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| | | | Joined: Apr 2003 Posts: 67 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Apr 2003 Posts: 67 | Hi all,
I have a rusty '86 Caprice Classic, 305-4bb, auto-overdrive tranny (the reason I bought it) air-conditioning, and a bunch of power stuff. I got it cheap and am slowly dismantling it to use stuff in other projects or sell. The car is no longer driveable (barely was when I got it).
How do you remove the AC system without letting loose the freon (or whatever it is) that punches holes in the ozone layer ?
Ideally I would like to take the system off intact and possibly re-use it on a future stovebolt project.
Worst case scenario, I would like to just get it out of the way so I can pull the engine, and take the system to a shop to drain the freon.
Anyone know anything about this ? Any help muchly appreciated.
Royzell
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,799 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,799 | No, it isn't possible to remove the AC unit without releasing the refrigerant, but first, check to see if there's any there to begin with! Lots of older AC systems have bled all the gas off years ago. Just push the stem of either the high or low side charging valve a little and see if you get a squirt of pressure. It looks like the valve on a tire stem, and works the same way. If there is still pressure, the gas can be bled off into a discarded refrigerant tank, if you have a gauge manifold to connect to the system. If you don't have the equipment to do that, your local air conditioning shop would probably be glad to have some recycled R-12 gas, so call a repairman and see if he will purge the system for you. That stuff is really expensive now, and it can be recycled.
Once the system is drained, be sure to plug the lines and components to keep air and moisture from getting into the lines and parts. It ruins the receiver-dryer in particular in just a few hours of exposure to the atmosphere.
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
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| | | | | Joined: Apr 2003 Posts: 67 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Apr 2003 Posts: 67 | Thanks HotRodLincoln !
'appreciate the info. I'll follow up on that.
Royzell
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2003 Posts: 67 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Apr 2003 Posts: 67 | HotRod Lincoln-
You were right. I found the valve, checked it, it was already empty. Now I can rip and tear !
Thanks
Royzell
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#6505 04/02/2004 12:21 AM | Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 3,441 Moderator - The Electrical Bay | | Moderator - The Electrical Bay Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 3,441 | Don't breath the Freon it is hazardous to your health.. unless you are well insured, then whoever gets your insurance will be happy.
Another quality post.
Real Trucks Rattle
HELP! The Paranoids are after me!
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