A/C warmer when standing still?

[Bonnewagon]

I use a 165* stat, stock fan w/new thermal clutch, and an aluminum radiator. Temp is at 165* all day long and when it's HOT and the AC is on it 'may' see 200* in stop-and-go traffic. With good airflow it goes back to 165*. Airflow is key and our cars are pretty bad in that department. Dual electric fans would be perfect. As for refrigerant I went with ES-12, an R-12 replacement and I love it.

 

[tc1959]

134-A is much less efficient,and runs at higher pressures,especially in a system designed for R12.
You will never get 50 deg air with it in a R-12 system .
You also should get a actual set of manifold gauges to check pressures,red ,yellow, green don't cut it.
You could have a problem on the high side and not know it.

So then the remedy for this would be to convert to a newer 134a compressor from an S-10 or something like that?

You need a bigger or more efficient condenser, most new compressors are compatible with ether refrigerant..
You also need to replace all seals and o-rings with HNBR (green) style. replace rubber hose with double barrier hose.
134 is a smaller molecule then r-12 and will seep through standard hoses. Last but not least it is essential to completely flush all the old oil from the system.
You will have to replace the accumulator also, the desiccant will be saturated with mineral oil.
134 is even less efficient with a over charge of oil. The best oil for 134 is PAG oil, (synthetic).
Esters and blends break down at the higher pressures and temps in a 134 system.
Most if the cheepy retrofit kits have an oil charge which almost always over charges the system.
Usually resulting in compressor failure. Our cars anly need 8-10 OZ of oil in the system.
Most 134 systems were designed to work with electric fans for constant air flow over the condenser.

 

[G-Body_Vet]

As for refrigerant I went with ES-12, an R-12 replacement and I love it.

Maybe I've been living under a rock, but do tell more about ES-12. I did a quick search and read a little bit about it. I see it's supposed to be more efficient that R-12 and completely safe & legal to buy. I'll be replacing my entire a/c when the engine is actually ready to be installed....long time from now anyway. How does it compare in cost to R-12?

 

[Bonnewagon]

Here is the info that sold me. http://autorefrigerants.com/Envirotechnical.htm The order page is next. http://autorefrigerants.com/co00033.htm

 

[G-Body_Vet]

Here is the info that sold me. http://autorefrigerants.com/Envirotechnical.htm The order page is next. http://autorefrigerants.com/co00033.htm

Interesting. Thanks.

How long have you been using it if you don't mind me asking? Any cons to it at all from your experience?

 

[Bonnewagon]

2 years, ice cold AC. This year the system leaked out over the winter. Recharged it and after a month it was gone again. Finally I noticed a huge oil leak underneath the compressor, and it tested positive for AC dye. Not surprised because when I got the car it was empty, yet when I first vacuumed it down, it held 30" for 3 days. Now I am getting another compressor from Anthony, the OP of this thread. I hope that is the end of it as it is getting HOT around here. And yes I will be staying with the ES-12.

 

[tc1959]

2 years, ice cold AC. This year the system leaked out over the winter. Recharged it and after a month it was gone again. Finally I noticed a huge oil leak underneath the compressor, and it tested positive for AC dye. Not surprised because when I got the car it was empty, yet when I first vacuumed it down, it held 30" for 3 days. Now I am getting another compressor from Anthony, the OP of this thread. I hope that is the end of it as it is getting HOT around here. And yes I will be staying with the ES-12.

Es-12 is what's called a hydrocarbon, its actually Isobutane ( R-600) and is extremely flammable you are turning your AC into a potential bomb. :shock:

 

[pontiacgp]

I never heard of ES-12 before but I'm glad Mark mentioned it, reading about it it seems it's a good product to use...

and tc1959 it does have a combustion point but it's high enough to not cause a concern (IMO) and it's alot higher than the combustion point of the gallons of gas we carry around...

 

[tc1959]

I never heard of ES-12 before but I'm glad Mark mentioned it, reading about it it seems it's a good product to use...

and tc1959 it does have a combustion point but it's high enough to not cause a concern (IMO) and it's alot higher than the combustion point of the gallons of gas we carry around...

Gasoline isn't running thru your car at 350-400 lbs of pressure . Isobutane at those pressures is a bomb. I wish you luck.

 

[G-Body_Vet]

2 years, ice cold AC. This year the system leaked out over the winter. Recharged it and after a month it was gone again. Finally I noticed a huge oil leak underneath the compressor, and it tested positive for AC dye. Not surprised because when I got the car it was empty, yet when I first vacuumed it down, it held 30" for 3 days. Now I am getting another compressor from Anthony, the OP of this thread. I hope that is the end of it as it is getting HOT around here. And yes I will be staying with the ES-12.

Es-12 is what's called a hydrocarbon, its actually Isobutane ( R-600) and is extremely flammable you are turning your AC into a potential bomb. :shock:

I'd be curious to see what the supplier had to say about that. I normally don't trust Wikipedia as a reliable source, but it's worth a quick read. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isobutane#Safety_Concerns

In the end I guess it's like everything else. Risk vs Reward vs Cost.