A/C 134 or R12

[crusher773]

I have a '93 GL. Does anyone know if its going to be 134 or R12 and how can I find out if it could be either way. According to my book it should be R12 which sucks but this car seems like it was maybe a real late 1994 because some of the engine compartment stuff is located a little different.

[link5186]

Most air conditioned cars have a label either on the very front of the engine compartment or on a shock tower specifying oil, refrigerant, and charge amount, but I'll assume that it has disappeared.
The big give-away is the service ports. Remove the caps from the ports and take a look. One port should be on or near the accumulator can, the other on one of the lines coming from the compressor. R-12 used a schrader valve (like a tire valve stem), R-134a uses a quick attach coupler (like air tools). If it has couplers screwed onto schrader valves then it has been retrofitted to R-134a. If a shop did the retrofit, they're supposed to put a label over top of the old one.

[crusher773]

Ok I'll take a closer look at it. There weren't any caps on them but it looked like a quick coupler right on top on the passenger side of the engine compartment. Assuming thate my low side. So it looks like I might get lucky with it.

[Hot_Wheels]

the car was orginally equipped with r-12 i dont think they started to use 134a til the mid 90's, now that doesnt mean at one time someone may have converted your car to 134a,, you will know if its 134a buy the size of the shrager valve, when adding 134a you have to put bigger adapters on

[TominMO]

R134 started in 1994 or 1995, depending on the car model I think. Definitely not 1993.

[sc72]

If you do retrofit to 134A remember it only takes 20 to 21.5 oz of freon not 24oz. the reason is, the molecules in 134 are larger than the R12 and takes less to fill the system. Good luck

[crusher773]

So it does have one of the screw on adapters to it. It was R-12 originally at least. Is there any way that I can tell if it was actually converted over right?

[sc72]

Check the fire wall and see if a tech put up a tag saying it was converted, i'll try and get a pic of mine for you, any way if it has a tag it will be on the left side of the fire wall.

[navdoc101]

R12/r143a

I have a '93L, & its 134. Not converted, no adapters. I called an A/C shop & ask. The Mang. said bring it in, He looked at it & confermed 134. Told me to go to a parts store & buy a kit, that it would be cheaper than the shops prices. $27.+ change at McPepboys. The chart says '93L's do not have A/C. It looks factory.;-)

[sc72]

It's probably a dealer installed unit, just as good as factory.

[crusher773]

Mine is a '93 GL it has a R12 decals and the screw on adaptor but no other decals on it. I might just have the guys in town take a look and see what they think. I've got a gauge that I use on the others to fill them and some 134 its not hot enough yet I just want to get it figured out before it does.