From: Hachiroku ハチロク on
On Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:12:05 -0700, nm5k wrote:

> On Aug 11, 7:04 pm, Hachiroku ハチロク <anonym...(a)not-for-mail.invalid>
> wrote:
>> Took Mom's Camry to "work" today since it hadn't been run for a while. It
>> was warm so I was turning the air on, leaving it on for a while, and then
>> turning it off, leaving it off for a while, and then turning it on.
>> Everything was running good and the air was nice and cold. I was running
>> it with the windows open, since I really just wanted to circulate they
>> system and keep things lubricated. Whenever I drive this car I turn the
>> air on, even in the dead of winter, and leave it on for at least 15
>> minutes, just to keep things circulating.
>>
>> I had been running the air, turned it off and parked the car, then started
>> the car after ~45 minutes, ran it for a couple miles, and turned the air
>> on. Ran it for about 20 minutes, then turned it off and left it off.
>>
>> When I got home I put it in the garage and it was making a horrible noise
>> from under the hood! it sounded like a spun bearing(s) in the head, and I
>> thought a bearing had spun on the camshaft. I backed it out, and traced
>> the noise to the front of the car, to the alternator (WHEW! I HAVE one of
>> these alternators!) and then realized the AC compressor was below the
>> alternator. I turned the air back on...and the noise went away. I turned
>> it off and the galling sound started again. Back on, no sound.
>>
>> So, what I am thinking is that when the air is off, and the pulley is
>> supposed to be 'freewheeling' that the bearings that allow it to freewheel
>> are shot. This is an '86, remember, with R-12 at $80 a pound. Soooo, other
>> than getting a non-AC equipped belt..... ?
>
> If you did have to break it open, I'd keep it R-12 rather than
> converting. You can buy R-12 a lot cheaper than $80 a pound.
> More like $20 a pound on flea bay..
> Sure, that is more than what 134a would be, but the air conditioner
> will be much happier. Run lower head pressures, and cool better.
> If you convert a R-12 system to R-134a, then you have a undersized
> condenser coil, which jacks the head pressure up..
> Which then often leads most to slightly undercharge to keep the
> pressure under control. Which leads to inferior performance. :(
> My last Honda Accord had a R-12 system. I wouldn't have
> converted it to 134a for anything.
>
> But I would do everything I could to avoid breaking the system open.
> I have R-12 running out my kazoo, but I'm a bit too far away I'm
> afraid. :(
> I have a full 30 pound jug of it.. And the guy I work with has another
> full jug.. We'll probably be sitting on it forever.. I could sell it
> I suppose,
> but knowing my luck I'd dump it, and then need some two weeks later.
> I only spent $85 for that 30 pounds, so I would likely make a bit if
> I sold it.. But it's been opened, and I can't sell it as "unopened
> virgin"
> refrigerant. So that might drop the price a bit.. :/ I think I'll
> just sit on it.
> I know I'll need it again some day..


I could have bought 30 lbs for $80 too, a few years ago. With all the R 12
cars I have I'm severely booting myself.