R12

- R12 was the refrigerant in all cars up to around 1994.

- R12 is no longer made due to Ozone depleting CFC's.

- You MUST have R12 removed by a professional, I'm think they would be very happy to have it since its expensive, that is if your old stuff is still good.

- R12 uses Ester based oils that is compatible with 134A

134A

- 134A is the refrigerant used in all cars starting around 1994.|

- Its ozone safe, I guess you can release it into the atmosphere if you had to.

-134A uses a PAG oil that is NOT compatible with the R12 oils

To do the conversion job right

- Replace the liquid line, It goes from the evaporator (firewall) to the condenser (before the radiator).

IMPORTANT TIP: the liquid line contains the Orifice tube, think of it as a small filter which is guaranteed to clog, this should be the first thing you replace. about $45
- Replace the Accumulator, the old original one is full of old oil & absorbs moisture, its most likely clogged up. about $100
- Flush out the compressor (see below)
- Pull a vacuum on the system...once everything is together go to a a/c shop, quick oil place or anywhere that services a/c's. If you will add the refrigerant from the store bought cans just ask them to pull a vacuum, this removed water & makes room for refrigerant...
NOTE this is why most people notice that after a conversion that it doesn't cool like it used to, because they didn't vacuum the system thus adding refrigerant to existing air already inside...not allowing you to put in all required refrigerant & you will have a refrigerant/air mix that will allow moisture in it.
I on the other hand, didn't follow this step due to time constraints and charged my system with those cans without a vacuum. Well it works, not as cold as it should but works great when you need it.

The accumulator removal and installation
was simple & strait foraward.

1) First loosen & disconnect both a/c lines attached to the accumulator. Be careful with the one by the firewall. Inside the dash is the evaporator, do not twist or damage this, you will end up spending probably a weekend removing the dash to replace this...not fun.

2) The accumulator is held in place by a bracket that is bolted to the firewall by 2 bolts. You can remove the nuts (the bolts a part of the firewall) to remove the bracket, but you cant pull the accumulator out that way, the coolant hoses are in the way.

- With a ratchet wrench loosen "the clamp" on the bracket enough to pull the accumulator out. Funny how I used the hole in the "engine lift" thing that's near the throttle body to do this.

There are 2 bolts holding the bracket to the firewall, I removed the bolts only to find I could not remove it, it was too big to pass through everything around it, looks like I didn't need to, just loosen the "clamp".

Installation is simply the reverse.

Make sure the clamp is open enough to slide the new accumulator into. Then tighten it.

Attach the new hoses to the evaporator (on firewall) & compressor.

The accumulator part is complete...

3) The compressor is also easy to remove\

- Remove the Serpentine Belt

- Loosen & Remove the a/c lines

-Remove the wire/plug

- Remove all bolts that are holding the compressor to the front bracket.

- Now you will find 2 last bolts facing the valve cover, one you will not be able to fully remove...instead of those remove the 2 bolts kind of under the compressor so that when you lift it out the small bracket remains with the 2 rear bolts.
Pull the compressor out.


I dumped the oil that was in the compressor into a used oil drum to recycle, I think that's better than dumping it in the sink...hope so :)

To remove the old oil I just poured it out...after 3 attempts to charge it with a 134 kit it seems obvious that there was too much oil...most likely the original oil and some from every other failed attempt.

- Then I poured in some a/c flush that I bought at an autoparts store (about $15) and turned the clutch slowly by hand, make sure you turn the clutch too, not just the pulley, be careful the oil will shoot out if too fast!

I did this a couple times then forced air with an air gun into the low end side (shown in photo with Blue cap) and shot out anything let inside, I rotated the clutch a few time to get all out.

Installation is again opposite of removal.