The AC hasnt worked on my car for about 3-4 years (shortly after i bought it). I assume there was a leak, but never got it fixed. I now have a complete replacement system, and I would like to get it working again. The car is a '92 VW passat (16v, 2.0l). The current, broken system runs r-12 (never converted). Replacement was converted to r-134a and was working a couple of weeks ago when pulled.

Questions:
- After looking around a bit online, I assume i can not just r/r the system (EPA issues). Or can i, seeing that it has had a leak for a few years and the system is empty (or is it)?
- If not, anyone know of an inexpensive person/place to discharge the system for me?
- Do i need to do anything else to clean out the system before replacing, since i am only replacing the parts of the system under the hood ? Will there be a contamination problem from the remaining AC lines that i am keeping from the original system?

Thanks for the help!
dave

5/4/2006 9:32:20 PM

The overall best thing to do would be to actually replace everything under hood and under dash with equipment from a '94 or higher model (these are factory R134). The earlier condenser assemblies usually aren't a parallel-flow type, but are a serial flow or a double serial flow (later ones do use multi-flue tubing in a serial setup; the new R134 condensers are true multi-parallel flow using multi-flue tubing). R12 condensers therefore tend to be quite a bit less efficient than R134 models.

If you can't do that, the next best thing is gonna be to flush the condenser and the evaporator using a flush made for AC systems. Replace the expansion valve assembly, the receiver/dryer, and the compressor. Pull vacuum and charge with R134, using 80% to 85% of the original R12 charge weight. The system needs to be accurately charged BY WEIGHT.

I don't have recovery equipment, but I do have a vacuum pump, and I do AC work here and there.

5/4/2006 10:07:09 PM

for all you ballers on a budget, dan can pull off one hell of a ghetto r134 conversion

5/5/2006 1:22:18 AM

speaking of that, does anyone have a used vacuum pump they are willing to sell? mine leaked all the oil out without me realizing it, and i burned it up last time i used it

5/6/2006 8:28:02 AM