"McMike" (mcmike)
06/01/2014 at 18:34 • Filed to: driveway mechanic, vanagon, tutu153
2
13|
"McMike" (mcmike)
06/01/2014 at 18:34 • Filed to: driveway mechanic, vanagon, tutu153 | 2
| 13 |
Of course, the AC system in the van I bought seven years ago "blew ice cold." Why wouldn't it? I told him when I was coming.
It was nice while it lasted.
Getting tired of filling it with R134, I decided to do it right, and do an R-134 to R-12A conversion. R-12A is this Canadian R12 substitute that was created for old farm equipment, and is more compatible with older systems than the R-134 most of them have been converted to.
I thought a leaking high-side hose from the compressor to the condenser was the culprit of my leak, so I replaced it. All 15 feet of it.
I also replaced the compressor, the receiver/dryer, and all the o-rings at the fittings. A system flush later, I put it all together and completed the conversion.
And the damn thing still leaked.
Every spring, I could call up Red-Tek (the Canadian company) and order new refrigerant. It's not cheap, so a few years after the conversion, I had had it. I was going in. I was going to change the last four o-rings I had not done yet.
"Why would I wait?" You ask? Because this is where they are. They are all on the expansion valve which is in this evaporator housing at the rear of the van.
Down comes the front ducting at the windshield. Down comes the three pieces of ducting in-between, and then the rear housing.
This is where it gets interesting.
That brittle, NLA, plastic housing is not a cover, but part of the unit. I just can't remove the cover and swap shit out, it has to come down.
I'm terrified, as the wiring, hoses, and drain hoses are all connected to it. One false move and it's straight to eBay looking for replacement parts.
Bar stools, sections of 4x4, and garden kneelers are what I stacked up to fill the gap, so the unit would only drop about an inch or so. Once dropped, I could take a layer out at a time until it rested on the stools.
Now, let's get to those o-rings.
Jesus, look at this. Why the hell would someone take this all apart just to put non-AC o-rings in there? One of them was the wrong size, almost severed in half.
This fitting was all corroded, which may have been one of the guilty ones, letting my precious Canadian cool juice seep out over the span of months.
What an asshole. Look at these things.
All that work, just replace these, four, little, cheap, 0-rings.
Finally.
Pulled a vacuum for an hour, and let it sit. 30 minutes later, we're still at 29 inHg
Now, I just need to call Canada and get the cans of refrigerant, and hope it lasts more than a year.
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McMike
> McMike
06/01/2014 at 18:37 |
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Long hose is long.
Alex B
> McMike
06/01/2014 at 18:41 |
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which kind of van?
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McMike
> Alex B
06/01/2014 at 18:48 |
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This kind.
Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura
> McMike
06/01/2014 at 18:52 |
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Time for an EG/EJ swap, man.
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McMike
> Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura
06/01/2014 at 18:53 |
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I like the little wasserboxer. Keeps me humble.
thebigbossyboss
> McMike
06/02/2014 at 10:56 |
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Yesterday on the phone my dad was complaining about some power steering hose in his Mazda 6 that takes about 4 feet of hose to go 6 inches because it is hair pinned shaped more or less and goes around everything. Lol.
lonestranger
> McMike
06/05/2014 at 21:23 |
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When I worked at a VW dealer, we always kept lot of those fuses in stock. But that was in the '90s. If your dealer doesn't have them, try a mechanics shop that specializes in imports/VWs.
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McMike
> lonestranger
06/05/2014 at 21:35 |
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I'd be happy with anything rated at 50a.
I may stop by the dealer and see what face they make when they ask "What year?" and I say "87"
Takuro Spirit
> McMike
06/05/2014 at 22:06 |
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I love those guys. I have "dawww <3" moments. Guy came in yesterday for a OE oil filter for his '87 RX-7.
"Turbo or......" I asked, hopes high.
"Non."
Shit.
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lonestranger
> McMike
06/05/2014 at 22:18 |
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$1.39:
http://www.germanautoparts.com/Hardware/Fuses…
or a 2-pack for $0.50
http://www.eurocampers.com/50amp-strip-fu…
gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
> McMike
06/06/2014 at 00:42 |
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In the future a great investment are those $25 uv dye glasses and light kit. A few years ago my AC stopped working ( I hit part of a truck tire a few weeks before). went to use my AC and nothing came out. So I did the recharger kit, worked fine for august. Next year comes, go to use it, nothing. Hmm must be a leak. put the dye in, nothing... Anywhere. So I get a can of the sealent, and one regular as instructed to refill it. Run it as required for 20 minutes, cold air blowing, sweet. Go to look under the car. The whole bottom 1/3 of the AC condenser is bright yellow. yep found the leak. work 2 times then nothing.
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McMike
> gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
06/06/2014 at 05:24 |
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Yeah, I'm about at that point.
Buy car, it all leaks out by the end of summer
Recharge next year, all leaks out again (R134 was CHEAP at the time)
Repeat
Repeat
Replace leaking hose, o-rings, dryer, compressor, and convert to R12a
Recharge next year, all leaks out again (R12a is not as cheap)
Repeat
Repeat
Fuck it, replace remaining o-rings and recharge.
Next step, burn the van or get the dye kit
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McMike
> lonestranger
06/06/2014 at 05:41 |
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Thanks!
I'm hoping to find something locally this afternoon so I can button this thing up, since I have to take interior bits off to service the system.