A few comments:
- I wisely (strange for me) bought a 30LB "keg" of R12 several years ago when I noted the stuff was going off the market. It's for sale now if anyone wants it...but it ain't cheap.
- 134 depletes the ozone layer just like R12, but not as much. I still think the entire R12/134 issue is a knee jerk reaction by the gov't. Heard the other day that Mt St Helen's eruption depleted more ozone than anything man has EVER done. Go figure. My son has asthma. Recently the gov't was going to take the carring agent out asthma inhalers because of the ozone thing. You talk about felony stupid.
- Additionally, 134 isn't quite as effective as R12 so it won't work as well in the same system. The reason you may disagree is vehicle A/C systems are typically very oversized. Most would cool a small house.
- Next to drugs, R12 is one of the largest illegal imports into the country. Much of it is made in India and comes in via FL. As more vehicles change to 134 there should be less and less demand tho.
- In order to save time during vehicle assembly, Ford switched to infamous O-ring connectors. Eventually they will leak. Seep/weep might be a better word. Ford has improved those O-rings several times. If you have your A/C apart for any reason be sure to install the latest O-rings. This is particularly true for older vehicles. Be sure and replace the screen near the bottom of the evaporator too.
- If you don't use your A/C for long periods, these O-rings are not the seals that "dry out." There is a seal on the end of the compressor shaft behind the pully. Typically this seal fits in a groove in a ceramic insert, although it varies from mfg to mfg. Obviously one side of the seal is exposed to the atmosphere, the other to the inside of the compressor. This seal drys out (those of you that clean your motor frequently and use a degreaser take note) and when you start your A/C compressor, the shaft wears the seal rapidly. In time it will leak. This seal can be replaced but virtually all A/C shops just want to put in a new/rebuilt compressor. This is not necessarly a bad thing since many times the compressor will run out of oil and seize in spite of the pressure limit switch.
- What's all that mean? Use your A/C, a lot. It's the best thing you can do for it. If the temp is mild or even cool, just turn up the heat while the A/C is on. This is a good thread and I've learned some things. Thanks to all. Jim