Originally Posted by big911fan (Post 7498735)

I'm trying to keep two issues separate in my mind. One is "What causes refrigerant leakage?" and the second is that of A/C efficiency.

My system holds R134a maybe 6 months. I replaced the compressor to evaporator hose with a barrier hose last season. It was hard to find but A/C techs found a small leak at the compressor low side hose fitting and replaced the hose (Kuell).

When newly charged my system will give me 39 to 42 Deg. vent temps on an 80 deg. day here in N. California. I specify CA because the humidity is very low.

The problem is it won't maintain a good cabin temp because of all the solar gain through the glass.

My guess is that you don't need a "good" cabin temp as much as you need to somehow alleviate much of the radient,solar, HEAT gain. Surrounding air temperature can only partially balance the human comfort equation with radient effects being a major component.

I would having a shop install a highly reflective side and rear window tint in the darkest shade allowed.

I could be happy though just keeping the R134a in the system for a year or two.

The problem I have with this debate is that my '87 Cab with original A/C and R12 never held a charge very long either. Longer than my R134A retrofitted '89 Coupe however. If replacing only the hoses will keep the refrigerant filled I'd do that in a heartbeat.

Originally Posted by big911fan (Post 7499236)

OK. It's time for me to get off the fence and offer my opinion too.

I doubt very much it has anything to do with over-pressurization.

Why? Because my system continues to lose pressure over the winter. I don't drive my car in the winter so the A/C is never turned on.

How can over-pressurization be a factor in refrigerant loss then?

It can be hoses though.

Is there a flaw in my logic?

Originally Posted by Ronnie's.930 (Post 7497366)

Why in the world should he be banned - because you don't like what he types? If his stuff pisses you off so much then perhaps you shouldn't read any of it (or maybe work on growing a pair)! :p

Originally Posted by SilberUrS6 (Post 7497455)

It's simple enough to add him to the ignore list. Reading his drivel second-hand is bad enough, believe me.

Originally Posted by Mr Project (Post 7499262)

You're right, I just have a hard time leaving it alone now, for fear that others will see no one calling him out and assume he's right.

Originally Posted by big911fan (Post 7499236)

OK. It's time for me to get off the fence and offer my opinion too.

I doubt very much it has anything to do with over-pressurization.

Why? Because my system continues to lose pressure over the winter. I don't drive my car in the winter so the A/C is never turned on.

How can over-pressurization be a factor in refrigerant loss then?

It can be hoses though.

Is there a flaw in my logic?

Originally Posted by big911fan (Post 7499236)

OK. It's time for me to get off the fence and offer my opinion too.

I doubt very much it has anything to do with over-pressurization.

Why? Because my system continues to lose pressure over the winter. I don't drive my car in the winter so the A/C is never turned on.

Duplicate of my experience, car got parked late fall, not driven again until spring. But how soon do you notice an A/C short-fall? For me it was only as the days, drives, got warmer and warmer. The A/C would seem to be more than adequate early on, but once real HEAT arrived, August say, it clearly was not operating as it did last August.

How can over-pressurization be a factor in refrigerant loss then?

yes, a bit of a puzzle, for me also. But what is a reasonable, logical, alternative explanation for the FACT that this leakage does not occur in the millions of vehicles using this same hose. Kuehl spouts, as a rebuttal, that we are the only ones wih 9 feet of hose. Even were that true (it isn't) wouldn't there be SOME indication that other cars are exhibiting this failure. After all, don't those "other" cars out number "us" by at least a million to one?

Where IS the BEEF..?

It can be hoses though.

Is there a flaw in my logic?

Originally Posted by Mr Project (Post 7499262)

I think somewhere, under the attitude, you're making the free speech argument that he should not be quieted. In principle it's a compelling argument. In practice, on a discussion forum, it's nearly impossible to have an actual intelligent discussion with someone who endlessly makes irrational arguments about 800 psi system pressures with no evidence. It would be one thing to state a position and then let it lie, but there can be virtually no reasonable discussion of anything A/C related on this board any longer.

Either way, it's not my decision and so my opinion is irrelevant. So I'll stop.



You're right, I just have a hard time leaving it alone now, for fear that others will see no one calling him out and assume he's right.