Rebuilt engine 5 years ago. Never re instalkled the AC. It's all there but blew warm air. Any approximate idea what it costs to get a system up and running ?
you cant really say .... you have to most likely change the seals and evacuate/suck out whats in the system...fill system with freon and run it first ....then you see whats what ... and most likely convert to R whatever the new freon is ...
not unless you need everything new ..and I mean everything a-z if your compressor evaporator condenser and no leaks you will be ok money wise .... for sure you would change out the dryer and the expansions valve if the system hasn't been working for a while some fast pic from a web site with some basics.. http://www.familycar.com/classroom/ac1.htm
hang on a second ... I reread your post again ....are all your a/c components installed in car or are they all out ?
On our 69 GS, the A/C system was all in place. The magnetic clutch had caught fire on the previous owner and he never followed up. So it was inoperative for at least the three years I owned it and who knows how many before that. A friend gave me his 69 GS A/C compressor. The local garage told me my system was not holding any charge, so I just put on the replacement compressor. Then I took it in for an evacuation When it held a vacuum for 20 mins, I had them install 134-a fittings and re-evacuate. The system again held vacuum for 20 minutes so we put in the 134-a with compatible oil and the system worked. We used it to go to Buffalo, about 5 hour trip from where we live. The front seat was comfortable but the back seat area would not have been comfortable. Of course our car has a black convertible top and interior and we were driving the thruway on an 80+degree day. On the way home a few days later the replacement compressor seized. But since the system worked, I just went last week and bought a rebuilt A-^ compressor from NAPA for less than 150, and I got a new reciever dryer for $27.00. I took it back to the shop where they reclaimed the 134-a and installed my parts while flushing the rest of the system and installing 4 new O rings . The recharge and I was on my way $350 bucks later. I probably could have saved some money here by doing more of the work myself but I really don't have any of the proper tools. Right now I can see that this thing is much better than last year. I just hope the hoses hold out for the trip to Flint this summer.
First off. Decide if you're using R-12 or R-134. Always remember the oil used with each does not play together well. I would make fittings to pressure test the evap core and condenser core to verify they are good. If you're going to R-134 I would flush both cores to remove any oil or residue. Locate a Carrier or Thermo King trailer refrigeration dealer and have them make up new hoses using your old fittings. If you're using R-134 use the membrane hose. Replace the expansion valve and receiver dryer with new. Assuming the compressor is good. Drain all old oil and flush. Before assembling the system add the amount of proper refrigerant oil called out in the service manual to each component. Use all new "O" rings coated with oil to prevent binding... and don't "gorilla fist" the fittings. The key is getting all of the old R-12 oil out of the system if you're going to R-134. Mixing of the oils is a recipie for compressor failure. Vacuum it down to service manual spec. Me, I stick with R-12. It's colder, works best in ATC systems that were designed for it, and less work. If you're set up to do A/C work, here's instructions from an HVAC friend of mine in returning an R-12 system converted to R-134 back to R-12: The first thing I would do is to take the line set ( refrigerant lines ) , and keep the ends that connect to the condenser, evaporator, and compressor And have someone make up a new set,For that rubber is already contaminated. I would then get some liquid nitrogen and use it to flush both the condenser, and evaporator. I would then use the nitrogen for pressure testing of the condenser, and evaporator coils not more than fifty psi per coil. I'm not sure, but I think that system might have the expansion valve, drier, and accumulator all in one case if so you need to take it apart to replace the drier pack. Remember any rubber that comes in contact with, or is exposed to R-134 a ( line set, O rings, etc. ) should be replaced because this stuff attacks rubber, and breaks down it's composition, and under pressure it will fail. you can do the final assembly I would find some R-22 to use for a three stage vacuum ( R-22 is fluorocarbon combination of R-12 and R-502 mix ), and would be ok to use for this application. Three stage vacuum is when you dry charge the system to about twenty psi, and after waiting for about ten minutes to make sure that the system is holding pressure you then pull a vacuum for twenty minutes. when you've reached, and held 28 hg for ten minutes. You then repeat the process two more times, by this time all noncondensibles should be out of the system, and after the third pull down you can then use the R-12 to charge the system.
