> List, can anyone help me out with the process for converting
> a '71 A/C unit
> to use R134a or is there an exemption for running vintage
> cars with R12. If
> so can anyone tell me how to locate R12?
If you're going to convert, you need to take into account what others
have said. In addition, you'll want to replace the o-rings in all the
fittings, as they'll be incompatible. If the compressor is being
replaced anyway, you should also replace the receiver/drier and the
expansion valve. Many AC warranties will be voided if these components
are not all replaced at the same time.
The little conversion kits sold at parts stores and Wal-Mart will let
you convert, but probably won't give good results. Of course, the
people who make the kits don't care, since if you leak refrigerant
you'll be buying more from them all the time.
As for R12, there isn't any kind of exemption. It's perfectly legal to
use, it's just that you now have to be EPA certified to do so, and it's
illegal to vent it to the atmosphere.
As has been pointed out, it's pretty easy to find R12 on eBay, and it's
not all that expensive. The listings there typically say they'll only
sell to a certificate holder. Whether or not they actually check, I
don't know. I know of a salvage yard I once went to in the Tulsa area
that would sell people R12 all day without checking. That said, you can
take a certification test online and get yourself a certificate.
Most good AC shops give the advice that as long as R12 is available and
relatively inexpensive, you're better off not converting an existing
system.
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