It also helps to pull out the glove box innards. (my lame contribution to this 'over-my-head' thread)

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

True......I meant to say that too. Tomorrow I need to check my IP timing on the W116....then if I have time will check for oilyness there...need to make calls about the A'C equipment.

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

I haven't had time to put the guages on my 240D yet, but I was noticing that site glass is not clear. I don't know how to describe it, other than it is definitely not clear.

I had 1/2 can of r-12(yes you read that right, I closed the valve and it didn't escape) and hooked it up to the low side pressure hose, yet it did not seem to want to suck.

I heard someone mention warm water might do the trick.

Any ideas? It's starting to get hot.

__________________
Enough about me, how are you doing?

Plantman,

I am assuming that you connected the can to the low side while the engine is running and ac is turned on full. If so and it still would not flow, yes putting it in luke warm water will work.

Do not try to charge without the engine running the static pressure in the system will be roughly equal to the pressure of the can so it will not flow.

Good luck,

To accurately install the correct amount of R-12 ( or anything else ) you must use a combination of pressure readings on your guages and weighing the can/s of refrigerant with a good scale.
The sight guage is very helpful for many things in diagnosing... but can not be used to determine when your system if full... because even at the correct fill there can be bubbles for instance.... the FSM AC manual says this.... and you do not want your system ANY overfilled.... that is much worse than some underfilled... the range under filled that the system will work fine with is listed and surprising ( to me )....
It is Standard Operating Procedure to place the Refrigerant can into Warm NOT hot water to get the last amount out... determined by the weighing process...
Not knowing this suggests you are doing this work without benifit of manuals... which include many safety warnings... I highly recommend having one at your side when working on dangerously pressurized things...

Thanks. I was unsure about the warm water. I figured I'd use the rest of the can that I have then check vent temps.

Barring using guages which are shattered, the best I can do is to check vent temps after I use the half can that I have,\,

NO ONE around here uses r-12 anymore so my choices as far as using someone elses guages are nill.

Thanks

__________________
Enough about me, how are you doing?

I am a strong opponent to using a charge hose as opposed to gauges. They don't call it a suicide hose for nothing.

That said, if that's all you have to work with, make SURE you connect to the low side and then be sure not to overcharge. Once the sight glass is clear, don't add any more refrigerant until you can put gauges on it.

Best of luck with it,

"Once the sight glass is clear" --Larry Bible

If you charge until the sight glass is clear there is a good chance you will have overcharged your system. This is what the Factory Shop manual says.

High and low side pressures should be used to monitor charge in addition to weighing the refrigerant cans.

Well, I added the one can I had left and the site glass in still not clear.

However, the a\c is freezing cold.

I have manged to locate an outfit that has some guages I can use. I will report back the readings when I go this weekend.

I know we've heard this before, but there are so many ignorant people out there when it comes to R-12

I have called several places looking for guages and have been told by so many people that R-12 doesn't exist anymore and I should retrofit.

Thanks

__________________
Enough about me, how are you doing?

Yes, they are definitely wrong. You can buy manifold gauges for R12 at any refrigeration supply. Every town has one for supplying the home a/c trade. The same gauges and hoses are used for R12, R22 and R502 and are easily obtained.

Additionally R12 is readily available as long as you have an easily obtained 609 cert. I just bought a 30 pound cannister delivered to my door for $425 total price.

Good luck,

It must be springtime in Texas. The tulips are up (gone, actually...), the grass is green, and the air conditioning questions are rolling in!

- JimY

ps: No, I don't have anything worthwhile to say here.