Mustang and AC - Hose Wizard 134a conversion

MYBAD79

MYBAD79

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If you're in the market for custom AC kits try Hose Wizard. They're near Atlanta GA. The C3 systems run with R12 so a few of you might be interessted in a 134a AC kit....

After messing with the R12 system and trying to convert that to 134a I had to realize it just doesn't work. Expansion valve sized for R12, condenser too small, and so on ..... I just bought a kit for my '93 Mustang from Hose Wizard and .... wow .... nowadays it is actually something amazing and out of the ordinary if you buy something that fits and performs as advertized. The kit wasn't cheap ($780 retail) but you get everything except the evaporator. In addition to that you get instructions and a phone number where you can talk to a real person who knows AC systems. Tech support and customer service is outstanding :thumbs:

I got a new Sanden compressor that is designed for use with 134a freon, a new condenser and custom made hoses to adapt the Sanden compressor to the evaporator and condenser. the high pressure line had the expansion valve and a high pressure switch installed, and the dryer came with a new low pressure switch. Plug and play....

As usual it took more time to remove the old stuff than putting the new parts in.

214dcb3bdcb3ec9.jpg
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214dcb3bdc4fd0d.jpg
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Sucked a vacuum for an hour and then checked if the system would hold or suck air back in.... no leaks, must have done sumthin right I guess....

here's the new bracket to adapt the compressor to the engine and the new tensioner

214dcb3bdbe24c7.jpg
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Just charged the system today and wow.... ice cold air.... :bounce::bounce:

Too bad they don't have a website but here's the contact info from Google:
1040 Cooper Road
Grayson, GA 30017-1767
(770) 972-7997

A kit for a C3 shouldn't be much more than what I paid.... I am actually considering installing AC in the '79 now that I see how nice the Mustang kit is....:3rd:
 
Yes, that's how the old belt was.... this belt is just too short, this might be a setup from a Ranger pickup and this might be how the belts are on a Ranger .. dunno...

shouldn't be an issue ??? I'm sure I can get a longer belt that fits around both compressor and water pump.
 
I think you'd be off getting a longer belt since the other belt has only very little pulley wrap on the WP.
 
BBShark said:
Do they send you the hoses fit to the car and brackets for the compressor?
Click to expand...

brackets and hoses were included. I think the bracket is from a later model Ranger. The hoses are custom made and except one hose that was too short it was a perfect fit. One phone call and they send me a new hose to replace the short one.
 
On my C4 I replaced the accumulator and filter and filled with Freeze12.

Freeze 12 claims:
1. Freeze 12 will cool better than R- 13 4a in most retrofit applications.

2. Freeze 12 has a pressure curve which is close to R-12 while R-134a operates at significantly higher pressures than R- 12.

3. Freeze 12 works with the existing mineral oil and does not require lubricant replacement as R-134a does.

My system performed perfect for the 2 years I owned it after converting to Freeze12. Cooled down quickly and was very cold.

I don't really care about what the EPA says can and cannot be done. :rofl:
 
Rumor is that Freeze12 is a mix of R12 and R134a. The oils are not compatible so you need to stick with one of the two, PAG oil is the oil that works with 134a, that's what I used on this old R12 system.
This system would not work with straight R134a, I've tried for over a year to get this working. I replaced compressor, condenser and dryer and both hoses, charged the system with R134a and it just would not cool... at one time I added a bottle R12 to the mix and it cooled quiet nice but not for long... I expected the compressor to fail with the mix but at the time I added R12 I already knew I was going to buy the conversion kit.
I know guys who have successfully converted from R12 to R134a even here in central FL.... I was just not that lucky I guess....
My new system is not a retrofit, it's a new Sanden compressor that is designed for 134a, same for the condenser... I just froze the evaporator yesterday morning and had to adjust the low pressure switch slightly.. that's how good this system works :thumbs::thumbs:
 
MYBAD79 said:
Rumor is that Freeze12 is a mix of R12 and R134a. The oils are not compatible so you need to stick with one of the two, PAG oil is the oil that works with 134a, that's what I used on this old R12 system.
This system would not work with straight R134a, I've tried for over a year to get this working. I replaced compressor, condenser and dryer and both hoses, charged the system with R134a and it just would not cool... at one time I added a bottle R12 to the mix and it cooled quiet nice but not for long... I expected the compressor to fail with the mix but at the time I added R12 I already knew I was going to buy the conversion kit.
I know guys who have successfully converted from R12 to R134a even here in central FL.... I was just not that lucky I guess....
My new system is not a retrofit, it's a new Sanden compressor that is designed for 134a, same for the condenser... I just froze the evaporator yesterday morning and had to adjust the low pressure switch slightly.. that's how good this system works :thumbs::thumbs:
Click to expand...


