Hi,
Does anyone know where I can buy R12? I am out in California.
Thanks.
Rene

You need to be licensed to buy R12. It is no longer manufactured but you can at times find some old stock on eBay. it is not legal however for them to sell it to you unless you are certified.

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With best regards

Al

Try old car swap meets. Again not legal but i see cans of r12 at most of them.

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1959 Gravely LI, 1963 Gravely L8, 1973 Gravely C12
1982 380SL
1978 450 SEL 6.9 euro restoration at 63% and climbing
1987 300 D
2005 CDI European Delivery
2006 CDI Handed down to daughter
2007 GL CDI. Wifes

It's easy to get on Ebay - you just need to sign a form that sellers will provide. It gets them off the hook. Technically not legal, but not much of a problem either.

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1984 300Sd 210k

Former cars:
1984 300D 445k (!!) (Strider) Original (and not rebuilt) engine and transmission. Currently running on V80 ( 80% vegetable oil, 20% petroleum products). Actually not, taking a WVO break.
1993 300d 2.5 275k. Current 120/day commuter
1981 300SD 188k (Hans) Killed by a deer

"Not Legal" Three times... without mentioning how simple and cheap it is to make the guy Legal ?

This has been discussed well in the archives... you can take an online OPEN BOOK test , send in about $20 and get your license..

search for 608 or 609 ... the number of the test ( one is mobile one structural or something like that )

PRESTO !!!! You are then LEGAL !!!

legal and liable...

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85 300sd 400k
99 e300td 101k (hers)
34' californian twin 5.9 cummins
1999 F350 Powerjoke 75k
2001 F150 Supercrew 51k
19681/2 GT/CS

Around here, Napa still carries it. Very expensive and you can tell the cans have been sitting a while.

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85 300CD
83 300TD
78 240D (daughter)

"legal and liable"
What does that mean ?
If you own a car you are those two things already.

Got my mechanic to use his license info for me to buy a few cans off of Ebay. He pays $25 can when he gets it and was glad for me to buy my own........He also indicated the license is just a tax as any moron could complete a open book test.......

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Eric Boyles
1980 450SL

The license may be a small tax, but the open book test is simply a test to let you know the affects of letting freon into the air. It's not a test of your ability to do AC work. Many parts houses can get you the test booklet for free, you only pay when you submit it for the license. It is recommened reading.

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85 300CD
83 300TD
78 240D (daughter)

This only costs $15 from ASE and it is even an OPEN BOOK test. You even get a nice ASE certificate!

HERE is the test online!

Took the test while half asleep, got my cert. Buy R12 at Checker (Kragen/Shucks) for $16-$18 a can.

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1984 300D Turbo - 4-speed manual conversion, mid-level resto

1983 300D - parts car

1979 300TD Auto - Parts car.

1985 300D Auto - Wrecked/Parts.


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"If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there". Lewis Carrol

You can use a R-12 replacement called Freeze 12. I have used it before and it is colder than R-12 and 134a. They have a site freeze12.com.

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1985 300D Gray Market 208K
1985 300D 145K

Thanks.....I'll try the test and have my own certificate.......

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Eric Boyles
1980 450SL

You need the certificate to buy Freeze12 too. I got mine for that reason. The only thing that is certificate free is R134. (Maybe something else called Envirosafe). Freeze12 is part R134 part something else. I tried it on my old 92 Saab 900 and but had issues with the expansion valve. I have to evacuate the system when replacing the valve and used R134 instead. I made sure I only filled it to 75% of capacity. I was getting 20degrees from the vent in a Texas summer (this was a convertible too). As long as the tempreture didnt go over 100, the A/C was ice cold with R134.

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With best regards

Al