Re: creature comforts

by texan01 Sat Jan 29, 2011 11:40 am

Mine has R-12 in it still. I had to replace the compressor last summer thanks to the previous owner not bothering to put oil in it when it was replaced a number of years ago. I managed to capture almost all the R12 and put it back in, and I still have a couple cans left in the freezer. I put in a new compressor and accumulator and orifice tube, flushed it and cleaned both coils.

If I have to convert it 134, it should be easy, but will probably need a more efficient condenser to make it work as well as the R12 setup.

On my '76 I ran 4/55 air for years before I finally decided to fix the a/c and it lasted a year before it would leak out again. Never did find the leak.

by Mcarlo77 Sat Jan 29, 2011 12:06 pm

Can a defective orifice tube not allow refrigerant to be added to the system? About the second summer after the A/C had been serviced but now had no cold air, I tried adding freon and couldn't get the system to pull it in. And yes, the compressor was operating at the time. Someone had suggested maybe the tube was blocked. Isn't there a special tool to remove it? Are the orifice tubes even available?

by texan01 Sat Jan 29, 2011 12:13 pm

Mcarlo77 wrote:Can a defective orifice tube not allow refrigerant to be added to the system? About the second summer after the A/C had been serviced but now had no cold air, I tried adding freon and couldn't get the system to pull it in. And yes, the compressor was operating at the time. Someone had suggested maybe the tube was blocked. Isn't there a special tool to remove it? Are the orifice tubes even available?

It's possible, have to put gauges on it to see the pressures to make sure. A quick check to see if it is plugged up is to run it on a hot humid day and see if you see ice forming right after the orifice tube, Its where the small line makes a right angle and then runs to the bottom of the evaporator.

Mine came out in two pieces, 99% of the time a pair of needle nose pliers work well. If it breaks off too far down in there, then you get basically a long woodscrew or the tool to extract it.

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