Automotive Air Conditioning Information Forum (Archives)

temporallock on Wed July 17, 2013 11:50 AM

Year: 1993
Make: Toyota
Model: Corolla
Engine Size: 1.8L
Refrigerant Type: R12
Ambient Temp: 90
Country of Origin: United States

Hello!

So my current A/C on my 1993 Toyota Corolla hasn't really been working well over the past couple years. Car is originally from CA, but now in Texas. Temperatures are getting up to 90 Fahrenheit ambient. I haven't had a chance to borrow any gauges so I apologize if I don't have that information yet, but I will soon. The system still has pressure from the old R12, compressor seems to work fine.

I'm planning on doing a retrofit, but really don't want to invest too much unless I have to since the car has 222k miles on the stock motor/trans already, just wanted to see if I could get some colder air during the heat this year.

The thing is, I checked for oily leaks all over the system and haven't found anything, the lines and A/C parts look great, could it be that everything is fine It's just that the R-12 has pretty much dissipated? Only part I haven't been able to get to is the evaporator.

I'll spend more time on it this weekend, plan was to buy o-rings, nylog, and dryer/accumulator then flush the system and simply re-oil with PAG 100 (i think that is the right stuff) and charge with R134a to see how everything goes. I'll borrow my brother's gauges and rent a vacuum pump to do it properly of course.

Thanks for any help and I'll keep this thread up to date.



-------------------------
1993 Toyota Corolla
all stock
Prepping for converting from R-12 to R134a

HECAT on Wed July 17, 2013 12:49 PM

I would consider recharging with R-12 and testing for a leak. It has a leak, it went somewhere; but how long did it work and how long (slow leak) did it take to get to this point. A simple vacuum and recharge may get you many more years.

-------------------------

temporallock on Wed July 17, 2013 2:04 PM

Thanks HECAT, I've had the car for 5 years now, A/C has slowly gotten worse. I'm the third owner, both the previous owners kept every record, A/C has never been touched in 20 years. May just bring it to a shop for R-12 like you say, thank you.

-------------------------
1993 Toyota Corolla
all stock
Prepping for converting from R-12 to R134a

Cussboy on Wed July 17, 2013 2:45 PM

Agree with HECAT 100%. Co-worker here has 1993 Corolla as well, still on R-12, and we're in Arizona.

You may want a specialized auto AC shop to do the leak checking. And if they no longer do R-12 because so few vehicles on the road still use it, I think you'd have less AC issues fixing the leak, then evacuating (most vacuum pumps, even AutoZone loaners have both fittings), getting your 609 license and buying genuine R-12 and adding yourself. Even if you needed to buy R-12, R-12 can tap, and R-12 charging manifold, simpler and cheaper than flushing out old oil, then retrofitting. I'm afraid the R134a performance might be less.

Or, buy the equipment and R-12 and have the AC shop do it for you. Shop might not have evacuation and filling station dedicated for R-12, but could use your stuff.