A Freon Conversion Isn’t Such a Hot Idea
Keeping cool inside your car this summer may be more difficult. The impact of the federal ban on production of Freon, an inert gas known as R-12 used in automobile air-conditioning systems, is into its second year and is being widely felt by motorists.
All new cars made since 1995 use a Freon replacement known as R-134A, which does not destroy the Earth’s ozone layer as R-12 was suspected of doing. If you have a car running on R-134A, chances are you have noticed that it is harder to keep cool. For one thing, the performance of R-134A is not always as efficient as R-12, particularly in slow traffic and in a car that’s been parked in the sun for hours.
Plus, when manufacturers switched to R-134A, some did not redesign air-conditioning components for the new refrigerant. Systems using it often need a larger condenser and more air flow under the hood. A Honda owner in Canoga Park recently sent me a typical letter about this problem, saying he can’t cool down his car over the course of his 20-minute commute.
Service garages often sell a $100 conversion that involves the refitting of seals and refilling with R-134A--without mentioning that it may reduce the output of cool air. In many cases, a new condenser and an additional cooling fan on the condenser also are needed, and that can cost $800 or more.
Meanwhile, the cost of R-12 is dropping from the peaks reached last summer, as a result of an unseasonably cool spring this year and increasing conversions that have reduced the demand for existing R-12 supplies. The price has dropped about 17% since last summer, says Frank Allison, executive director of the International Mobile Air Conditioning Assn.
So, if you have an R-12 system that needs only modest repairs, it may not be wise to convert just yet, Allison suggests. At the point you need to replace the compressor or condenser, then a conversion may be more effective.
In any case, Ward Atkinson, chairman of the air-conditioning standards committee for the Society of Automotive Engineers, says mechanics should heed the advice issued by auto makers in service bulletins on every model car. And before you lay out any money, Atkinson advises, call a manufacturer’s customer service department to find out whether a particular model can be converted and, if so, what is involved.
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Vartabedian cannot answer mail personally but will attempt to respond in this column to automotive questions of general interest. Do not telephone. Write to Your Wheels, 1875 I St. N.W., No. 1100, Washington, DC 20006 or e-mail to Ralph.Vartabedian@latimes.com.
