Due to a problem with my radiator fan, I've lost most of the R12 in my AC system. My regular mechanic thinks it would be more cost-effective to upgrade to R134a rather than charge the system again (it's had a small leak for a while that required charging every year or two). I'm ok with that idea, but I would like to know about doing it myself: on another forum (non-car or SC related), one of the posters said that it isn't a big job, once the R12 is vacuumed out. Great!, thinks I, and head out to buy a retrofit kit. Then I'm told, after calling a local shop, that the compressor probably won't be able to handle the R134 (the guy I talked to said that R134 runs at 2x the pressure) and that the front seals will probably blow if I don't change the compressor.
So here's the questions:
1. Do I need to change the compressor ?
2. If I *do* need to change the compressor, what type/model do I need to get ?
3. (not really as relevant): Doesn't the compressor determine how much pressure the coolant is under ? I don't understand how changing the fluid will change the amount of pressure (which is not to say that I don't believe it could be that way, but it doesn't make sense to me).
So here's the questions:
1. Do I need to change the compressor ?
2. If I *do* need to change the compressor, what type/model do I need to get ?
3. (not really as relevant): Doesn't the compressor determine how much pressure the coolant is under ? I don't understand how changing the fluid will change the amount of pressure (which is not to say that I don't believe it could be that way, but it doesn't make sense to me).