[DeTomaso] Exploding air conditioning system - Fake News or an accident waiting to happen?
jderyke at aol.com
jderyke at aol.com
Sun Jun 19 12:58:06 EDT 2022
All the comments are pertinent. R134a is a smaller molecule which is known to leak in places that R-12 would not. Making this worse, R134a runs at a higher pressure. It is known to leak right through older hoses! The hoses specified for R134A are lined or barrier-type hoses and are sealed not by tapered fittings but by o-rings. And converted systems usually have the final screen-filter inside the valve under the dash removed so the required higher liquid flow with R134a can be reached. I think the newer R134a valves have a stiffer spring inside to set that higher operating pressure.
-----Original Message-----
From: Charles Engles <cengles at cox.net>
To: charlesmccall at gmail.com; detomaso at detomasolist.com
Sent: Sun, Jun 19, 2022 9:23 am
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Exploding air conditioning system - Fake News or an accident waiting to happen?
Dear Charlie,
This may be pertinent to your question. I had twenty years of
AC malfunction finally diagnosed correctly and rectified by Frank Jerome in
DFW. With the new Sanden compressor and R134 the system would malfunction
after a full charge in a variable amount of time due to a covert bad high
resistence electrical connection to the condenser fan that greatly impeded
fan function and therefore condenser function and efficiency. I am sure
that due to that nefarious combination, I ran high AC system pressures that
would then peak in a silent, non-explosive, and expensive cloud of white
R134 gas billowing out of the engine bay and readily visible in the rear
view window. Based on multiple episodes of this before it was found and
repaired, I am confident that you will not suffer a Hollywood-style dramatic
explosion of your AC system. Just be aware that if you see the white cloud
in your rear view mirror, which may last for 1-2 minutes, you can maintain
speed, but be prepared to drive with the windows wide open....... :-)
Warmest regards, Chuck Engles
-----Original Message-----
From: DeTomaso [mailto:detomaso-bounces at server.detomasolist.com] On Behalf
Of charlesmccall at gmail.com
Sent: Sunday, June 19, 2022 8:06 AM
To: detomaso at detomasolist.com
Subject: [DeTomaso] Exploding air conditioning system - Fake News or an
accident waiting to happen?
Hi all
In the 20+ years that I've had my Pantera, the air conditioning has only
worked for a few sporadic months. It works fine when charged, but we can't
find the source of the leak, despite having changed nearly everything that
could be changed. So the system was charged again a few weeks ago preparing
for my trip to Le Mans Classic, and this guy did find a crimp that looked
suspicious, so we'll see how long I have cool air.
Anyway, I seem to remember that we all know that at higher speeds (85mph+)
there is a low pressure area behind the AC condenser, which is why some
people move them up front. I also seem to remember something about the
system pressure getting too high because of inadequate cooling, and this
high pressure causing the system to explode. Is this correct? Is there a
risk from leaving the AC on full speed, non-stop for hours on end of high
speed highway cruising with the stock condenser set-up?
Thank you!
Classification: Restricted
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-------------- next part --------------
All the comments are pertinent. R134a is a smaller molecule which is
known to leak in places that R-12 would not. Making this worse, R134a
runs at a higher pressure. It is known to leak right through older
hoses! The hoses specified for R134A are lined or barrier-type hoses
and are sealed not by tapered fittings but by o-rings. And converted
systems usually have the final screen-filter inside the valve under the
dash removed so the required higher liquid flow with R134a can be
reached. I think the newer R134a valves have a stiffer spring inside to
set that higher operating pressure.
-----Original Message-----
From: Charles Engles <cengles at cox.net>
To: charlesmccall at gmail.com; detomaso at detomasolist.com
Sent: Sun, Jun 19, 2022 9:23 am
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Exploding air conditioning system - Fake News
or an accident waiting to happen?
Dear Charlie,
This may be pertinent to your question. I had twenty years
of
AC malfunction finally diagnosed correctly and rectified by Frank
Jerome in
DFW. With the new Sanden compressor and R134 the system would
malfunction
after a full charge in a variable amount of time due to a covert bad
high
resistence electrical connection to the condenser fan that greatly
impeded
fan function and therefore condenser function and efficiency. I am
sure
that due to that nefarious combination, I ran high AC system pressures
that
would then peak in a silent, non-explosive, and expensive cloud of
white
R134 gas billowing out of the engine bay and readily visible in the
rear
view window. Based on multiple episodes of this before it was found
and
repaired, I am confident that you will not suffer a Hollywood-style
dramatic
explosion of your AC system. Just be aware that if you see the white
cloud
in your rear view mirror, which may last for 1-2 minutes, you can
maintain
speed, but be prepared to drive with the windows wide open....... :-)
Warmest regards, Chuck Engles
-----Original Message-----
From: DeTomaso [mailto:[1]detomaso-bounces at server.detomasolist.com] On
Behalf
Of [2]charlesmccall at gmail.com
Sent: Sunday, June 19, 2022 8:06 AM
To: [3]detomaso at detomasolist.com
Subject: [DeTomaso] Exploding air conditioning system - Fake News or an
accident waiting to happen?
Hi all
In the 20+ years that I've had my Pantera, the air conditioning has
only
worked for a few sporadic months. It works fine when charged, but we
can't
find the source of the leak, despite having changed nearly everything
that
could be changed. So the system was charged again a few weeks ago
preparing
for my trip to Le Mans Classic, and this guy did find a crimp that
looked
suspicious, so we'll see how long I have cool air.
Anyway, I seem to remember that we all know that at higher speeds
(85mph+)
there is a low pressure area behind the AC condenser, which is why some
people move them up front. I also seem to remember something about the
system pressure getting too high because of inadequate cooling, and
this
high pressure causing the system to explode. Is this correct? Is there
a
risk from leaving the AC on full speed, non-stop for hours on end of
high
speed highway cruising with the stock condenser set-up?
Thank you!
Classification: Restricted
_______________________________________________
Detomaso Email List is not managed by POCA
Posted emails must not exceed 1.5 Megabytes
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