R-12 alternatives - Page 12 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

tjohn · #1 05-12-2003, 11:27 PM

GSXR wrote:

Quote:

The topic of the post, some 12 pages ago, was R-12 Alternatives... not R-134a alternatives!

Dave M. : You' re right of course. If you ever convert to Autofrost be sure to post here or on the diesel list . . I'm curious to know how it performs.

#2 05-12-2003, 11:27 PM

gsxr

You are in ID why would you care anyway. I've been to Idaho and unless Boise is any different than the rest of the state then you barely need a/c for most of the year.

#3 05-12-2003, 11:33 PM

A friend told me today that the internet can be a more powerful addiction than drugs. He may be right, but I am tired and I am going to bed.

Sweet dreams.

gsxr · #4 05-12-2003, 11:55 PM

Actually, Boise gets about 10-15 days per year over 100F, but doesn't often get above 110F. Either way, very stinkin' hot but not as hot as Sacramento (where I spent the last 8 years). And you are correct that nobody has accused you of cheating them!

Tjohn, I have a stash of R-12 that will keep my one R-12 car going for some time (and any others I may buy in the future). It's the two R-134a conversions that need something different, and AutoFrost (R-406a) requires mineral oil. And if I have mineral oil in the system, I prefer R-12 since it doesn't fractionate. Now I might use their GHG-X8 replacement. I'll need to do some research on X8 and Duracool, which are about the only two I'm interested in for use with PAG oils. The main advantage to Duracool, IMO, is still just that it is CHEAP. Which is nice for leaky systems!

#5 05-13-2003, 08:12 AM

I will be 54 years old next week, so I have been around long enough to see a massive change in behavior in our country.

I was raised to respect our laws. In my younger years I was not the only one that did so. It was very unusual to see folks blatantly breaking the law.

Now there are still many good, law abiding citizens, but I see many more people now that are perfectly willing to break the law.

It's really amazing to see someone willing to justify in their mind that they are doing nothing wrong when they are selling product that others use to break the law by illegally putting it in their a/c units.

Unbelievable, or is it? I guess I should be used to seeing such things.

Have a great day,

84300DT · #6 05-13-2003, 08:37 AM

hello guys, remember me?? alternatives to R-12 guy..hehe. i am not ready to completely give up on trying to get the system in my car going again. the indy said the compressor was ''shot'' but i am not so sure. it was going and making some noise (clattering sounding..). i could see some movement in the site glass. the indy said he put ''about a pound'' of R-414a into it to ''get it going''. question- what to do now? mind you the compressor has not been on for a couple of years and the indy said there was ''no freon in the system'' when he put in the R-414a. could i put in a couple of cans of duracool and make it work? if the compressor is going to fail it can't fail when it's off, right?? what would happen if it does fail - all the stuff goes into the atmosphere? please forgive my ignorance but i am learning..slowly.

#7 05-13-2003, 09:01 AM

When the compressor fails internally, it distributes all sorts of very nasty debris throughout the system. This is called black death. When replacing a compressor after black death, it is absolutely imperative that the system be THOROUGHLY flushed to remove such debris or it will quickly destroy the new compressor.

It is also a good idea to install a suction side filter to catch the debris that cannot be flushed out.

Good luck,

84300DT · #8 05-13-2003, 09:38 AM

well the compressor was working, but making a clattering sound. could this be due to not being used for a couple of years? the air was cold at first but then not so cold. the indy only put a pound of refrigerant in.
i understand what you are saying when & if the compressor fails.

btw off the topic - i was in wal-mart here this weekend and they had hundreds of cans of R-134a stacked up there , floor to ceiling!!

leathermang · #9 05-13-2003, 10:25 AM

Even if the compressor has not failed,,, if the system is open it is a good idea to flush
(((( and it has not been mentioned lately .but the standard operating procedure is that if the system is opened up then you replace the reciever dryer.. it is cheap insurance, like good oil changed often for the engine...))))
... because the other major thing which can put JUNK into the innards of the system is the Reciever/Dryer... it has a bag of Dessicant... and some are made from a cloth like material.. so if that gives way.. from old age/ acids / vibration... then that stuff is in the system...
It is also good to install the filter Larry mentioned....

Oil is in the compressor (casing?) ... but the top end of the compressor is lubricated by the mix of oil moved through the system by the refrigerant...

So even if you have oil in the compressor... but did not have enough refrigerant to move oil around , after sitting for years, to lube the top end it is possible the noise is from that...

But if there is enough to move it (oil) around.. after a few minutes of running it should not be making any clattering sounds (due to having sat for years)... But check to see if it could be the clutch making the sounds... a good stethescope helps on some things like this...

engatwork · #10 06-05-2003, 07:20 PM

Interesting ad for DuraCool on ebay. Check it out:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6765&item=2417723854

No slam against anyone trying to make a living selling this stuff for a living but in my opinion, this ad is kinda misleading because in there they state it is a "drop in" replacement refrigerent. This is scary because I can see someone adding it to a R12 system. The ad may have explained it in more detail but I did not have time to read all the way through it.

84300DT · #11 06-12-2003, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lorenztl
300D. Only took 1- 6oz can of Duracool to bring my system up to cold. (''

after the indy's diagnosis (need new compressor/other stuff)
took matters into my own hands..
put duracool in. turned on a/c. put rest of one can in.

compressor squealing like a dying pig (turned out belt was loose,duh..)
anyhow system seems to be working well. blows cold, compressor cycles on and off, aux fan working,water draining out the bottom of the car like mad! (today not so hot but full 100% humidity)

so one can of duracool got my system going.
will see how long it lasts.

#12 06-13-2003, 07:52 AM

84300DT,

I sure hope this was already filled with Duracool and not a legitimate refrigerant. Oh well, either way if it ends up having to be recovered it will be a contaminant and have to be disposed of by paying a disposal fee anyway.

If you added this stuff to a system with a legitimate refrigerant, then the same amount of the same legitimate refrigerant would have also made the system cool again.

Have a great day,

84300DT · #13 06-13-2003, 08:18 AM

there was no r-12 in the system.

Zoonhollis · #14 06-13-2003, 09:30 AM

The EPA does not acknowledge that ANY alternative refrigerant is a "drop in" for any refrigerant being replaced. The term "drop in" is a manufacturer's buzzword, and it wrongly suggests that alternative refrigerants can be placed into a system without the need to change fittings. This is a big no-no!

#15 06-13-2003, 09:39 AM

It sounds like Matt has been doing some studying.

Have a great day,