Tearing down car-what about AC unit

[srh3trinity]

I am about to start the tear down on my car. I haven't ever tried to start the stock engine as the plan was to replace the worn out Pontiac 350 from the get go. From what I can tell looking at the car, it has mostly new AC parts on it. I was hoping you guys could give me some guidance before I started pulling parts off of the AC system. Anything I need to be cautious about? Any way to capture the Freon in the system in a home garage? I plan on trying to get the engine running prior to tearing it down so I can document that it is a running engine in case I sell it down the road, I will try the AC out at that point too.

[kochevy67]

Document it and post it running on youtube. As far as capturing the freon in a garage without the proper ac tools I would say your out of luck. But please double check that before you relaease that into the atmosphere, certain people get their panties in a bunch about that, plus you may get fined if you get caught.

[srh3trinity]

Precisely the reason I asked. Trying to be a socially concious hot rodder. If it runs I could drive it down the street and see if the local mechanic shop can evacuate the system.

[formula350]

I would just find out what kind of Freon is in it first.
It's either going to be r-12(what it came with) or r134a

If its r-12 don't just let it out it is horrible for that atmosphere, it eats o zone faster than Michigan weather eats metal.
It's illegal to let either out without catching it but r134a is not bad for the environment like r12 is and that's why they use it now.
Most old cars with fixed ac have conversion kits for r12 to 134a because r12 can be really hard to get anymore and it actually works better.

Off the books, if its 134, its just as easy as letting air out of a tire , r12 take it to the shop

[Twentyover]

Section 609 of the Clean Air Act refers to mobile air conditioning systems. With regard to recovery & recycling, it refers to section 608 of the CAA, defining requirements for stationary systems.

From the federal register sometime in 2004,

"Final disposers of small appliances and motor vehicle air conditioners (MVACs) containing HFCs or PFCs" are prevented from venting. You might argue that "I'm just an average Joe, not a final disposer. I get no compensation for this work, and other sources of HFC134a are permitted to vent." It true, they are. Welcome to Federal regulations.
i
Without supporting or eroding the following positions, the government maintains the following; Italicized comments are mine:

R12 is a significant factor in the destruction of stratospheric ozone,and it's manufacture was halted in most 1st world countries by 1995.
All current R12 is either recycled, stockpiled, or bootlegged into the US from our favorite 3rd world countries (if it's really R12, and I'll be willing to bet it's not.) Demand for R12 has dropped significantly in mobile systems since peaking about 2003, as older cars are cycled out of service (reduced demand) and EPA required scrapyards start R12 recovery programs (improved supply)

R134a is a greenhouse gas with a global warming potential of approximately 1340.
Carbon dioxide has a Global Warming Potential of 1. For many years in the early 2000's, it looked like high pressure (like 10x the pressure of current A/C systems) binary Co2 systems would replace R134a, but it now appears that HFO1234yf (which I understand rolled out on the US on the 2013 Caddy XTS) is the replacement of choice, with a GWP of just 4. Hold onto your wallet- Its $70 lb. 1234yf utilizes most of existing technology, and while I haven't seen performance overlays, I've been told it is very similiar to 134a. also understand there is not planned retrofit, and 134a production will be slowly phased down.




OK, unless the car is about 1994 or later; or was retrofitted w/ 134a in the last 15years, it will be R12. You an tell- the service fittings for R12 have external threads to hold the cap on, R134a have internal threads. EPA mandated that R12 service fittings be irreperably damaged so as to be unusable by installing the 134a fittings when retrofitting 134a to prevent cross-contamination of the refrigerant supply.

[MrQuick]

most mobile ac guys will do it for free if they get to keep the freon, you should have no problem if it is r12. Check your local yellow pages.