Freeze12 isn't that good a replacement, it suffers from differential leakage (the lighter component leaks more than the heavy one).

My failure rate is exactly 50% -- I got my TE cheap because the AC was bad and I figured it was the evaporator. It was. I got the all aluminum replacement, not problems except other leaks since (including the manifold seals, a couple other o-rings, and a bad seal on the expansion valve that took forever to find).

My 87 300D works just fine on R134a except idling in traffic -- need to check the charge, it's been quite a while since I converted it after the hose connection seals on the compressor went south.

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!