Car is an EG Si, It has the original r12 system still.

I know the correct way to switch over to r134a is to apply the new fittings to the hi and low ports, also to have a shop suck out all the old refrigerant from the compressor and to reoil the system then apply the r134a.

My question is, since I am cheap and broke. Can I just attach the fittings and recharge with r134a avoiding the vacuuming of the system? Just skip the system vacuum part? I wanted to confirm this since I talked to a refrigerant expert and they said you can go the cheap route and do it but the old r12 will be at the bottom part of the compressor and and the new r134a would be on the top layer since they dont mix but then it doesnt have as much capacity since the old stuff wasent vacuumed. Is it safe?

 

Absolutely not. Do the job correctly or don't do it all.

 

but its like $800 to $1100 to do the whole thing. I don't have that kind of money

 

Does the current R12 A/C system in the car have a leak? What's wrong with it?

 

well the car is pretty old and when I bought the car, the ac was cold but not COLD. That was about 3 years ago. Now the past few months it was getting less cold and less cold and now its not cold. I get hot air when i turn the heater on and when I turn the ac on it just blows air from the outside temp, not hot unless its hot outside. Not sure if I have a leak but also not sure how to check considering I never recharged or tested an ac system before. I dont have a can of refrigerant and a hose with a gauge so I will test the system on my day off. I know if it stopped working all of a sudden then its mechanical but it slowly stopped working so it rules it out. The clutch still kicks on on the ac compressor.

If it is a leak, that means I dont have to vacuum it anymore right? hahahahah
I have a can of refrigerant that stops leaks and repairs seals and reoils and recharges all in one. I work at an autozone. haahhah

 

Never use any of those stop leak products. It's a scam.

Sounds like the system has a leak. A shop can add a little bit of R12 mixed with a leak detecting dye to pinpoint the leak. Then the leak can be fixed, the receiver/dryer replaced, and the system vacuumed and recharged with R12. This may be the least expensive route to get the A/C working again.

 

The cost to vacuum the refrigerant is $25 or so? It's the pumping of refrigerant that gets expensive. I don't see why it would cost 800-1000$ to convert the system to R134a. The PITA part is tearing out the dash to get to expansion valve. Anyways, an option you have to use Freeze 12. Its compatible w/ R12, so you won't have to change the oil in the a\c compressor or any of the o-rings. Just vacuum out the existing R12, fix the leak, and refill w/ Freeze 12.

Disclaimer: I've never personally used Freeze 12, I've only heard of it being used as a cheap alternative to R12.

 

you can run R134a, mine is a 92 hatch converted to it yrs ago and it still runs. All that was changed was the fittings at the service point. Everything was preserved hardware wise / all original. Granted is this the right way to convert? Hard to say but the a/c system still functions. All i did was suck all R12 for 30 mins and pump in new R134a with new fittings for servicing R134a equipped car.

The original R12 system is prob not as efficient as a true R134a designed system from honda but it still works and has for quite a while with no real failures except due to age. If you lookup the part numbers for 92/93 vs 94/95 cars in the a/c section the part numbers are indeed different. This is due to the model changing from R12 to R134a.

I did purchase a true R134a setup last year from a 95 civic off craigs so i will install for a true R134a setup whenever time permits. I just grabbed everything lol in the scorching hot sun.

Cost to convert cheaply with fittings? - not too much under $100 i believe.
Will it last? - i've had mine this way for yrs now.

 

So you just vacuumed the compressor then added the r134 your self?

 

You can obviously do anything you want. It's your car. If you wish to do the job correctly, you've come to the right place. If you are waiting for somebody to tell you that you can just recharge the system without doing the proper conversion, without fixing the leak, without vacuuming the system, and without replacing the receiver/dryer, then you are on the wrong forum. Period.

To save money, you can certainly do some of this work yourself.

 

the whole system was vacuumed for 30 min. Fittings changed and then R134a added to system. If i remember R12 had different fittings when being serviced by the a/c machine.

Dude i'm like you i just want it to work and for a long time at that. In the south it's hot and a/c is welcome by all.
Look how many miles i have today on the odo -


The blue and the red were the new parts / fittings


Like was said earlier
Right way - change over to R134a system and address issues / leaks etc.
94 - 95 components is R134a
which i have all in one swoop from craigs. Sitting, waiting to be installed when the time comes.



ghetto bootleg / save money method - switch to R134a using existing hardware by sucking and refilling. is it the right / proper way? Umm, not really. But i have been
running it for yrs now.

 

Can't do it that way, there is a conversation process with vacuming, fittings, and adding the proper amount of 134a it is a different ratio than r12.

 

pretty sure autozone will let you rent the vacuum pump and gauges, you get your money back when you're done. or you can get a cheap setup for under $100. a little more and you get a better pump. if you were close by, i'd let you borrow mine. it's pretty cheap to do yourself, and not hard. fittings, vacuum, recharge, done!