•Freeze 12. Supplied by Technical Chemical, this blend contains 80% R-134a and 20% HCFC-142b

The suppliers of the alternative blends say their products typically cool better than straight R-134a in systems designed for R-12, and do not require changing the compressor oil or desiccant in some cases. Changing the desiccant to XH-7 is usually recommended if an R-12 system is converted to R-134a. The desiccant should also be replaced if a blend contains R-22 because R-22 is not compatible with XH-5 or XH-7 desiccant. The recommended desiccant in this case would be XH-9.

2 years it worked for me.
 
Like I said, I know guys who did this successfully, that's one reason why I tried to convert the system in the first place. I guess I just wasn't lucky....
Environment: well.... I used and dumped so much 134a trying to get this system to work that it would have been better for the planet if they sold me r12 when I needed it ...

:lol:
 
MYBAD79 said:
Like I said, I know guys who did this successfully, that's one reason why I tried to convert the system in the first place. I guess I just wasn't lucky....
Environment: well.... I used and dumped so much 134a trying to get this system to work that it would have been better for the planet if they sold me r12 when I needed it ...

:lol:
Click to expand...

BET me anyone on this....that whole Ozone layer crap was fostered and seized on by Dupont to make another freon, there never WAS a issue with R12, but all of a sudden it's not just a buck a can, it's 12 bux a can....

methinks there is something under foot....Dupont family being billionaires and so forth....

fish smell to me....

:fishing::eek:
 
mrvette said:
BET me anyone on this....that whole Ozone layer crap was fostered and seized on by Dupont to make another freon, there never WAS a issue with R12, but all of a sudden it's not just a buck a can, it's 12 bux a can....
Click to expand...

If I could get R12 for 12 bux a can I would have never converted to 134a. IF you can find a bottle of r12 (craigslist or such) it's like $50 a can or more .... you need to be licensed to buy this stuff.... :crap:
 
MYBAD79 said:
mrvette said:
BET me anyone on this....that whole Ozone layer crap was fostered and seized on by Dupont to make another freon, there never WAS a issue with R12, but all of a sudden it's not just a buck a can, it's 12 bux a can....
Click to expand...

If I could get R12 for 12 bux a can I would have never converted to 134a. IF you can find a bottle of r12 (craigslist or such) it's like $50 a can or more .... you need to be licensed to buy this stuff.... :crap:
Click to expand...


Doubt these guys want a license

This translates into less than 7 bucks/can.
http://miami.craigslist.org/brw/cto/2353478995.html

or less than 5.50/can
http://miami.craigslist.org/mdc/pts/2366200590.html

or 10 bucks a can
http://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/for/2300863387.html
 
010752 said:
MYBAD79 said:
mrvette said:
BET me anyone on this....that whole Ozone layer crap was fostered and seized on by Dupont to make another freon, there never WAS a issue with R12, but all of a sudden it's not just a buck a can, it's 12 bux a can....
Click to expand...

If I could get R12 for 12 bux a can I would have never converted to 134a. IF you can find a bottle of r12 (craigslist or such) it's like $50 a can or more .... you need to be licensed to buy this stuff.... :crap:
Click to expand...


Doubt these guys want a license

This translates into less than 7 bucks/can.
http://miami.craigslist.org/brw/cto/2353478995.html

or less than 5.50/can
http://miami.craigslist.org/mdc/pts/2366200590.html

or 10 bucks a can
http://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/for/2300863387.html
Click to expand...

Trick is, how do I know what's in the can?? small cans sure, the large 30lbs containers?? not so much....:twitch:
 
Ozzy said:
MYBAD79 said:
Rumor is that Freeze12 is a mix of R12 and R134a. The oils are not compatible so you need to stick with one of the two, PAG oil is the oil that works with 134a, that's what I used on this old R12 system.
This system would not work with straight R134a, I've tried for over a year to get this working. I replaced compressor, condenser and dryer and both hoses, charged the system with R134a and it just would not cool... at one time I added a bottle R12 to the mix and it cooled quiet nice but not for long... I expected the compressor to fail with the mix but at the time I added R12 I already knew I was going to buy the conversion kit.
I know guys who have successfully converted from R12 to R134a even here in central FL.... I was just not that lucky I guess....
My new system is not a retrofit, it's a new Sanden compressor that is designed for 134a, same for the condenser... I just froze the evaporator yesterday morning and had to adjust the low pressure switch slightly.. that's how good this system works :thumbs::thumbs:
Click to expand...


•Freeze 12. Supplied by Technical Chemical, this blend contains 80% R-134a and 20% HCFC-142b

The suppliers of the alternative blends say their products typically cool better than straight R-134a in systems designed for R-12, and do not require changing the compressor oil or desiccant in some cases. Changing the desiccant to XH-7 is usually recommended if an R-12 system is converted to R-134a. The desiccant should also be replaced if a blend contains R-22 because R-22 is not compatible with XH-5 or XH-7 desiccant. The recommended desiccant in this case would be XH-9.

2 years it worked for me.
Click to expand...

The big problem with Freeze 12 is servicing the system. If and when it needs to be removed you will be forced to evacuate the system the non legal way or spend big money having it removed and disposed of.
 
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