Re: R-134a Specs Request ('88 5KS)

["Christopher Ritchie" <cjr1@gte.net>]

My car is an '88 5KSQ, but I believe your '86 5KCSQ has the same A/C system.
My compressor is the Nippondenso one.  It has a fill valve (Schraeder valve)
on the body of the compressor itself.  A Schraeder (sp?)valve looks like a
tire fill valve.  The R-134a retrofit fitting screws onto that valve.  It
should have a black screw-on cover on it.  Just like a tire, only slightly
larger in diameter.  It is on the front of the compressor.  That is the low
side.

There is another low side fitting under the low pressure shutoff switch.
This switch is under the black plastic covering at the bottom of the
windshield/back of the engine compartment on the passenger side.  Lift up
the black plastic cover.  You will see it.  The switch has 2 wires going to
it.  It is screwed onto the fill valve, which is screwed onto the grey
canister thing (reservoir/dryer/accumulator).  You can unscrew the low
pressure cutoff switch without releasing pressure from the system.

You can fill from any one of those 2 fittings.  The one near the
condenser/in front of the radiator is the high side.  DO NOT FILL FROM THE
HIGH SIDE!!!  VERY DANGEROUS!!!  The can could blow up in your face.  The
high side can get to 300 psi.

Before putting the R-134a in, you are supposed to reclaim any remaining R-12
and leave a good vacuum in the system.  Holding the vacuum for an hour or so
will also tell you if the system leaks before you waste refrigerant.  I did
not do this.  R-134a is only $6/can.  If your system was leaking, the R-12
is probably all gone by now.

You will need to have the compressor running to charge the system.  If it is
low (It is.), the low pressure cut off switch will not allow the compressor
to run.  To bypass this, jumper the 2 wires I mentioned above.

1.  Jumper the wires.
2.  Start the car.
3.  With the engine running, push the button on the climate control that
calls for a/c (I forget the name of the button.  It is _not_ the "Economy"
one.)
4.  Push the blue button all the way down through the desired temperatures
to "LO".
5.  The compressor clutch should now be engaged and the compressor turning.
6.  Fill through one of the low pressure ports.  Put 1 can of R-134a in
first; then the oil; and, then the remaining cans.  For a total fill, you
will probably need 3 cans of R-134a.

If your compressor is not running with the wires jumpered and the climate
control calling for a/c (as described above), you have problems other than a
low refrigerant charge.


----- Original Message -----
From: Lewis, Gary M <Gary.Lewis@West.Boeing.com>
To: quattro list <quattro@audifans.com>; 'Christopher Ritchie'
<cjr1@gte.net>
Cc: <MHLIGGINS@aol.com>
Sent: Monday, September 27, 1999 2:28 PM
Subject: RE: R-134a Specs Request ('88 5KS)


> Christopher said (and my plea is at the bottom):
>
> > ml wrote:
> >
> > >We are changing over a 1988 5KS. Short questions. What kind of oil and
> > >how much? How much R-134a?
> >
> > Just did this on mine.  The R-12 amount for this system is 38 ounces.
> > Most
> > retrofitters recommend that you use 80% to 85% of that amount for
R-134a.
> > Overfilling is _not_ better.
> >
> > I used the polyol ester that came with the $30 kit I bought from Pep
Boys.
> > I used ester oil because I did not flush the system.  I believe the
> > general
> > consensus is that PAG oil is better, but you need to get all the old oil
> > out
> > as PAG is not compatible with the R-12 oil.  I think about 8 ounces of
> > ester
> > oil came with the kit.
> >
> > I also did not vacuum the system before charging with the R-134a.  And I
> > did
> > not replace the accumulator/drier/reservoir.  This is the "cob job" way
of
> > retrofitting.  But it works great on my '88 5KS.  It seems that A/C
system
> > is robust enough to tolerate this.
> >
> > If you want to be able to get an R-134a gauge on the high side line
> > fitting
> > in front of the evaporator, you will need to use a 90 degree fitting
> > (~$15).
> > The straight one that comes in the kits will protrude too far forward
for
> > you to get the usual quick connect fitting on it.  That, and an extra
can
> > of
> > R-134a (~$6) is all you will need to buy to do an approved retrofit.  Of
> > course, if you never intend to measure the high side pressure, you would
> > not
> > put the R-134a fitting on there.
> >
> > The Bentley says to charge the system at the low pressure cut out
switch.
> > You can also charge at the Schrader valve right on the Nippondenso
> > compressor.  The straight ahead R-134a fitting that comes with the kit
> > will
> > fit there and allow you enough access to get the charge hose on.
> >
> Hi Folks,
> I tried this on my Nephew's 86 5kcs 5sp.  His compressor is leaking a bit,
> he is a broke college student, and retrofitting seemed cheaper and more
> environmentally friendly than refills with R-12.
>
> Problem is, I can't find the low-side service valve, and the service valve
> near the condensor/accumulator, in front of the radiator, which I think is
> high side, will only take one can of R-134, which is 340 ml.  Car needs
85%
> of 1,100 ml R-134, and 1 can of oil.  Is it that I also need to blow all
the
> R-12 out of the system, and how can this be done (I think it was empty
when
> we attempted the charge), or I am connecting at the wrong place (and where
> would the right place be)??  What am I doing wrong??  Help!!!
> Thanks,
>
> Gary Lewis
> 90 200tqw, Silver and Platinum, 1.8 Bar
> SOLD!!!  88 5kcstq 1.8 bar 110km Pearl w/Fuchs, K24 turbo, 2-piece EM
> 86 5kcstqw Sapphire and Platinum, stock
> Mergers, Acquisitions, Public Offerings
> (818) 586-2469
>
>