I have my condenser. That's the last piece, thus beings the final mile. I've broken it into ten tasks: (edits in red) 1. Fill holes, sand and paint AC lower dash tray. DONE! 2. Clean screamin' green overspray from vents. DONE! 3. Mount lower dash tray and vents... Interior part is done! DONE! 4. Paint compressor and brackets DONE! 5. Mount 3-groove crank pulley, compressor, attach and tighten belts. DONE! 6. Attach all hoses using new o-rings DONE! 7. Mount the condenser, using the upper hose as a guide DONE! 8. Connect hoses to the condenser, mount receiver/dryer DONE! 9. Charge the system with oil and ES12a refrigerant 10. Chill I'm ready to go on pretty much all of this. I need to grab a little epoxy putty and paint for step 1, which I'll do on the way home from work today, and I have only two other questions... Sticker on the donor car said "Maximum operating charge 1 lb. 14 oz. of R12" I think. The attached pic of the sticker in question is blurry, so can anybody confirm this? If I know the amount of R12 it took, I can convert that to the amount of ES12a to use. Second question: Anybody know how much oil to use? This is a pretty small system so I don't think it would need the whole can. Then again, that's a big compressor, so maybe it has a big sump.
I have hit a snag. I was so close to finished tonight I could almost feel that cold air, but I have one last problem. I can't get the thing to accept any refrigerant. It's as if it's not getting past the low-side valve on the compressor head. The compressor's on, no crazy noises... I attach the hose, pressure doesn't change on the gauge, then I open the valve on the can, gauge goes up, but it stays there. I close the valve, still up, disconnect the fitting and I've just vented whatever small amount of refrigerant was in that short hose. Need some suggestions please! Is there some other step involved with these compressors? Also, do I need to oil it in any special way other than through the low-side refrigerant valve?
Is the schrader valve depressor in the end of the hose? Is the schrader valve stuck? Been awhile and i'm trying to picture the guage connections...
You have to pull a vacuum on the system with a pump and gauges, are you using a true set of gauges and a pump or just the refrigerant from the LPS? If you don't have a vacuum pump, you will need to take it to the local garage to get charged.
Yes, vacuum first! Then, does it have a low pressure switch? that will need to be jumped out to get the clutch in the compressor to pull in. What compressor are you using? the old style York? (they draw something like 21HP to spin)
Yep. Valve's not stuck, I took the fitting off to make sure, and replaced the o-ring. Tried two different charge hoses too. You'd be right if I was using R12 or R134, but with the stuff I'm using you're not supposed to pull a vacuum. I even called the company to ask about that, and they say you can pull a vacuum to check for leaks or to get moisture out if you want, but afterwards open it up and charge under zero vacuum. It actually needs plain air to work right. So I asked about moisture and they say a little moisture in the system doesn't hurt it because it doesn't become caustic when mixed with this refrigerant. If I were "topping off" or already had 134 in it, then it would be a problem, but as long as there's no conventional refrigerant in the system that's ok. No low pressure switch, that I know of. Unless it's on the evaporator core and I somehow didn't notice. Does a factory Maverick AC normally have one? Yes it is the old York beast, and I can see the clutch is engaged when the AC is on... It sure seems like I have a bad compressor but I need to be sure before I buy another one. It's not making any crazy noises or anything. It does have these things that look like valves on the two fittings where the hoses come in. I was wondering about those... On the compressor head, it's like two large "T" fittings. In one side, the hose. Facing out, the 134a ports, and opposite the hose, these things with screw-on caps over them. They look like they might turn, but if they do then they don't do it easily.
Well I'm not 100% sure right now, I guess it could also be the Tecumseh compressor. Looking at the pics on autozone.com I can't say for sure. I will try to find out in a couple of hours. Are the two interchangeable as far as brackets and fittings? They look it. If I can be certain this compressor is bad, I'll go buy one. The aluminum York (I have an iron one) is not that awful expensive if I get it without the clutch, and my clutch appears to be working fine. But I need to verify the compressor's bad.
Ah, I figured it out. Those little "things that look like valves" are... Valves. Oh, and they are reverse threaded, in case ya ever need to know that. They have marks on them indicating I'm not the first person to find that out the hard way. So I got the compressor to suck refrigerant. And then blow it out the holes in my hoses. So, need new hoses. But at least it's not the compressor. Saga continues...
