Used the AC for the first time this year just to see how it worked. The outside temperature here today was 80, but it felt like the car just wasn't cooling down too well. In used a thermometer to test how cold my air was coming out of the vents, and it was at 49 degrees after 20 minutes of driving. I thought this was too warm, so I tested both of my parent'* vehicles (2001 Silverado, 2000 SSEi) and both of them had air vent temperatures of 35 degrees after only 5 minutes of driving. I'm assuming I'm in need of a recharge? If so, can I just buy one of the 'recharge' kits that they sell at say, autozone? If so, that'd only be around a $30 job. Do you have to have the system "evacuated" professionaly like the R12 systems? Thanks for the help! it'd be nice to have nice and cold AC for the hot summer!

Good question - I would like to know this as well. I have my 92 SSE that needs recharging (blows hot air), as well as my 97 (works but not freezing). I am not sure which takes R12 or R134.

Maybe the Mods can answer this one?

the 92 takes R12, the 1997 is R134

So can you buy R12 and R134 from Autozone and places like that?

Is it as easy as hooking it up to a canister or do you have to have special tools and monitor stuff and add oil....

http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...pic.php?t=8054

R-12 cannot be purchased unless you are licensed. If you don't know A/C systems well, my recommendation is to take to an experienced A/C shop. Often you can do more damage than good.

thanks

Turned my A/C on this afternoon and it was blowing some pretty cold air and I don't even have the R134 conversion.

My dad converted my R12 to R134a and it didn't cost very much and it works like a charm. Up to 1993 is R12 but you can convert it.

As a general rule, R-134a in R-12 systems does not blow as cold as R-12, but with a good retrofit you should not be able to tell the difference. Sometimes you need to do some additional modifications, such as putting in a new orifice tube.

That sounds painful.