When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Guys whats the deal on these products like Enviro Safe or Frosty Cool to the recharge the A/C system in my 63 Starfire? Or should locate some R12 and be done with it. Thanks.
There are you tube videos where people substitute compressed air used as a duster difluoroethane R152. It is a refrigerant. Search for it and see judge for yourself on the usage.
Last edited by drop top olds; May 2, 2022 at 03:55 PM.
I'm going to buy 5 cans of R-12, it's out there. I was looking at alternatives just in case I could not locate any R12. Thanks guys. Once I get the A/C system charged i'm going to list this 36K mile Starfire for sale in Hemming's.
To be explicit, those "R12 replacements" are some wacky combination of gasses and almost always include something exciting, like propane or butane. Sure, they have some properties similar to refrigerants, but whoa.
I had had good luck in the past with Freeze 12, but I don't think it is made any longer. I just checked a can, ingredients are a trade secret, go figure.
Last edited by tru-blue 442; May 3, 2022 at 08:15 AM.
To be explicit, those "R12 replacements" are some wacky combination of gasses and almost always include something exciting, like propane or butane. Sure, they have some properties similar to refrigerants, but whoa.
Who would dream of putting flammable substances in a car? 😀
Never mind the 20 gallons of gasoline behind the rear seat. Hot oil, hot ATF, hot power steering fluid, all kinds of flammable plastics, foams, grease... A few ounces of propane is not something that is going to fundamentally alter the dangers of driving a car.
I have heard good things about a product named Duracool (mostly propane), which is supposed to work really well in old R12 cars. Same with R152A (keyboard duster spray). Lots of videos on both on youtube.
R12 is relatively cheap these days, but I do try to find alternatives that will be available long term.
I had had good luck in the past with Freeze 12, but I don't think it is made any longer. I just checked a can, ingredients are a trade secret, go figure.
1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane (70% - 90% by weight)
1-Chloro 1,1-Difluoroethane (10% - 25% by weight)
One of my co-workers used an R-12 substitute in his vehicle. He said it worked well, with one issue. The R-12 substitute is a mixture of different gases with different size molecules, and the smaller molecules escape over time, so the system has to be recharged at some point. This entails evacuating the system completely and recharging it with the correct weight of refrigerant. Can't just add a half or full can of refrigerant like with R-12 or R-134A since the gas mixture would be incorrect; it must be fully charged from zero. Kinda makes it a pain, but he said it cooled well.
Norm did you spell that without looking it up. Tell the truth.
Glenn - Yes, R2 I've known for years. I knew how to spell dichlorodiflouromethane. Part of basic organic chemistry is knowing the basic alkanes - methane, ethane, propane, butane, pentane, hexane, heptane, octane, nonane & decane - they're rudimentary. Dichlorodiflouromethane simply means a base alkane (methane) with 2 chlorine & 2 flourine atoms (attached to methane). You then move onto the ethenes, etc. etc. You then move onto the functional groups i.e. OH- (alcohol), or H-C=CH2 (vinyl, actually ethenyl). Ethenyl is made easy to understand since the base molecule is an ethene with an attached vinyl functional group. So, when someone presents the term PVC, it's quite easy to understand, Poly having many vinyl chloride groups attached to a base ethylene molecule. Sounds complicated, but once you know the basic backbones it's rather simple.
Makes no sense to substitute anything for R-12. The systems were designed for it and it's still around. Most systems take appox. 4 #'s and if you can't afford R-12,go bowling after midnight,it's cheaper.
and while I don’t have the advanced degree in organic chemistry like Vintage…..
I do have some experience with refrigeration systems
R-409 Ive used in auto application with no problems. R-417C is a drop in replacement, compatible with all R-13 (but auto) applications, and plays well with all types of oil.So options are out there
Brett
When I was still working in the shop we had to buy a tester, Once R-12 was eliminated and here in AZ ( you had to be ASE certified or MAC certified with a reclaimers card to charge with or purchase R-134) the 30 lb canisters started getting scarce and very expensive and it didn't take long for the black market to respond even some of our reputable suppliers were getting duped the bad guys were filling the canisters with butane, propane and who knows what, we tested every canister we bought, I had a 30 lb can that I guarded like it was gold but I finally used the last of it to charge my 1990 Jeep Cherokee before I sold it. P/S it took a while for the manufactures to catch up and get it right but todays systems will put icicles on your boys !!
