and the pump (compressor).

However some websites that I've read claim you only need to change the compressor, not all the hoses and valves.

Has anyone done this themselves? were you successful? I'd be interested to hear your experiences.

There are some auto elects who use the commercial refrigerant R122 which is non ozone depleting and you dont have to retrofit you system. Much cheaper. try ringing Jacks Auto Electrical at Artarmon and tell him Craig who used to work at Ashdown sent ya. He will do for trade (maybe).

wow! cool! a mate's dad is re-gassing his factory air cond' restored HT kinger and that is awesome advice! he's gonna be wrapped!!!!

Thanks for the tip converted, I will contact your bloke in Artamon.

I spoke to an auto electrician an Kingsgrove who sounded like he had no idea, but was willing to charge me a small fortune to do the job.

My wagon is built for cruising, not for speed. My goal is to have working airconditioning and tinted windows so I can cruise on the hottest days in summer. Though, I might need to put in an A15 so I can go up hills, I've heard the A12 struggles with air con :)

ISCEON 49!

There are several different "retrofit" refrigerants to replace R12, in my opinion Isceon 49 has the closest operating characteristics to those of R12 and does not require any modification of the system other than a replacement filter drier (which you will be doing anyway).
By the way no oil change needed.

cheers

By the way we used to use FR12 which is a retrofit available here from BOC gases, so should be avaiable all over Aus.

I used R134a in my 200B's composite system [some factory & some aftermarket parts] The Bluebird compressor got a bit too noisy about two years later, but it may have died on R12 anyway. Who knows.

I then bought a new, old stock, replacement compressor at a real bargain price & we did it all again. It works OK & gas loss has never been a problem, but the new comperssor [now a couple of years old] is geting noisy too.
Next time i will get a pre loved compressor that is compatible with the new gasses & see how that goes.

The original oil in your compressor is not miscible with R134a; you probably have oil return problems in turn causing noise.

Change the oil for a Polyol Ester oil; by the way one change is not sufficient, I would recommend 3 changes to ensure you have sufficiently removed the mineral oil.

Again using a drop-in such as Isceon 49 avoids this, as well as removing the chance that such things as the shaft seal of the compressor may fail due to incompatibility with the new oil or refrigerant.

Good luck.

How did it go?