a/conversion to 134A on Ford class C

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dave10

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Sep 8, 2019
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Has anyone converted from 12R to 134A on late 80's for class C, if so did you have to switch a lot of components or just the adapters
 
I presume we are talking the dashboard a/c and not the house roof unit.

It should be the same as the standard van chassis for that year. I'm guessing it's a Ford E350 van, right? There are kits available, plus "how too" info on blogs and Ford truck/van forums.
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=R134a+conversion+1988+ford+e350

YouTube videos too:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ford+van+r134a+conversion
 
Did a car once and all they did was the "Adapters" as I recall. to be honest you really should replace the hoses and dryer as well.  also 134A is not as efficient at cooling so expect a "Drop" in performance.. like 20 instead of 30 degrees delta.
 
I did my '89 Chevy G30-based Coachmen dash air last year.  I didn't change any components other than the adapter ports, but i had to crack open the compressor because the case seals were bad so I did all the compressor seals. It wasn't terribly difficult but there were a couple of challenges and I had to charge it first with dye to find the leak.  Based on my research, it's important to get the right A/C gauges, and a vacuum pump to evacuate all moisture out of the system prior to recharging it.  The 134 was relatively cheap at Walmart.  I was able to borrow all of the tools for the project at Oreilly's Auto Parts.  Once I was done it worked great considering it blew hot air otherwise.  It's still working well this year.
 
I have converted a number of cars... 10 or 15 or more. I actually got my EPA license for R12 and then decided it wasn't worth the hassle and just started converting. :)

As John mentioned, you should replace the receiver/dryer and replace all rubber hoses with R134a-rated barrier hose. You should also replace old rubber or HNBR O-rings with Viton O-rings. But, it's all should and probably not have to. If you skip the hoses and O-rings you will probably end up with slow leaks. If you skip the receiver you will probably end up with reduced performance. I would *at least* do the receiver.

The only thing you must do is replace the high and low side fittings with the correct R134a fittings, or use adapters.

Make sure you use the correct oil in the correct amount!

You might look around and see if a newer Ford with a similar engine has a newer model compressor you can bolt in. If so, you may end up with a better performing system that lasts longer. Maybe. Sometimes newer compressors are more efficient and/or cheaper. It's worth a look IMHO.

To properly convert the car, you need to vacuum out the system then refill oil and R134a. Since it's a conversion you will fill based on pressure and not weight, so you need a set of manifold gauges and a thermometer to measure ambient and vent temps. You can buy that stuff for $100-$150. Depending on your area, it may just be cheaper to have someone do the work than gear up for one effort.
 
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