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AC Recharge and finally working ac.

Started by Engineerd3d, 21 May 2021, 09:37 AM

Engineerd3d

My 300sd with original R12 was low on gas and I was contemplating converting to r134a, after seeing what is involved with doing it properly, new compressor, new condenser, rewire, new tubing. R134 is more leak prone. I decided to kick that can down the road.

With that said i cycled the compressor, and while it is noisy. Its high side was showing a temperature difference. So i figured it was holding some gas. I wanted to charge it. And found some R12 stop leak on eBay, it's labeled as stop leak, but it must include either R12 or R12 like gas in the cans.

I do not have any affiliation with the seller, nor do I make anything from this. But the 3 can package from this seller included a filling tube. I hope it helps someone else here. I am very happy to have working ac on my 300sd.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/R12-R-12-Stop-Leak-Envirosafe-Proseal-Refrigerant-Stopleak-3-cans-hose-/283656884814?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286

raueda1

Let us know how it works. You should probably top off with compressor oil as well.  Hard to know exactly how much though unless you evacuate the system and start from scratch.  I did a similar R12 recharge about a year ago.  AC still blowing ice cold after thousands of miles regardless of outside heat.  Good luck!
-Dave
Now:  1976 6.9 Euro, 2015 GL550
Before that:  1966 230S, 1964 220SE coupe, 1977 Carrera 3.0

raueda1

Let us know how it works. You should probably top off with compressor oil as well.  Hard to know exactly how much though unless you evacuate the system and start from scratch.  I did a similar R12 recharge about a year ago.  AC still blowing ice cold after thousands of miles regardless of outside heat.  Good luck!
-Dave
Now:  1976 6.9 Euro, 2015 GL550
Before that:  1966 230S, 1964 220SE coupe, 1977 Carrera 3.0

ptashek

Quote from: Engineerd3d on 21 May 2021, 09:37 AMit must include either R12 or R12 like gas in the cans

Highly unlikely. R12 is not flammable, and this can has a flammability warning.

Manufacturer's shop: https://www.es-refrigerants.com/products/w/id/728/t/proseal-for-small-ac-systems-wr1222-hose-kit-9825/details.asp
Here's the MSDS for it: https://www.es-refrigerants.com/docs/30242_37.pdf

1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

rumb

EnviroSafe is LPG.  I just bought a 35# tank and all the hoses/guages to charge my cars.  I still need to look up exactly how to do it though. 
'68 250S
'77 6.9 Euro
'91 300SE,
'98 SL500
'14 CLS550,
'16 AMG GTS
'21 E450 Cabrio

ptashek

Quote from: rumb on 21 May 2021, 04:53 PM
EnviroSafe is LPG.  I just bought a 35# tank and all the hoses/guages to charge my cars.  I still need to look up exactly how to do it though.

To be honest, the re-gas part is best done by pros with special equipment. The risk of overfilling (either PAG or refrigerant) is quite high.

Prep can be done DIY if the system is empty. Hookup your gauges to the high and low ports, and pull vacuum for a couple hours to boil out any residual moisture. Close gauges, see if the vacuum holds, then re-gas. I've done this on my W124, but the actual re-gas was made by a machine that injected all the right things (PAG, refrigerant, leak detector dye) in the right quantities and sequence based on Daimler issued data. Still blowing cold almost 3 years later.
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

Engineerd3d

The lpg part makes sense. For me it was a long shot and it worked so far. Now I'm tracking vacuum leaks in the control system. But the ac part is working fine.

For the evacuation and refill, yes I have done this before. The system was holding some pressure, so this told me it probably does not contain air. So i went ahead and filled it.

As for specialized equipment. Yes and no, i filled 1 can at a time while the system was running. The first can brought the temps down a small amount, the second can did 90% and the third can was only partially emptied in the system as i could see no temp benefits from adding any more. Using a small temp probe showed no more benefits to filling any more. So realistically it was 2.5cans to get me operational.

I will update the thread if anything changes. But for now it's ice cold.

Engineerd3d

Well I figured I would update at the end of the hot season. The AC is cold and working properly. Probably will have to refill next year. These older systems are known for leaking.

daantjie

How cold would you say are you seeing at the vents?  I must concur with the sentiments here in general that the 116 AC is shall we say less than stellar ::)  On my 6.9 I have never been able to get it frosty at the vents.  Always kind of "meh" to be honest.  We saw crazy temps here this summer of 45C which was a record for us here, so I did not even dream of taking the ol' girl out in that heat :o
Daniel
1977 450 SEL 6.9 - Astralsilber

raueda1

Quote from: daantjie on 07 October 2021, 02:26 PM
How cold would you say are you seeing at the vents?  I must concur with the sentiments here in general that the 116 AC is shall we say less than stellar ::)  On my 6.9 I have never been able to get it frosty at the vents.  Always kind of "meh" to be honest.  We saw crazy temps here this summer of 45C which was a record for us here, so I did not even dream of taking the ol' girl out in that heat :o
Hmmmm.  An interesting point causing me to think that something isn't quite right.

