AC High Side Low Side....need answer quick!!!!

[Triton46]

I bought a conversion kit and am switching my 91 from R-12 to R-134a. The kit specifies to hook up at the LOW SIDE however does not do a good job of telling where that is. I found one fitting on the driverside and one on the passenger side above the accumulator.

Haynes again says to fill up on the LOW SIDE, but never says where that is. Can anyone tell me which side is low?

 

[JoeC5]

I always thought that there was much more to it to convert it to r 134a. Draining and flushing, changing parts and so on. Am I wrong?

 

[Triton46]

Joe,

Read this site..very informative. I also thought you would have to do two things:

1) Remove oil.
2) Change O rings.
3)Concerns: R134a is smaller and uses more pressure.

This site answered my questions.

1) My system was dry...no more R-12 so all the soluble mineral is also gone. Basically my system is empty, so I can put R-134a and compatiable Ester oil in. I heard not to use PAGS oil.

2)This site explained that the O-rings should be fine. If you have a leak, switch to the new O-rings.

3)The retrofit box and this site state that you should fill to 85%, this keeps the system pressure the same. If you overfill, you risk a leak as well as compressor failure.

I used two of the three R134A cans and one can of oil as per the instructions. Got the kit from Auto-Zone for $37. Thirty minutes later I have AC, not as cold as before...but cold enough.

http://www.questacproducts.com/acretrofit.asp#6. Does the mineral oil need to be removed?

To answer my earlier question:

The low fitting is directly over the Accumulator. The high fitting is behind the driver side headlight. This was extremely easy. I will comment over the next few weeks on daily application and any loss of coolant.

 

[BoatsRcool]

aight here is the deal. Im going and buying the conversion kit, and 2 cans of the freon, and 1 of the oil, right?

thats all i gotta do right?

all my a/c does is blow hot air, it doesnt get cooler at all.

 

[Triton46]

No, the kit has all the freon and oil in it.

All you have to do is hook up the new low side attachment (this will make since when you open the kit) to the service port on the passenger side on top of the accumulator.

Tap the can (again follow directions) of R-134a and hook it up to the low side service port you just installed. Turn car on and run AC. Open the tap and hold can upside down until empty. Repeat on a second can. Repeat on can of oil...now youre done. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[BoatsRcool]

ook thanks, um what if this doesnt work haha. i wont know WHAT to do i see my a/c belt pulley thing come on and off when the a/c is on if thats a good thing.

 

[Triton46]

There's only a few things that could go wrong.

1)O-rings leak all the R-134a (you won't know until after the installation). You could change these up front, but if you didn't have a problem before you won't this time unless...read two.

2)R-134a is a smaller molecule than R-12 so you should only fill to 85%. If you go beyond that, you will increase pressure and could blow your O-rings and compressor.

Just make sure the kit you have has Ester oil and not PAGS. After a few weeks if you are still being cooled then your O-rings are fine. Mine is a 91 and lost the AC back in January, I followed the directions on the box and am still hoping my O-rings are in good shape. If it turns out all my R-134a leaks out, I'll have to put in new O-rings and more R-134a...still cheaper than going to a mechanich or with R-12.

If you need help during the install give me an email and I'll talk you through it.

acbradley@prodigy.net

 

[BoatsRcool]

thanks man you are the man for explaining all this so fast when i post.

im putting in new plugs and wires today too.

 

[BoatsRcool]

Alrighty here is the deal. I found both the ports. The high side, over on the drivers side, and the low side above the cylinder acumulator thing. Now, I dont know which fitting to hook up where, its complicated lol. And new problem kinda, you said i was empty, since I have hot air coming out but when I press the valve, (the kind of valve you press to let air out of a tire) when i press that valve on the low side, i get air coming out, and some yellow stuff.

 

[Triton46]

BoatsRCool,

OK, the box should label the low and high side fitting (as well as an extra for GM models). Basically, the lowside is taller than the high side.

As for the air coming out, that is fine mine did the same. Just put on the lowside connector and follow directions. Remember to start the car and run AC as youre filling it.

 

[BoatsRcool]

ok thanks man.

But I still need some help.

Do I screw anything on tp the highside or leave it alone?

On the low side, the one that has black color on the top fits. Do I put that on?

There are 2 short fittings and 2 long fittings. I just need to know what goes where.

If the black topped one does go on the low side, what goes on high side, and how do i hook everything up to fill, with that long tube and all.

 

[Triton46]

In my kit I had three fittings. One long with blue top, one short with red top, and one long with black top. The long blue topped one fit on my low side fitting.

You only need the low side fitting, this is where you will hook up the high pressure hose (the long tube). One end of the tube screws into the tap the other is a pressure fitting for the low side.

 

[BoatsRcool]

ok so i realy cant screw up, as long as iuse the low side, i just put the fittings that fit the low side, and then hook up the hose and the turn thing and the r134a and then turn it on, while the car and a/c are on. how do i know when its out? and i do 2 bottles right, and then the oil.

then, do i take all the fittings off and leave it?

 

[Triton46]

Don't turn the R-134a on until you have the car running and the ac on. Turn the tap to the open position and hold the R-134a can upside down. Lightly shake it while the car is running, you will be able to feel when it is empty. When it is empty, turn the tap to off and remove the tap from the hose. Put another can on, reattach to the hose and start again. Repeat for oil.

Leave the fittings on when you are done. They are self adhering to the old fittings. Simply put the new cap on the low side (and high side if you did that fitting) and you are done.

 

[BoatsRcool]

alright. well the tops of the oil, and freon and stuff are the kind you have to puncture to open the top... what do i do there..

 

[Triton46]

Do you have ICQ...might be able to discuss this over email or icq.

 

[BoatsRcool]

i have instantmessanger or you can email me