Reply to "Air conditioning"

Chris,

that'll be something to discuss with Jerry next Saturday.

All of the elastomer (rubber) in your a/c system is not compatible with R134A, so as Jeff mentioned, you'll need to replace hoses, o-rings, etc. That's why R134A requires a different compressor too, the seals, gaskets etc are made of different materials for the R12 compressor and the R134A compressor. The lubricant is not compatible either, so it must be flushed out and replaced with compatible lubricant. Finally, there's the expansion valve. The R134A will require replacement of the expansion valve to do the job properly.

The drier should be replaced whenever the compressor is replaced, and any 30 year old car needs a new drier.

The condenser is the weak link in the Pantera a/c system, it is small and the associated fan is rather anemic. I would suggest relocating the a/c condenser to the front of the vehicle. Regardless of where the condenser is mounted I also recommend replacement with a larger condenser & more powerful fan assembly. Bill (aka lastpushbutton)has installed the condenser & fan assembly from a different vehicle that fits well & works better, you can contact him for details.

There are several very good cars for sale at PI Motorsports right now, and there are some good ones listed on the Pantera International web site as well. Its a good time to buy if you like yellow! Mike Mayberry at Mayberry Lincoln Mercury in North Hollywood also has an excellent Pantera in his showroon at this time. Mike has my highest recommendation.

best of luck hunting,

George