Aircon - what system do I have?

[KiwiPom]

Hi Kiwiporn.

Good luck with your a/c. At first I wondered why you (or previous owner) had installed a/c until I saw where you are located.
Most people in the UK take their a/c out. Here in Spain I have not yet decided to install in my LC, with limited use and now here in Madrid I prefer to keep original.

Can you confirm if the didtributor looking unit in the middle of the dash is an instrument illumination unit. I have not previously seen one.

And generally for the Forum, anyone offering to produce a new description now of how to include images in our posts?
Also some A.I. Artificial Interference, has reduced the font size to almost unreadable smallness and I cannot (do not know) how to change the size permanently.

Dave the cog.

I struggled big time to get pics on recent posts as I had forgotten how to do it. I eventually remembered my method:
1. Save the pics to dropbox (I guess other online storage systems will work…..)
2. Use the insert image button provided to get this text (without quotes) where you want the pic “(img][/img)”
Note: I had to change the square brackets to round to avoid the forum software thinking I was inserting a pic…
3. Using the insert image”share” function in dropbox get a “link” to the first of the pics.
4. Copy/paste the link after “(img]” and before “[/img)” - I think these mean start/end image to the forum software.
5. The tricky bit! at the end of the long link text will be a piece of text “dl=1” (without quotes) replace those 4 characters with “raw=1” (without quotes) example of links before and after editing below:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/vgmqi58y ... mgur8&dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/vgmqi58y ... gur8&raw=1

6. Repeat for additional pics

[Gray14]

" particularly I find the indicator warning light very dim so I forget to turn the indicators off from time to time."


The indicator lights, located at bottom of the binnacle, aren’t visible behind the steering wheel on my 2.2, so I fitted 2 small, 5mm, LEDs towards the top.

I removed the wedged in instrument fascia cover and bulb panel and folded the LED wires over the indicator bulb connection, held in place by the female bayonet fitting IIRC, and fed the wires behind the instrument fascia cover, emerging over the top of the moulding where they would be visible.

Works great in reminding me that only 1 indicator ever cancels despite repeated tweaks. Just realised that the white plastic cancelling ‘tumblers’ are worn and need a bit of JB Weld to build them back to the original profile.

[KiwiPom]

Some progress pics, all the hose fittings are flare type, I have ordered a new drier but have not found a company to make up new hoses (5/16, 3/8 and 1/2”) yet at a reasonable cost, I may reuse the r12 type hoses or just replace the (longest and largest diameter) low side hose, and get a low side r134a fill port put in it, as that is tricky to fit anywhere else the r12 high side port is in a small gap between the compressor and alternator). The high side port on the compressor IS accessible so can just have an r12 to r134a port screwed onto it.

The compressor is an r12 ported SD507 branded sanyo, it had almost zero oil in it. The condenser is aluminium and probably serpentine type not sure.

As an aside the engine rad is aluminium I dont know if that is oem.

There is a lot of conflicting advice on whether to reuse hoses and other components! Some say the hoses will not let r134a pass through if they have been well used with r12.

Anyway, I need to clean the r12 (mineral based) oil out of all components (and hoses) if they are to be reused with r134a and PAG oil. The evaporator unit would be very difficult to remove so I may try to do that in situ, with solvent etc. I am not sure if the exp valve (see pic, it was well hidden under a layer of sticky cork tape) will make this virtually impossible.

There are no high or low pressure switches that I can see.

In addition to the exp valve “bulb” there is a another sensor (small copper tube type, not shown) and that fits in the matrix box, its attached to what looks like a adjustable resistor. Not sure what that does but must be measuring temp. for some purpose.

[KevW]

In my experience I think you shouldn't have any leaks after converting to 134a. I had my Excel's aircon fitted with new connectors in an accessible place and 134a gas several years ago and it's worked perfectly with only one top up since. The evaporator, compressor etc were all left in place during the work.
I make sure I run it at least once a month year round.

[KiwiPom]

In my experience I think you shouldn't have any leaks after converting to 134a. I had my Excel's aircon fitted with new connectors in an accessible place and 134a gas several years ago and it's worked perfectly with only one top up since. The evaporator, compressor etc were all left in place during the work.
I make sure I run it at least once a month year round.

Thanks, I have just found out that “POE” oil is compatible with r134a and mineral oil, which makes it unnecessary to clean all the old mineral oil out of the system as using PAG requires, the only downside with POE being a risk of acids forming if all the moisture is not removed during the fill process.

Do you know what spec oil is in your system?

Anyone else use POE oil in a converted r12 system?

https://supercool.ac/product/1234yf-ev- ... v-dye-8oz/

[KevW]

I checked the invoice for the work and all it says is that 134a was used

[KiwiPom]

Yesterday I finally got new r134a gas into the aircon system, and got readings of 28psi (low side) and 120psi (high side). It needs more gas but the system does work, albeit its not super cold. Once I am sure there are no leaks I will put a third 400g bottle of gas in. Bottles cost $150nzd which is a real incentive to get things right first go. Its the same price for a professional fill.

Work done was:
Remove/reinstall interior and heater plenum remove evaporator unit (a major job)
Remove condensor, compressor, dryer and hose (Disposed of dryer)
Dismantle/reassemble compressor (with r12 ports blanked off by new bolts/o rings), fit new o ring to fill port.
Clean oil out of evap/cond/comp (presumably mineral oil as it was a r12 system). I am fairly certain the evap unit is from a classic range rover, modded to fit the plenum, its a very tight fit!
Buy new AC hose crimp tool (aliexpress, copy of Mastercool crimp unit). This enabled hose fittings to be aligned “in situ” rather than get a company to make them up from drawings etc
Buy vacuum pump (amazon)
Ditto AC twin gauge set and various brass fittings to blank AC hose fittings off etc
Buy new hose (3 sizes, Mastercool) and beadlock FLARE fittings (Four seasons), including inline #8 port and #10 r134a fill ports.
Buy new dryer (oex brand)
Buy 3x400g cans of r134a gas, 140cc PAG oil, 70cc PAG oil dye (sagging #10 long low pressure oil hose means more oil, that’s a real judgement call, eg guess!)
Spend months pressure testing hoses/flare connections/cond/comp/evap. It can be very difficult to get (old) flare joints to seal . Most leaks turned out to be in the test equipment connections/blanking plugs….or a faulty test method hint, the expansion valve is a leaky “one way” valve) but getting a good connection to the expansion valve (#6 flare size) took many weeks of trial and error, I almost gave up and bought a new valve with the more modern o ring connections. My target was to leave 80psi in components (and finally the complete system, less dryer) for 24 hours without any pressure drop.
Install gas, oil, dye and test (its important to follow the correct procedure to ensure there is no moisture in the system).