Hi! All,
The A.C. on my 1991 240SE finally quit after almost 20 year of service. It does not get cold any more. I believe it is time to change to the new refrigerant system. I know this may be an old subject. But could people shed some light on th e following questions.

Are there documents on how to do it?
Are there kits specifically made for 240s?
What is the cost?
Special equipment?

It gets pretty hot in Hawaii and I like to do it myself.

Thank you!

Vin

http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/volvo/1088200/220/240/260/280/cost_convert_air_condition.html

A few years ago I did the conversion on my 1992 240 wagon. See link above. I ordered the volvo converstion kit from FCPGroton, changed all the o-rings and installed appropriate orifice and receiver/dryer. I then had a local shop evacuate the system a couple of times and add the 134A. Still works great. I also looked up a Chris Herbst post about rewiring the fan in front of the radiator so that it runs anytime the air conditioning switch is turned on.

Total cost about $200 with about 3.5 hours of work on my end.

Best wishes.

13

I had mine changed over to R-134A several years ago (somewhere in the 90's) and the changeover really did not satisfy me until I added a pusher fan in front of the condensor. Then the new system really began to work well. Mine feeds from the compressor clutch feed wire, and when the compressor is engaged, the fan runs.

Look into a product called Freeze 12. It is a drop in refrigerant. You just have to vacuum and boil off the old CFC 12 completely out.

I have seen it mentioned quite a bit on the Brick Board. Research it some.

The operating pressures are really close to the good stuff R12. They claim it moves more heat per pound than the R134 used in the conversions but still less than CFC R12. No oil changing under most circumstances.

I have retired from the trade but have heard of this for some time before I retired. The word is slowly getting out despite the DuPont’s. Heck, they may be in to this by now!

They just had to remove the chlorine atom from one of the gases that lifted it. We don't want to talk about swimming pools and water treatment gases world wide. How the electronics industry used it to clean parts. Spray cans and blown Styrofoam packaging. All added more wrong, than the refrigeration trade ever thought about. Except for cars, most all are tightly sealed units.

The stuff is more expensive than it needs to be. Less cost more! That the game and how it is played. Can you tell? I'm still HOT!

Conversion parts may get real cheap, if this is the real deal.


Phil

http://volvo2.homestead.com/files/134a_convert.zip

basically on a 91-92 240, the r134a retrofit (as volvo instructed) involves four changes: replacing the orifice tube, replacing the dryer, replacing the low side tubing (from evaporator to dryer, the one with the refrigerant fill port), and add ester oil. then of course you have to charge the system with r134.

there are volvo conversion kits available for about 200 bucks, it includes everything mentioned above and some extra o-rings, caps and labels. the dryer cost about 30 by itself, orifice tube maybe 5 bucks.

the piece of low side tubing is the expensive bit, somewhere about 150 by itself. but with some cutting and welding you can make your own. this kit tube is basically a '93 version of the low side tube with a different dryer-side nut ('93 version won't fit '91-'92 dryers). so you can either cut and weld to move the '91-'92 nut over to a '93 tube, or you can cut and weld an r134a low side schrader valve to a '91-'92 tube.