never messed with freeze-12 but if its the same fitting as 134a (an it looks like it is then you dont know whats in your car do you have a fitting on the hi side line ? the 134 kits come with both hi side and low side fittings the pic of the freeze kit only had a low side fittig I'm guessing the odds are you have 134a in the sys.

 

Freeze12 as it comes, ONLY has a fill adapter (the little hose that goes from the refill can-top to the car AC system nipple) that attaches to an R12 nipple (a Schrader, or tire-type valve).

In my case, someone had removed the internal Schrader valve "needles", and threaded on R134a adapter nipples that had their own internal valve needles.

I simply removed the R134a adapter nipple on the low side, exposing the OEM R12 nipple, replaced the internal needle valve, and filled the system with the contents of the Freeze12 conversion kit from Amazon.

I don't know what was in the system - the tech (residential/commercial AC) who sucked it out said he had no way of telling; he just assumed it was 134a for purposes of his recovery sequence.

In the pic below you can see the R134a nipple I removed. Thinking about it now, I should have removed the high side one as well and replaced the OEM valve guts while the system was empty.

Anyway - it's high 90s here, and the AC works fine.

Forrest

 

Hey McDesign,
What's the metallic thing front and center in your picture? How many cans or Freeze12 came with the kit?

Super Mods,
Not to hijack this thread but is there a blow up of the AC system in one of the online manuals I was linked to in another thread and perhaps an explanation of how a/c systems work somewhere you can reccomend? I'm finding it hard to follow the suggestions to find the leak or diagnose other problems because I don't know the terminology. I have a stock 1990 system that appears completely empty and this freeze12 stuff seems just the fix I'm looking for, but if it leaked out once I'm not sure the stop-leak in the kit will do the trick. Everything's 21 years old after all.

Thanks for a great thread. Happy to start my own if I'm stepping on toes here.

 

Nah - let's keep this thread going - I continued this one 'cuz it popped up in a search. That metallic thing clamps on top of the Freeze 12 can, and the right side valve on the yellow hose then threads/pierces from there.

The kit come with 5 cans - oil, leak sealer, and three of Freeze12.

One Freeze12 first, then the oil and sealer, then the other two worked great for me.

Forrest

 

Retrofitting w/ refirigerant mixtures (R134a+another refrigerant, hydrocarbon such as propane, butane, etc) is made to appear amazingly simple and no doubt you can pull the stuff in there.

I used to participate in automotic ac forum where the +/-'s of blends were endlessly debated. After reading for several years, the general consensus seemed (in my humble opinion) to favor R134a. The additional cost/effort to retrofit is made up for by having a "universal" refrigerant. If you need service w/ an alternative refrigerant, you may be on your own.

Also, there were questions about whether original receiver/drier is compatible w/ new refrigerant. In some cases dessicant's broke down and contaminated system leading to system failure.

I'm relating what I read over the years at autoacforum.com. You can go there and read about this issue on your own.

The worst things that can happen w/ a retrofit are 1) failure of lubricant to lubricate the compressor leading to compressor failure and 2) blockage of system requriing replacement of most of system to repair.

I stayed w/ R12 as long as I had my 90 Accord and never regretted it.

good luck

 

sorry to dig up an old post but im digging for info on my retrofit i havnt had ac in some years now but i was living way north and it wasnt an issue the hottest it would go would be 90 for 1 week of the year the rest was high 70s or colder really. now im moved back south and i need the ac fixxed in my 91 accord.

so far ive vacumed out all the r12 when i was at work (work in an autoshop @ college)

replaced the low side line that was cracked

got all retrofitted lines

now do i need to flush the system and empty the oil? from the dryer/ compressor or do i just need to buy a new dryer all together? and is there anything else i need to change?

note i am going with r134 because it is universal and cheaper that r12

and i will be having a shop vacumme and fill it for eaze as i dont have a vacume to do it with at home.

 

You can clean condensor and flush hard/flexible lines. However, the evaporator is not "flushible" due to tiny opening in expansion valve and design which prevents outrush of air from picking up liquids. I drained mine after removing expansion valve.

I would recommend removing, cleaning, and replacing all orings on the evaporator. After all these years, the orings are likely to be leaking. I found leaking orings one expansion valve on both a 90 Accord EX and my 94 Accord EX. It's not a bad job. Get a download shop manual if you don't have one. You could change the expansion valve for one tuned for R134a (slightly lower operating pressure).

You should replace the receiver/drier w/ a new R134a compatible unit.

Compressor shaft seal may leak after being down for a long time. Shaft seal may have dried and deterioated. It can be replaced (ackits.com). A rolled piece of thin plastic pop bottle will work as an installation sleeve.

good luck