My AC was fine before the infamous bent rod rebuild.  I recharged the system thereafter with R-12 and oil thereafter.  That was  1 year and 10000 miles ago.  The system absolutely blows cold, enough so to be very comfortable when it's 100F outside in blazing sun.  It doesn't get frosty at the vents, but cold enough for the vents to get all covered with condensation in high humidity areas (as I recently discovered going from the high deserts of the west to the swampy jungles of the east).  My traveling companion, who is quite fussy about such things and quick to complain, fully agrees. 

I suspect that the compressor was replaced somewhere along the way and I replaced the drier after the rebuild.  Anyway, this all suggests that in the real world there's some variability in how the system performs, BUT - the system is potentially capable of working very well indeed.  Maybe I've just been lucky with it.
-Dave
Now:  1976 6.9 Euro, 2015 GL550
Before that:  1966 230S, 1964 220SE coupe, 1977 Carrera 3.0

Engineerd3d

Once charged it has given me fridgit service through the summer. How cold at the vents, feels arctic is the only thing I can say. I never needed more than medium heat. The compressor is a noisy one though.

daantjie

#11
I guess my system is just bagged out then, oh well, for the most part you can chill beer outside here for most of the year, so I am not too frazzled about it 8)
Just to add as well that I have the ACC system and I'm pretty sure the hot water shut off for max cool is not working properly as I still have the original servo.  The servo works otherwise I just think the valve is tired so there is a constant bleed of hot water into the heater core.
Daniel
1977 450 SEL 6.9 - Astralsilber

raueda1

Quote from: daantjie on 09 October 2021, 06:01 PM
I guess my system is just bagged out then, oh well, for the most part you can chill beer outside here for most of the year, so I am not too frazzled about it 8)
Just to add as well that I have the ACC system and I'm pretty sure the hot water shut off for max cool is not working properly as I still have the original servo.  The servo works otherwise I just think the valve is tired so there is a constant bleed of hot water into the heater core.
Early on I had constant hot air coming out one of the vents regardless of AC.  It turned out to be the heater servo valve.  Replacing it fixed everything.  It was easily available and cheap.
-Dave
Now:  1976 6.9 Euro, 2015 GL550
Before that:  1966 230S, 1964 220SE coupe, 1977 Carrera 3.0

daantjie

Quote from: raueda1 on 10 October 2021, 01:20 PM
Quote from: daantjie on 09 October 2021, 06:01 PM
I guess my system is just bagged out then, oh well, for the most part you can chill beer outside here for most of the year, so I am not too frazzled about it 8)
Just to add as well that I have the ACC system and I'm pretty sure the hot water shut off for max cool is not working properly as I still have the original servo.  The servo works otherwise I just think the valve is tired so there is a constant bleed of hot water into the heater core.
Early on I had constant hot air coming out one of the vents regardless of AC.  It turned out to be the heater servo valve.  Replacing it fixed everything.  It was easily available and cheap.

Dave do you have manual (euro) ac or the dreaded Chrysler ACC system?
Daniel
1977 450 SEL 6.9 - Astralsilber

raueda1

Quote from: daantjie on 10 October 2021, 03:03 PM
Quote from: raueda1 on 10 October 2021, 01:20 PM
Quote from: daantjie on 09 October 2021, 06:01 PM
I guess my system is just bagged out then, oh well, for the most part you can chill beer outside here for most of the year, so I am not too frazzled about it 8)
Just to add as well that I have the ACC system and I'm pretty sure the hot water shut off for max cool is not working properly as I still have the original servo.  The servo works otherwise I just think the valve is tired so there is a constant bleed of hot water into the heater core.
Early on I had constant hot air coming out one of the vents regardless of AC.  It turned out to be the heater servo valve.  Replacing it fixed everything.  It was easily available and cheap.

Dave do you have manual (euro) ac or the dreaded Chrysler ACC system?
Uh oh.  I have manual Euro system
-Dave
Now:  1976 6.9 Euro, 2015 GL550
Before that:  1966 230S, 1964 220SE coupe, 1977 Carrera 3.0