The Air Conditioning thread...

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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
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Re: The Air Conditioning thread...

Post by Petros »

one of the things the do when they converted an older system to use the new refrigerant is replace the seals and o-rings that are subject to the refrigerant. The two different compounds are not compatible with the seal material. That is what I suspect happened to ours, they missed one of the seals and the new refrigerant degraed it as we used it. I would be surprised if using random low cost 0-rings would hold up to contact with the refrigerant, likely that is where it leaked out.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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Mad_Marx
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My tercel:: 1986DLX (K.I.A. by a Texting Driver, currently being uses as a parts car) 1986 SR5 AC, Cruise, Sunroof a.k.a. TERC II Electric Boogaloo (restoration in progress). 1984 SR5
Location: Boise, ID

Re: The Air Conditioning thread...

Post by Mad_Marx »

My system was completely disassembled and cleaned when I did the conversion. The kit came with new r134a specific oil. Must be the evap & condenser from the system designed to run on R12 not keeping up. Good info, thanks!
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Mad_Marx
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My tercel:: 1986DLX (K.I.A. by a Texting Driver, currently being uses as a parts car) 1986 SR5 AC, Cruise, Sunroof a.k.a. TERC II Electric Boogaloo (restoration in progress). 1984 SR5
Location: Boise, ID

Re: The Air Conditioning thread...

Post by Mad_Marx »

Just got back from playing in the garage. I put the gauges on Terc II with a thermometer in the center vent (left-center) with the fan on high. Ambient air temperature was 82 F inside my garage. The Low side showed 10psi, the high side showed 130 psi at 2,000 rpm. The center vent temperature showed 70 F. I did have to adjust the idle from 700 to 800 with the AC on (Webber Carb) to get the AC electric fan to kick on at idle speed. I added some 134a to the system and was able to get the pressures to 20psi on the low side and 199psi on the high side. FSM says the high side should not be over 199 psi, but also says the low side should be between 25 and 35 psi. Any thoughts? Anyhoo… this brought the center vent temp down to the low 50’s (52-ish F), but that still falls short of the R12 factory spec of mid 30’s (35 F). I did not want to add more to the system for fear of over pressuring the high side and risking a blow out somewhere. I took it for a road test and it definitely feels cooler on the highway and at idle in traffic. I’ll give it a few weeks and put the gauges on it again to check the system for loss of pressure. At this point I'm contemplating supplemental Ram-Air style cooling like this:
http://www.amcpacer.com/images/kenosha/ ... dow-ac.jpg
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irowiki
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Re: The Air Conditioning thread...

Post by irowiki »

Hm, you used one of those gauges you buy at the parts store?
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87 Corolla FX16, 105k
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Mad_Marx
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My tercel:: 1986DLX (K.I.A. by a Texting Driver, currently being uses as a parts car) 1986 SR5 AC, Cruise, Sunroof a.k.a. TERC II Electric Boogaloo (restoration in progress). 1984 SR5
Location: Boise, ID

Re: The Air Conditioning thread...

Post by Mad_Marx »

No, a proper dual guage set up, I think I got it at harbor freight. I have no reason to doubt the manifold guages aren't accurate.

Like this:
http://www.amazon.com/A-C-Manifold-Gaug ... B001UFP8GA

http://www.harborfreight.com/a-c-manifo ... 92649.html
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irowiki
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Re: The Air Conditioning thread...

Post by irowiki »

Ooh, I'll have to stop by harbor freight and see what they have.
Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)

Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!

87 Corolla FX16, 105k
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95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
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Mad_Marx
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My tercel:: 1986DLX (K.I.A. by a Texting Driver, currently being uses as a parts car) 1986 SR5 AC, Cruise, Sunroof a.k.a. TERC II Electric Boogaloo (restoration in progress). 1984 SR5
Location: Boise, ID

Re: The Air Conditioning thread...

Post by Mad_Marx »

I got my set from O'Riley, but I couldn't find a good picture on their page. Looks real close to the Harbor Freight set.... still... don't think its the gauges
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irowiki
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Re: The Air Conditioning thread...

