air conditioning....yes or no?

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'66Dart

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Location
Torrance, Ca
My dart has an a/c unit and was told that it has already beed converted to R134a, just needs to be charged, no clue if thats true. Should I pursue getting it working or is there any upside to ripping it out, bolted on a /6 225.
 
If it's R12, it "should" still have the original flare service ports. If it's been converted, it "should" have the new style R-134 ports added "on top of" the original ports.

Are you sure it's leaked, or something else wrong? Scare up a set of gauges, and see if there's pressure in the system. Unfortunately, ambient saturated pressure/ temp for both refrigerants are so close, you probably cannot tell from that.

An example of R134 conversion fittings:

AC-adapter-R12-R134aA-strai.jpg
 
I will check fittings tomorrow, went out to start the daily driver today and it wont start, new project now, will let you know. Thanks
 
Local shop charged me $40 to pull a vacuum on mine and add r134.

The car had been previously converted, but was blowing hot and hadn't been driven for months.

I took a chance, and it started cooling as soon as it had enough juice.

It's been blowing cold for about 3 months, but is starting to be less cold.

I'm glad I did it, as it got me through the summer, and now I know the system is in relatively goos shape.
Nothing like curising around in a 38 year old car with working a/c!!


Now to find the slow leak...
 
Your in Ca. I would do it..Like YY1 said most independent shops charge around $40 well worth it ..The shop I used put in a Redish colored product just case it did leak we could see where the leaking problem was and that was at N/C.....
 
Go to autozone; they lend/rent you the vac pump, gaudes for free. to convert, you just change 2 fittings. Then charge with 134, takes 2 hours for all of it. $40 at most.
 
I draw a vaccum by connecting to manifold pressure to get most out, isolate w/ valve, then use a Mighty-Mite hand pump to get way down. Takes ~2 min of pumping. I let it sit 30 min and re-pump. Pressure goes up slightly due to outgassing and water evaporating, which is the main reason to pull a vaccum.

If you don't know what it had, and hate dealing with shops like me, you can add an HC refrigerant. Many brands, I have used Duracool. It mixes with R-134A or freon and all oils, and works even better than freon. Some will scream "flammable", but R-134A is flammable and poisonous, plus being outlawed by EPA. Soon new cars may use HC.
 
I would keep the a/c but your /6 will be struggling to pull out into traffic with the a/c on sucking more power.Either slant six is weak in power...170 - 101hp & 198 - 145hp I would defintely do some power upgrades but be mindful that you may have to upgrade the cooling system if you go overboard. There a lot of /6 guys here that can help you out. Also checkout slantsix.com
 
I would keep the a/c but your /6 will be struggling to pull out into traffic with the a/c on sucking more power.Either slant six is weak in power...170 - 101hp & 198 - 145hp I would defintely do some power upgrades but be mindful that you may have to upgrade the cooling system if you go overboard. There a lot of /6 guys here that can help you out. Also checkout slantsix.com

All true. A throttle position switch to cut power to the A/C compressor at wide open throttle would stop that power sucking. And I understand the Sanden - type compressors turn a lot easier, less power drag all the time.

ATB

BC
 
If it's R12, it "should" still have the original flare service ports. If it's been converted, it "should" have the new style R-134 ports added "on top of" the original ports.

Are you sure it's leaked, or something else wrong? Scare up a set of gauges, and see if there's pressure in the system. Unfortunately, ambient saturated pressure/ temp for both refrigerants are so close, you probably cannot tell from that.

An example of R134 conversion fittings:

AC-adapter-R12-R134aA-strai.jpg

Those are the ones, starting to cool down here so maybe ill look into charging it next year, thanks guys
 
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