Cookin' My Buns Off

68 daily driver said:

Mustang Paul;

There is a replacement for R12 and R134a. It is called Duracool and runs about 8 bucks a can. It is supposed to be about 35% more efficent then R134a and comparable to R12. It can be used to replace both refrigerants without any expensive changes like you have to do when switching from R12 to R134a. They have a web site, http://www.duracool.com and will answer any questions you may have about their product. I am planning to switch over from R12 because my unit is getting low on R12 and I do not want to pay the very high price to have more R12 added. I hope this helps you out.

68 daily driver

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68--Let me know how this stuff works out! I'm interested.

--Paul

sparky8131 said:

Don't go the Duracool route, it's highly explosive & not approved by the
EPA. I'm here in Southeast Texas, I'm running stuff called FREEZE12.
This stuff getscold just like R-12 freon. Cost about $7 a can. Takes
a little less than 3 cans for these cars. If you didn't change your
hoses when you converted, chances are that you've lost some R134.
It takes special barrier hoses to use this type of freon.
G/L, sparky!!!

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Sparky--Good to know. Where did you get your Freeze 12. I did get new hoses. Pretty much the entire system was new which is why I'm frustrated. I should have to wear a parka!

--Paul

Show's you what I know

I thought I'd go check the level of 134a. I couldn't find my pal with the gauges, so when I got a couple of cans of 134a, I asked my pal at the parts house. They didn't have any to loan/rent, but he turned me on to this thing that looks like a pistol with a gauge in the butt. Screw in the can, hook up the coupler to the low pressure hookup and squeeze the trigger. Gives you a reading. I was hesistant, but he said he'd buy it back if I didn't like it. So, off I went.

The system was at about 12-18. (That's what I get for telling people my system is tight.) Added a can to get it back up to around 25, low end of "normal." (Couldn't get it to take more and get the pressure up, or I didn't have the patience to wait.)

Looked inside the car and, JOY! the metal AC cover was fogged up and condensing! Cold air!

I drove it back to my pal at the parts house and brought him a Coke.

So, the only mystery is why it won't go above 25 on the gauge, but I do have cold air again. I probably didn't wait long enough is my guess. I don't know how quickly the system takes 134a.

Thanks to everyone for their help. If you were around here, I'd take you for a ride in a cold car!

-P

geegee said:

"So, the only mystery is why it won't go above 25 on the gauge"

Get a powerful household fan. Blow air into the radiator to see if you can get improved pressures. If the household fan serves to do this then you gotta work on the fan and shroud.

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GeeGee--I'll try that. I have one of thos huge box fans that I use to cool the garage. I'll fire that up and see if it makes a difference. Thanks!

Yet another thing I've learned on Stangnet!