[Chrysler300] Re: 300F A/C Question --- WARNING!!!

[RAKFAR@xxxxxxx]

Okay,  I don't want to pretend I'm an expert (and I didn't stay at a 
Holiday Inn  Express last night), but I do have the hard-earned benefit of a bit 
of  experience on this subject, and would like to post a word of caution to 
those of  you who have yet to travel this road.
 
            Up  to a few years ago my daily driver was a 1969 Road Runner 
convertible with  factory air (bit of a rare combination).  My 300F has 
factory air too, so  this is also 300-related.  Anyway, after a while the Road 
Runner's A/C  got weak, and I determined it needed a recharge.  Of course, 
being a  1969 vehicle it required R-12, which was silly expensive and hard to 
find.   So after a little internet research and a few phone calls, I fell 
prey to the  encouragements of those who said I could switch to modern R-134 
(yes, you can!)  with only a few modifications.  
 
            These  specified modifications included flushing the system, 
installing new,  non-permeable hoses (apparently the R-134 molecules are 
smaller) and O-rings, a  new receiver-drier, and R-134 compatible lubricant oil. 
I think  all  this ran me about $350 or so, and sure enough, while not as 
cold as  before, the old Road Runner's A/C worked on R-134.
 
            Or  at least it did for about six months, before the compressor 
packed up and  died.  After much more frustration and investigation, I 
learned a few  things:  while the mods I made allowed the R-134 to work, the 
basic DESIGN  of my A/C system was unchanged.  Included in that design were 
certain  obscure components like the expansion valve and the EPR regulator that 
(of  course) regulated the system BASED UPON TEMPERATURES AND PRESSURES 
UNIQUE TO  R-12, and not R-134.  Bottom line, as I came to understand it (see 
my first  sentence) is that the R-134 confused the poor system, making it run 
practically  all the time to maintain its cool.  Eventually the overworked 
compressor  seized up.
 
            Now,  for those of you who live in Michigan or Illinois and use 
your A/C a month or  two per year, it may be acceptable ( and may be the 
source of the wives'  tale that "you can use R-134 in an R-12 system"), but 
for those of us in  Southern California (or Texas or Florida) it just doesn't 
do it.
 
            Take  my advice---  if you must have functioning A/C, either 
pony up and pay  for genuine R-12, or contact Sanden and get a modern, 
non-original,  non-concours R-134 system.  Don't say you weren't warned.
 
300F'ly,
 
Roger Karlson
Carpinteria, CA

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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