Went to the A/C repair shop yesterday to get the A/C on my '81 300TD charged up.

Guy tells me that he wants to convert it to 134a, and that he'd run a diagnostic before he started work. That seemed cool.

Then guy tells me that the compressor is leaking and that it will cost an estimated $1500 to get the thing to blow cold air. That is a bit high for me these days. I see that I can get a rebuilt compressor for about $300 online. I've also heard that it is a good idea to replace the receiver/dryer which is $42 bucks online.

Anyone ever done this job? Easy? Hard? Suggestions?

Thanks,

Bill

Don't even think about switching to R-134a. It may seem cool, but I guarantee it won't feel cool!!!

You need to evacuate the ac system before removing the compressor. the compressor isnt a bad job but make sure you can evacute the freon and get some more r12 freon and the right compressor oil.

However mercedes a/c is known to be buggy and known to break many times so its your call.

The problem with your ac maybe somewhere else,ie evaportor, condensor, expansion valve. its a lot of work to get the evaportor if it indeed it is the evaportor.

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1986 300SDL, 211K,Dealership serviced its whole life
1991 190E 2.6(120k)
1983 300D(300k)
1977 300D(211k)

This depends on a lot. I would go with Envirosafe ES-12 since R12 is getting hard to find uncontaminated. But if he wants to charge your system with R134A then you should swap out the compressor with one made for R134A because the older R12 compressor doesn't handle R134A very well!

The older R-4 type tends to blow when the temps go above 100*F because it cannot handle the higher head pressures of R134A that are required to generate the cold air your looking for. If you install a compressor made for R134A from someone like Mapco, for instance, then your more likely to get the performance your looking for using R134A.

If you stay with the R-4, then I would go with ES-12 and about 6 ounces of compressor oil and call it good. I can hang meat in my car on hot days with ES-12.

__________________
Save and enlarge for explanation of financial crisis!

http://www.mobile-phone-solutions.com Advice on cell phone signal antennas and amplifiers.

look for recent threads by derburger....

As some other veterans here say - search function is your friend

__________________

Current Mercedes
1979 maple yellow 240D 4-speed

Gone and fondly remembered:
1980 orient red 240D 4-speed

Gone and NOT fondly remembered:
1982 Chna Blue 300TD

Other car in the stable:
2013 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI / 6-speed MT

I was nice and simply moved on to the next thread earlier.......

__________________
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

I'm on my 3rd one in 2 years. R134a. Doesnt work well if its sunny out. 82*F is just about bareable. 1984 300D Turbo.