[Domanik]

Hello all. I have a 1993 impala and my a/c is blowing warm air. I assume just needs the freon? Figure I would try that first. But no shops have the r12 refregriant it takes. Can I buy the r12 cans on ebay? Has anyone baught the cans online and if so how easy is it to use? Any advise would be greatly appreciated. God bless.

 

[Iron_SS]

Hate to be the 1st one to correct you but "1993 Impala" doesn't exist as well as r12 refrigerant as it's obsolete. You'll have to have you're HVAC fittings replaced with r34 fittings in order to charge your system. THAT BEING SAID I would recommend you have a professional mechanic service your system & test it being that refrigerant can be very hazardous. Please consider my advice. Good luck👍

 

[Domanik]

Hate to be the 1st one to correct you but "1993 Impala" doesn't exist as well as r12 refrigerant as it's obsolete. You'll have to have you're HVAC fittings replaced with r34 fittings in order to charge your system. THAT BEING SAID I would recommend you have a professional mechanic service your system & test it being that refrigerant can be very hazardous. Please consider my advice. Good luck👍

Thank you very much and yes sorry I own a caprice as they are pretty much the same thing I had high hopes you guys would lead me in a better direction thank you

 

[MWP]

Old stock cans of R12 are out there, but R12 is very expensive and you can't buy it without being EPA certified. I got my certification, but haven't used it in many years because at this point it doesn't make much sense. Even if you can get your hands on the R12, it is so darn expensive that it would be unwise to use it without going through the whole system first to see what is wrong.
Your best bet at this point if AC is not a familiar system to you is to get to an AC shop. If the system still has R12 in it, they'll collect it. It's a very quick process to hook up the system and see if it holds a vacuum. If not, then the leaks have to be found. Still have to diagnose the system, replace any needed things (including the 30 year old hoses and o-rings) flush out the system, and recharge with R134 and suitable new oil.

 

[Z09B4U]

If your system has not been working for a while the absolute minimum would be:

Have a leak check preformed. I have read they can do this with nitrogen which is much cheaper.

After the leak check you have to decide if you are sticking to Freon 12 or changing to 134. They use different oil and the system would have to be cleaned out.

A new drier would be needed then the system is vacuumed out and freon is added. Then the system can be checked for proper operation.

If the A/C has been working for years never recharged, and just quit yesterday then MAYBE have a pro find the leak (if there is one) and do a simple recharge. The claim is the systems lose a ounce a year but I have a R12 system that has been running for over a decade and is just starting to show signs it needs more R12.

In Canada we have 12A which is mostly propane and sold everywhere. Is 12A sold in the USA?

 

[uvaldi]

A car that old, unless you know its service history, then I would forget about the R12 and just adding a can. It is leaking out and will continue to do so. Just adding a can does nothing really but waste money. Doing A/C right is something that needs to be done with a knowledge of all the parts of the system and a methodical approach to fixing the issue(s). Find the best auto A/C shop in town. I assume you know nothing about auto A/C from your questions. Good luck. Half-assing it will do nothing but cause you aggravation and money.