R-134a datapoint

[padgett]

Over the winter I had the compressor fail and took it to the same shop I have been using for over a decade. Are not cheap but do good work.<P>Had a new (not rebuilt - not that much more expensive) compressor and dryer installed, the system flushed, evacuated, and refilled with R-134a.<P>Today was the first real test though. Hit 94F officially today and we went to see the Turtles at Disney for the afternoon show. At 6 pm got back to the car.<P>Now I use a reflective screen on the dash and leave the sunroof open to the first stop (real reason to have one IMNSHO)when parked. Still was rather warm since in direct sun (Floridians always seek shade but no choice at Dizzyworld).<P>Set the a/c on MAX COOL (first time I have set there) and AUTO. On leaving the outside temp on the parking lot was reading 104F, later dropped to 98F on I-4.<P>By the time we reached the end of the parking lot it was blowing cold on HIGH. Leaving the Disney property, the car was cooled off, and before we got home it was getting chilly.<P>Engine temp was 183-186F until we got off the Interstate twenty minutes later (need to blow that PROM lowering the fan turnon points and raising the turn off speed temp would creep up when below 45 mph, peaked at 194F - probably partly fault of bra).<P>So it does work well, at least as good as the R-12 before, same as wife's Bonneville did after it was converted some years ago.<P>Now I am optomising things (air flow through radiator, low engine temperature) but it really can work if done properly.<P>Note: I have always considered a cooling system to be good enough if it could hold the coolant temperature at 100F over ambient. Further the 3800s I have had (Reatta is our third) have always seemed to be cool running engines if everything is kept right. With good airflow (e.g. on highway) they seem to be able to hold to only 90F above the air temperature. <P>To me this is great (and have pulled the grade at Monteagle without breaking 200F in a 4500 lb trailer behind a 4500 lb 400 Pontiac powered <a href="http://www2.gdi.net/~padgett/rig3.jpg">station wagon</a> so have some experince in how to keep an engine running cool).<P>To to those of little faith, yes, R-134a can work very well and yes, you can keep a Reatta running cool. Just a matter of airflow.

[Roadster90]

Great / encouraging input - plan on converting my coupe in about a week.......

[Guest EDBS0]

Rub it in EH padgett made it all the way up to 64 here today. But that's fine. Spent the day draining and mucking out the pond. I suppose in a day or two the stiffness will go away and I'll be able to stand up straight.<P>Had the same experience with my conversion. Worked really well. Glad to hear you got the same result, Robert<P>PS can send you lots of cool air... ???

[Guest Greg Ross]

Ditto on the R-134a, had mine done last Spring complete with Evap. and Condenser, South Louisana this past two weeks has been it's first real test and it's working just great. I have no idea what the hitory is on the compressor, coming from the northern climate it's probably not seen a great deal of use. In the 4 and a 1/2 years I've had the car it had not been run more then a dozen times other than a trip to Fla. a couple of years ago.