Reply to "Heater settings for air con"

You have three sliding levers. Top is 'floor---def', middle is 'car---def', bottom is 'off---hot' The 2-speed fan can force air out to three locations - under dash, dash vents, defroster vents. With the top lever in 'floor' forced air WILL exit from the side of the heater/AC box (under the dash) AND will exit through the dash and/or defroster vents. With the top lever in 'def', forced air can only exit from the dash and defroster vents. Now the middle lever determines how the forced air is divided between the dash and defroster and it allows you to send air to just dash (car), just defroster (def), or a mix of the two. For AC, you may find the under dash vent to be a worthless distribution of cool air (unless you like cool legs more than a cool body), so take the top lever and move it to 'def'. Now you can decide how to divide that cool air--- send it all to the dash vents, all to the defroster vents, or split it between the two with the middle lever slid somewhere in the middle range. Bottom lever is a variable flow control for your hot water flow to the heater coil, and the rotary AC knob is a temp control for the AC thermocouple. Clear as mud now? And yes the shut off valves (usually just 1/4 turn ball valves from the hardware store with appropriate nipple adapters and hose clamps) get mounted in the engine bay. Pick a spot up high to reach from above, or down low where you can reach under the car and get to them (my choice).

R12 Freon will do a better job cooling that 134 and is still available - though not all garages have kept their R12 machines. You can have a good shop use a dye and check for leaks. You can also go online and take the test to become a licensed AC tech (cost about $20) and then (legally) buy R12 off eBay for about $20 a pound. Have fun.

Larry