A/C Heck Solved?

[mhuppertz]

Well, today I pulled into Plant Equipment Company (PECO), yanked my A/C hose (he he) and walked it in. They replaced the damaged hose with Aeroquip while I waited, and charged me only $13 bucks + tax. Then I went home and replaced the expansion valve with the one for the non-intercooled truck (it's the only one I could get), made a pigtail to clear the A/C motor housing and put it all back together. Then I pulled a vacuum for 20 minutes. Then I started to add R134a. After only 1/2 a can, the A/C line going into the H-valve got cold. I finished the can and the outlet temp in the truck felt pretty cold. The sight glass was still bubbly, but I decided to stop there and test (note the recommended is three cans). I went for a drive with my temp monitor in one of the ducts, and the temp went down to 31.9 degrees at one point! It never went above 38 deg the whole trip. This is colder than my A/C has ever been the whole time I have owned the truck. I have even had the "pro's" work on it, sucking it down for an hour and all, still it's never gotten down into the 30's.

Conclusion: I think R134a works best with WAAAY less head pressure than R12. Either that or my truck is possessed, which I have a strong suspicion of...

[Begle1]

Did you have the fan on the same setting during this test as before? More airflow over the evaporator will cause an improperly-charged system to not put out as cool temperatures.

[mhuppertz]

Did you have the fan on the same setting during this test as before? More airflow over the evaporator will cause an improperly-charged system to not put out as cool temperatures.

Yes I did. THis morning we got it down to 28 degrees for a very short time. Coming home just now after heat soaking all day it stayed in the low to mid 40's. I think it is working really well.

[mhuppertz]

My "one can" A/C bomb is working better than I could ever expected. It was in the 90's yesterday when I went into Albuquerque to rescue my Wife with a bad starter, and on my way home it started to rain. My temp proble showed 24.8 degrees, and I could see my breath! It was perfect for me.

I can't believe all these years even the professionals had it wrong on the A/C charge with 134a. As I said before, I never had good A/C in this truck or my brothers 1993 Gasser W250, and I had it professionally worked on by two different shops over the years mixed in with my own feeble attempts to make it better.

Now it's better than any A/C I have ever had, save for my 1969 Plymouth Fury with that Harley engine for a compressor!

[PToombs]

Was that originally R12 in it?

[mhuppertz]

Was that originally R12 in it?

Yes. I had it converted a long time ago and was told that I was going to have to live with tepid A/C now because 134a just wouldn't cool as well. Too bad they were overfilling everything! It is true that it takes longer for 134a to get cold than R12, but my A/C stays at 30 degrees now (on the freeway), and it doesn't get any better than that!

[dpuckett]

Hmmmm.... May have to "evacuate" some out of my converted pickup, though mine has the coldest R134 retrofit that I've ever ridden in.

I'll keep it in mind for future reference.

DP

[mhuppertz]

Here is proof!

[dpuckett]

20% humidity- I'm SOOOOOO jealous. I havent seen that since, well, probably the last time I was in CO.

[1990]

This makes me want to get my a/c working. Only two months of hot and humid weather left i'll wait until spring.

[mhuppertz]

I just picked up a Ford Taurus 3.8l radiator fan and it cranks! Can't wait to get it on my truck and go deep freeze with my A/C.

[ellis93]

[quote="mhuppertz"]I just picked up a Ford Taurus 3.8l radiator fan and it cranks! Can't wait to get it on my truck
I really want to know how u do it and if the one cools the truck well. I've wanted to be rid of the belt driven fan for cheaper than thoughs fancy custom made units.

[mhuppertz]

The Taurus fan only cost me $14 bucks at the U pull it yard. Make sure it's from the 3.8l and not the 3.0l. The fan has to be turned upside down to work, and it has a nice shroud. I don't thing it will clear unless you tip the radiator forward like I did.

[ellis93]

Think u could post some pics. I would really like to look at it. In the past I've looked in to elect fans and either they were not thin enough or I thought they wouldn't pull enough air. As far as the made to order ones, way to high. I have an 82 chevy 1/2 ton that I bought one for,450$, it burnt up in a year. I used the supplied wire and all. Straight up junk!

[Diesel]

Bumping this thread up to the top because I am getting ready to have my truck charged. So its going to get a new low pressure side line, receiver/dryer, and expansion valve. I don't plan on replacing the oil since the cans come with oil and I think there is already some oil in the system. So 1 can is the recommended charge?