Bought an 1986 Nissan D21 with 3.0L V6 a while back. It was parked in an outbuilding for near a decade from when the owner passed. Had 80k miles when purchased. I have been working my way through maintenence and repair issues and have a well running vehicle now. Wife wanted something to haul limbs/grass/nursery supplies and it does well for that task. She discovered the AC wasn't functioning and directed me to correct the problem. I checked the system and had some refrigerant pressure but not enough. I could not find any R12 but did find some Canadian replacement with UV dye. Two six ounce cans were $45 and I modified the ports on the truck for my line set and added most of both cans to get to 40psi cycling to 22psi on the low side. The condensor inlet tenperature was 87F and the duct outlet temperature ran from 40F to 49F depending speed and environmental factors. I was told later that the refrigerant is Butane on this retrofit gas. Is this true? Seems to work but also seems like a helluva price markup too. Any thoughts?
Automotive A.C. experts?
- Thread starter sloinker
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Butane or propane, something flammable. Lol.
There is a reason it's banned here in the U.S. Get into a minor accident that ruptures the condenser and you could go up in a ball of fire.
Only in some states.
It seems to me that there’s another more flammable substance in automobiles. Something hauled around in gallons not ounces and pressurized in the engine compartment and under the vehicle. What could that be????
Ever see antifreeze burn? Takes a lot of heat to get it going but it’s really hard to put that fire out! Ask anyone who had a Dodge Neon burn up from the head gasket leaking onto the exhaust manifold.
Vehicles are dangerous. I’d say the reason using propane as refrigerant is not accepted in the US is more closely related to politic than safety.
It’s a hydrocarbon based refrigerant so most likely propane. I’ve got the same stuff in my 78 F250’s AC system. It’s more environmentally friendly than R134a or R12. It also cools better. Farmers have been topping off AC systems in cab tractors with propane ever since I’ve been old enough to remember.
It is more flammable though. If that bothers you, you’ll need to figure out what you want to do to evacuate it as a shop can severely damage their equipment/contaminate the refrigerant they have by mixing refrigerants when evacuating.
It is more flammable though. If that bothers you, you’ll need to figure out what you want to do to evacuate it as a shop can severely damage their equipment/contaminate the refrigerant they have by mixing refrigerants when evacuating.
Owen Lucas
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The newest refrigerant, 1234yf is "mildly" flammable. I guess it was allowed for, uh, environmental reasons.
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I wouldn't mind using it if there was no alternative, but I doubt any licensed shop would and risk the liability. As for comparing it to gasoline? That's liquid, while propane is a gas and ignites much easier. All those TV shows with cars exploding from gas tank ruptures are staged.
I didn't want to retrofit the whole system as it was holding some pressure in its native gas, R12. Since it is hard to find and expensive, requiring license....R12 wasn't an option. Just surprised I suppose that the fully compatible gas is butane/propane. So far after a month or so the gas pressure is holding and the AC is functioning well. Not too worried about the explosive factor as the old lady has lived a good life. lol
Without seeing the specs there's no way of knowing what's in that can. Ida just put r134a in it to see how well that works.
My Trooper has a homebrew mix of propane/isobutane
You cannot mix PAG and mineral oil.
R-134a will not carry mineral oil but will carry PAG and POE.
HC refrigerants will carry mineral, PAG, and POE.
POE can be mixed with either PAG or mineral.
As I understand it.
I used it for a similar reason. My truck had been filled with Freeze12. Which is a mix in itself. Supposedly it’s an R134a butane blend made to replace R12 but needs Pag oil not mineral like r12.
This is what I’ve always been taught as well and is the reason why a full R134a conversion is more than just some new fittings and filling the system.
Its in every newer car for many years now! And appropriately named R-1234YF. Even new refrigerators and freezers are packed with flammable refrigerant now. We can not buy R134A in the state of washington, but the nice expensive 1234YF is plentiful.
A lot of commerical reefer units use R-290 (propane) or R-600 (butane)
Flammability is not new or even necessarily dangerous.
I've never seen anybody drive a refrigerator on the road such that it could get in an accident. And 1234 has a fraction of the flammable gas that those others have.
You probably shouldn’t use anything flammable. The sparks from your wheel on pavement after one of your sidewall plugs lets loose would be a good ignition source. Best for you to just play it safe
Yeah, but r1234 produces nice and extremely toxic fumes when it burns. But I get it, it’s all for our own good. We’re just too stupid/ignorant to see it.