I finished retrofitting my '88 505 Turbo today. It has been very hot and humid
here in the Raleigh, NC area for the last couple days, a thermometer on a
bank's clock read 100 degrees yesterday. After retrofitting I got the inside
temp of the car to 65 degrees F (relay clicked and engine bogged down when
climate control was set to 65). The air blowing on my wrist while driving made
the thermometer on my watch read 48 degrees. In this email I'm going to
discuss the details of retrofitting my 505. I'm not sure how long the repair
will last on my AC system and I take no responsibility for any
injuries/problems that may occur while retrofitting an AC system.
Please, if I have made any mistakes or if anyone can add information, please
do.
What to buy:
R134a retrokit (one that includes the port adapters, hoses, coolant and oil
that is compatible with R12 oil)
Step one - VERY IMPORTANT!!!
Without the electric fan(s) working, the pressure in the AC system, in theory,
goes to infinity. In reality, the weakest link relieves the pressure through
breaking. A condensor exploding can really ruin your day, your car, the car in
front of you, a person crossing the street in front of you...you get the idea.
With the ignition off try turning the "inside" of the pulley on the front of
the AC compressor, it should turn freely - if not, post something and ask for
help. After that, turn your ignition on - engine off - and make sure the "ECO"
switch is up on your climate control. The electric fan(s) should be on. Now
try to move the same part you turned. It should not move. If everything works
as it should, finish this step and skip to step three. If not, finish this
step and go to step two.
Have your old R12 refrigerant reclaimed by a garage, yes it will cost money -
if that's what would cause you to let it escape into the air allow me to
inform you that you can be fined up to $50,000 for that. Whoever turns you in
gets to keep half. Please, act responsibly and pay someone to dispose of your
R12 properly.
Safety tip:
Have a friend around while you do this, one good breath of 134a will knock you
out. If you're somewhere where you don't get away from it, you could die. A
friend could save your life.
End Part 1/3