Hello:

Recently, I bought a Volvo R134 retrofit from fcpgroton for my 87' 240DL and I'm just wondering if somebody can help me clarify some questions before I start dismantling things. In hand is a volvo copy of the original how to instructions downloaded from this sight plus some accumulated ideas from reading this forum. Here are my concern since volvo is not customer friendly enough by not attaching any info. in the box.

1. Does the new evaporator,hose line,dryer needed to be oiled to certain amount before installation? If yes, then I have to buy more since there's only one for the compressor.

2. Do I need to removed the condenser, flush it clean then re-oil it with ester oil?

3. Is it ok to purge all lines with pressurised air knowing that it might re-introduce moisture into the system?

4. Is there a better way to remove most or all the R12 oil from the compressor like a chemical maybe?

5. Concern of orifice calibration from old messages, is the new one ready for use? or needed some adjustment.

6. The pack of O-rings from the box is it complete? or do I have to buy some more, like for the compressor lines high and low.

Thanks! Any help is appreciated.

Hello Gil,

some comments.

4. the best way of removing the r12 oil is to take the compr out and pour it out. it's good to do this so you can measure and know how much is going back in the compr.

the damn thing's heavy while lying on your back, especially when reinstalling it.

however, the compressor is easier to remove after a few times because you find out what needs to be removed in what order (nuts, bolts, etc). if this is your first time, it will probably be difficult, especially trying to realign the compr & p/s belts with the crank pulley (harmonic balance).

* you will need to remove the compr from underneath.
* four bolts secure the compressor to the a/c bracket.
* three are easy to get to.
* the last bolt in the back is harder to reach. the bolt is a pan or rounded bolt, so you have to take the nut off you will need long extensions on your rachet with a universal angle (sears has one) to put the socket on the end of it. i believe it's a 13 mm bolt.

* Robert's right, be sure to have spare acc bushings, just in case some of yours are bad, bent, broken--i have read that poly bushings are too stiff and don't absorb the vibration as well as the rubber black bushings, but the poly bushings last longer.

tools to remove the a/c discharge and suction hoses to the compr: i used a plumber's wrench, the one with the long rod and T at the top. the wrench end swivels.

be sure to loosen the hoses first before removing the compr.

6. for me, all of the kit o-rings were enough to do the retrofit job.

5. the orifice tube, if that's what you are referring to, is for the later models that uses the gm-style dryer. these cars do not use an expansion valve.

one place of leaking are the hoses at the compr. be sure to tighten enough. it's kinda tight in there. that long, skinny pipe wrench is the only thing that can reach down behind the compr.


regards,
byron golden
86 245
92 245

Byron & Robert:

Thanks! for the output. I'll be wrestling with my A/C this Friday, taken a day off for it and hoping it will go smoothly esp. for a novice like me. If not, I still have the weekend to finish it. I'm thinking to go SEARS too & see this plumber's wrench you're talking about. It might make the difference.
Until then.

hello Gil,

glad to help. when i did my conversion, it was pretty straight forward.

sears will surely have that skinny wrench, but I think walmart might have a cheaper price.

the wrench is about a foot long metal rod with a sliding rod at the top to turn the wrench. as mentioned before, the bottom has a spring loaded, pliers-like end that swivels. should be less than $10.

I imagine you have the instructions, but if you need them, you can find them here at the indispensible dave shannon's quick index page:

http://www.homestead.com/volvo2/quickindex.html

look at the bottom for r134 zip file.

regards,
byron

1)no
2)no ( r134a will not absorb the r12 mineral oil, the residual oil will basically just sit there, any remailing in the system will help alittle in keeping the non barrier hoses in your system from leaking out the r 134a )
3) if you are gong to blow the lines out, make darn sure that you have a filter on the air line so as not to put any junk in the system, if no filter, better to just vacuum the thing down good.
4) it's not that hard to remove the compresor and dump it out. Good time to replace the acessory mounting bushings while you have it out.
5)Orfice setting was fine for my '90 240 wagon in Arkansas.
6) I wound up buying a couple of orings, cant remember which ones though.
--
-------Robert, '93 940t, '90 240 wagon, '84 240 diesel (she's sick) , '80 245 diesel, '86 740 GLE turbo diesel, '82 Mercedes 300SD for sale