Hello fellow BB’ers,

Inga my 1986 245DL Automatic (21 year old Swede with big plastic headlights) and she is a 245 so Baby's got back (even if it is a door). My faithful piston slapping lil kitten is back in action and with a combo R12 and Freeze 12 fill and so far it’s all good!

The system had been converted to R134 including the oil, but vented that crap out and did not replace all of the oil. Took a chance and started with the Freeze 12 and then with the R12 of recent discovery. Took about 3 lbs, there is a little R12 left in one of the cans.

Replaced the Dryer , Expansion Valve and the o rings on the fittings with new. More work because of crap Volvo insulation on wires, a miss-wired AC Switch.

But my glasses fogged up when I got out of the car this afternoon and in 90 degree heat and high humidity, that's a good thing.

Regards,

PT :-)

I have a original R12 system that is most likely empty since the low pressure switch is triped. I don't want to take it to Midas and spend $250 to have it all leak out 3 days later. So I'm debating if I should get my section 609 cert and buy R12 off ebay or put the freeze12 in as is ...

You could have a shop pull a vacuum on the system. They can tell you quickly if you have any leaks. Already knew the system was tight but the expansion valve as bad before starting the job. Highly recommend changing out the expansion valve, installing a new dryer, and changing o-rings before trying to get the system charged up.

Good advice from another BB'er was to pull the front seat when going after the expansion valve. Pull the glove box also so you can see in there. Took just a couple hours to remove and reinstall the valve and the dryer. The fly in the ointment was the compressor solenoid would not engage. Beat that by rigging up a switch so the brown wire on the compressor was getting 12 volts from the battery. That pulled the solenoid in when you flipped the switch and she started taking refrigerant. Got the system fully charged up before trying to troubleshoot the circuit. Kept finding things and fixing them, only to find out something else was wrong or rotten and needed replacing. The wires closest to the compressor were bare copper. Replaced the wiring from the firewall to the pressure switch, and back to the compressor (spliced in the old compressor connections).

Then found a blown fuse and miswired AC Switch. The switch wiring was my fault, wired in a donor switch a while back and reversed them. It would help if all the dang colors were something besides some variant of green and red/white.

Regards,

PT

I've been thinking about what damage I may cause by mixing the freeze12 with the old R12 thats in there. No signs of compressor oil leaks. The clutch works when I bypass the low pressure switch. Everything turns on without noise and much load on the engine. Not a hint of cold air and nothing in the sight glass. I don't have any service history on it other than the vice grip marks on the fittings. Rumor has it habor frieght has a AC pump for cheap. I'm not going to take it somewhere and hand a blank check to someone to tell me how the system isn't up to their standards (new from the factory). No trust.

I'm wondering how I'm going to get the UV dye in there? Pour some in with the hose off?

Yah, and when you walk out the office door into the outdoors, does your briefcase get clammy and damp?

When you get home, let the a/c run for a bit while you gather stuff to take in. Open car door a minimum time. Open & close real quick. Idea is that next morning the inside air will be atleast dry and maybe cool. Worked for me when I was commuting with one 240 or another.

Does not work worth a hoot on the black 965, whether in shade or not.

Are you in hot, flat, Pearland? Or further North?

Regards,

Bob, near Cypress

:>)

I live on the Southeast side and work on the Southwest side. Pasadena to Sugar Land, 36 miles one way. But leave the house early and traffic is not an issue except leaving Sugar Land until you get past the Fort Bend Tollway.

There have only been a couple of days so far that were too hot for the four windows down cooling method. But the weather weenies are calling for 95 and high humidity today so think I timed the repair just right.

I know that the AC on Inga was never all that good to begin with her repair file has a stack of AC services from when my dear sweet Mom owned her.

Going to try the Roof Insulation and find an efan.

What size eFan will fit in a 240?

Regards,

PT

Good info to know. I think I will also have to replace the compressor in my 245. It was getting pretty noisy by the time the system quit cooling. Understand the weather and length of commute issue. I'm headed the opposite way....Westbury to Clear Lake and back each day. Going on my second year without A/C. Think its time to fix it.