I think the refridgerant has to be escaping the system slowly. Every old car I have has benefitted from a recharge. Especially the Miata. I just had a pound of R-12 put in it and it's awesome now.

We just dumped 18 oz of a 134a can from Schuck's into my friends Passat today and it seems to be working now, I think it can use another can and a half or so. If anyone wants to try it, get a can of the recharge refridgerant from Schuck's. I have both the gauge and the hose to recharge it.

The only time you need to be able to evacuate the system is if it has been open to atmosphere as in you disassembled the system. But I think it escapes very slowly. I think the high side is under 60-70 psi that plus the whole system is usually just sealed by some regular old rubber o-rings. Your tires can't even hold air indefinitely, it's a closed system too. I don't expect the AC system to hold the refridgerant indefinitely.

Let me know if anyone wants to give the recharge a try. I will probably be getting a can or two for my parent's cars. I'm also looking for an R-12 compatible refridgerant too. I've got four cars to fill with that stuff...

 

I just want to throw in that R-12 and 134a are NOT compatible. Use the right stuff.

 

Yes I know that. I have a lot of old cars that are unconverted from R-12. The only car I have that is 134a is the RX-8 and it does not seem to need a charge.

I don't want to convert them because all those systems are sized for R-12 and converting them to 134a SUCKS. I had a 95 Civic that was converted and let me tell you that the RX-8 AC does not suck compared to that.

 

i def need to try. interested in helping me out? i've never done it before..

 

Yeah, I can help. Anyone else? AC charge party?

 

Will be very hard to find R12. You can get it on ebay. I would look under your friends passat hood. There should be a tag with a max capacity.

 

Passat has 134 in it. We're just filling it and checking the pressure as we go. R12 is hard to find. If anyone has a Mazda and needs some, Jerry's Little Car Shop in Kent has that stuff. I had my RX-7 and Miata charged there.

I found a product called Freeze 12 that is compatible with R-12 as well....

 

sweet. just let me know when might work and we'll find a time to meet up.

 

I knew it took R134 I was just saying it chould also say the total fill capacity.