Post by irowiki »

Oh I'm not doubting your gauges, I just want to try myself to see if maybe the pressure is low. I'd be happy with 52F!
Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)

Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!

87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
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Mad_Marx
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Joined: Fri May 22, 2009 8:52 am
My tercel:: 1986DLX (K.I.A. by a Texting Driver, currently being uses as a parts car) 1986 SR5 AC, Cruise, Sunroof a.k.a. TERC II Electric Boogaloo (restoration in progress). 1984 SR5
Location: Boise, ID

Re: The Air Conditioning thread...

Post by Mad_Marx »

Oh, gotchya! Yeah 50-ish seems reasonable, even feels cool at idle in traffic now, it feels cool and comfortable. Even with an air gap in the sunroof due to broken cables (soon to be resolved) and no door panels on the rear two doors (pending body work).
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irowiki
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Re: The Air Conditioning thread...

Post by irowiki »

Turns out my compressor is bad. Took it back to Midas (who did the conversion on our Camry too) and he showed me how if he pressurized the system to what it needed to be, the compressor would stall/seize every few seconds, but runs fine with the pressure lower (but only giving 70F air).

Am going to pick up another compressor and a drier!
Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)

Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!

87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
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irowiki
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Re: The Air Conditioning thread...

Post by irowiki »

Slightly off topic, but may help someone.

The Camry AC which has been converted to R134, has "died" on us a couple of times and gives no cooling (after working fine like an hour before). Then after the AC is off for a while, it starts working again!

After looking at the manual, I think the the culprit may be the drier:
AC oddness.PNG
Will replace that and report back.
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Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)

Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!

87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
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Mad_Marx
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Posts: 429
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My tercel:: 1986DLX (K.I.A. by a Texting Driver, currently being uses as a parts car) 1986 SR5 AC, Cruise, Sunroof a.k.a. TERC II Electric Boogaloo (restoration in progress). 1984 SR5
Location: Boise, ID

Re: The Air Conditioning thread...

Post by Mad_Marx »

My AC worked great until today. I lost all cool air, and further investigation found something on the front of the compressor looks like it blew out, oil all over the compressor and the clutch no longer engages. When I put the gauges on it, I discovered 0 pressure in the system. Looks like I need a compressor. I guess 30 years is a good life for a compressor.
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irowiki
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Re: The Air Conditioning thread...

Post by irowiki »

I got a reman with clutch off ebay, ranging $93-108 free shipping, 1 year warranty, no core fee!
Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)

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87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
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irowiki
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Re: The Air Conditioning thread...

Post by irowiki »

Review from the expansion valve on amazon:
1989 Toyota Pickup Truck

Quick shipping, part arrived in good condition, fit perfectly. After converting the trucks air conditioning system from R12 to R134a it is blowing 36-33*F air now. Yes you do have to remove cooling unit containing the evaporator core and the expansion valve to replace this part. At least you only have to take out the glove box to get the cooling unit out. There are a lot of nuts and screws holding the cooling unit in be sure you get them all out, as some are under the floor mat, and way high in the dash.

I Installed the expansion valve, along with a new compressor with clutch, o ring seal kit, receiver drier, PAG 150 Oil. I could not find anything that told how much PAG 150 oil to add back so we added about 4 ounces to the compressor, and 2 ounces to the receiver drier. After purging the system with nitrogen, we connected everything back together and then pulled a vacuum on the system to get all the air and moisture out. Once the system was evacuated we charged it with R134a held about 2 1/2 12 ounce cans of refrigerant. You can hang meat in the cab now and I don't think it blew that cool when it was new. Luckily I did not have to replace the Evaporator, condenser, or hoses. I hope your retro fit goes as smoothly as mine did.
This gives me hope that after replacing the drier, compressor and expansion valve on the 87 that it'll actually be up to snuff!


In other news, replaced the drier in the Camry's AC, and this is the result:

This was in the hot hot sun too! Averages in the 30's to low 40's but randomly dips into the 20's.

I think the Camry AC was designed for both R12 and 134 though.
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Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)

Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!

87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: The Air Conditioning thread...

Post by Petros »

wow, with a system like that, you can add an ice maker to add to your cool drinks as you drive.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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