Hello All,

This is my first post, so forgive me if I'm breaking any rules. I've tried to search this and have seen Dave Urban's page on the a/c retrofit. I have a 1992 940GL and am looking for the existing R12 high and low side service ports. There is a service port on the receiver/dryer that faces the right strut tower. This port will accept an R-134a low pressure fitting...is that in fact the low pressure port? If so, where is the high pressure port? I am hoping to do an Interdynamics retrofit to get me through the next few weeks, and if the system holds, I'll do the volvo conversion when I have a chance.

Thanks,

--Jim

Unless you KNOW what refrigerant is in the car, I suggest you get the car to a service person with a refrigerant identifier machine. The R134A screw on the low side accumulator would indicate to me that you have 134A in the system. If you have reason to believe there is R12 in it..you already have problems.

I heard Pat Goss on the radio last week indicate his shop was using only R406a..check out this site:
http://yarchive.net/ac/r406a.html

Supposed to give a capacity improvement over R12!

I had R12 in the system. The fitting on the accumulator will accept the R134A conversion adapter, which is why I thought it was the low side port(i.e. I am doing a conversion now). Whether the system has bad leaks or not, I don't know. The ac stopped working 3 summers ago...

Yes, you can use the schraeder port on the accumulator tank. The accumulator is on the low side. The high side fitting should be on the back of the compressor, and I'm assuming that you have a Diesel Kiki compressor (will say DK something or other on the top).

(Nomenclature: receiver/dryer is used on different systems where it is located on the high pressure side. Low pressure dryers are referred to as accumulators.)

Be VERY careful with the interdynamics kits. I'd sooner not even bother using one unless you are really at your limit. You've read Dave Urban's page on the conversion, which is pretty much by the book as far as the Volvo 940 is concerned. The biggest concerns are the contamination from old mineral oil still in the system, and the lack of a new suction accumulator and R134 orifice tube.

You will get the system to work (albeit poorly) using that kit, but it won't work for very long without some sort of issue. It will likely be related to compressor failure, although the DK compressors seem to hold conversions very well. I'm speaking from having seen the inexpensive conversions done in the past. Pressures are usually way off, performance stinks, and longevity takes a hit.

I've never heard of anyone who has had remarkable results from Interdynamics kits over the long term, unless they've supplemented the kit with a bunch of other parts and service. I'm not trying to steer you away from getting cool air in your car; who WOULDN'T want that? But if you have the time to do it right, figure out where the system might be leaking (high side pipe on the frame rail is a big one, as are all the O-rings) and do the Volvo conversion kit. For less than a hundred bucks for the Volvo kit, you will have A/C that you can depend on, and that cools virtually as well as the factory R134a A/C systems in the later 940 series.
--
1992 940 wagon, 72k
make people envious; smile often.