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Do it yourself AC for your 190E

2K views 16 replies 7 participants last post by  Runninrebel211 
#1 ·
Just installed more R134A for my car. It was easy. My car was converted from R12 (aka liquid gold) many years ago. $21 bucks for 18 oz from Walmart and it comes with a gauge. If you can spit, then you can do this. Uncap plug put gauge in first to check then connect hose from gauge to canister, pull the trigger with the cars AC on high- engine running of course. Done. :thumbsup:

*No more paying someone to charge my ride for $150.00
 
#2 ·
Cool. What is the temperature at the vents? I've read that R12 to R134 conversions can't blow quite as cold as the original gas. I haven't measured my 190e duracool conversion but my volvo got down into the 20s with with air temp in the 90s today in marin. Maybe I'll bring the thermometer along in the 190e tomorrow.
 
#3 ·
Im not sure. But today in Palo Alto it was 101 and while driving on 280 South with the AC on the lowest setting it was still too cold for me. Works great. I need to test it in Las Vegas when its 117 and up. Thats when you know stuff really works.
 
#4 ·
Come back home this weekend and test it...LOL! I have seen that kit @ WalMart. Did you have the R12 evacuated or did you vent to atmospehere (a no-no)? I also thought with a proper conversion you also need to change out the o-rings?
 
#5 · (Edited)
Everything was changed properly. Oh and we sold the R12- thats liquid gold man...would be stupid to vent that shit out to the atmosphere. lol

I just went outside to check it with the AC gauge again. It is in the blue zone which is full. Fired car up and cranked AC - got really cold fast. Its 81 outside right now. Try out the kit. It works. I should have gotten the super synthetic one that NASA uses but I just wanted to try out the cheaper one first before I lay down 10 more bucks for the NASA formulation. NASA one is suppose to cool faster and even colder for $30.00. The one I got was $20.00

I should mention that in the beginning when there wasnt much R134A to choose from- the AC wasnt as cold as R12. Now with the invention of better formulas it works fine and just as good. But we did regret a few times in the early stages of the conversion.

Now I dont have to pay someone $150 bucks to recharge my AC. I can do it myself for 20 or 30 bucks. So easy a Caveman can do it. I should get paid to do this for knuckleheads. lol
 
#6 ·
My sight glass is covered in oil and soot. Hard to clean it without degreaser. I havent charged my AC in 4 yrs. Not bad eh? We rarely use it now in San Francisco so it might have leaked a little. Didnt require much to charge it. It was at the lower end of Full according to the gauge so I just filled it till it was closer to middle. That was it. Still have a full can left. This brand of R134A has oil to lube compressor and stop leak that isnt harmful to AC system. Brand is Interdynamics called EZ Chill. Maybe you should roll your car over to a Walmart on the USA side and reload it...then go back to avoid your taxes and stuff. It took about 2 mins to fill the AC.
 
#10 ·
yeah tell me about it. i tried a 'diy conversion kit' and fucked up my system and ended up taking it to a very reputable indy to have the system inspected, repaired and filled with R12. it's cold as hell now but it cost me more than some guys spend on their 190s when they buy em... but my car is worth it.
 
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#15 ·
I don't know if there was much refrigerant left over in my system but it was never converted R134. I added one 6 OZ can of duracool (all i had left over from doing my other cars) and thats it. I did buy a R12 to R134 low side fitting so I could use my R134 hose. Duracool comes in a R134 style can. :thumbsup:
 
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