Anyone wanna fix my Nissan truck A/C?

[GordonW]

Dang it, the AC died on my '89 Nissan pickup. It has been getting progressively wimpier and wimpier over the last few months, like it was slowly leaking. Can't complain much- it did work without fault for 19 years!

I suspect it will probably need a compressor, unfortunately. Not sure, but that's the most likely source of a leak, usually. Naturally, it will also need a filter-drier can too. Won't know exactly, I guess, until it's tested for leaks with a leak-tester...

When it's done, it'll ostensibly need to be changed over to R134... it's still in stock form (R12, up to this point). AFAIK, this will require flushing and some fitting changes. I would expect the new compressor to come ready for R134; it's the rest of the system that has to be flushed free of the old-style compressor oil and any remaining refrigerant.

Anyone even remotely near Atlanta, that would like to take a crack at it? I would be happy to trade audio stuff toward the price, if anyone was interested. Mostly, I'm trying to not get gouged like I would, taking it to many of the places around here. Figure someone on here would at least have a little more sympathy toward a fellow member... :D

Now, I have done this stuff before in the past- I just don't currently have the tools to do the job correctly (vacuum pump/recovery unit, leak tester, flusher, hoses and fitting adapters, etc). If anyone would like me to assist them, or would be willing to let me use their tools to do it myself, I'd be glad to do that too.

Thanks for any help!

Regards,
Gordon.

[toke]

Wish I lived closer.
I have a 91 Toyota 4runner that did the same thing, and after hearing quotes from $50.00 to $1500.00 dollars to fix it, this is what I did:

Found a garage to evacuate the remaining R12 for free (they got to keep the R12 to resell or use in their own vehicles), went home and replaced the receiver/dryer ($25.00 at NAPA), returned to the garage and had a vacuum pulled on the system which had a very very very tiny almost non-existent leak, stopped at store, bought an Interdynamics conversion kit for $35.00 (must get refrigerant with synthetic compressor oil, as it is compatible with the old PAG, Ester and Mineral oils AND a leak sealer additive), returned home and filled the system. I'm heading into Summer #4 with 39-40 degrees Fahrenheit at the vents. Oh yeah, I used that new "Arctic Freeze" R134 and it is in fact "colder, faster."

YOUR LEAK MAY BE MORE SEVERE. If it is, it'll show up in evacuation or vacuum procedure. It's worth finding out. Find an independent shop and tell them they can have the R12 in exchange for pulling a vacuum on the system and if it is a major leak, they can give you an estimate for the work. Even a tiny leak will lose all the refrigerant after 20 years.

Now my car is a 200,000+ mile, quickly rusting, daily driver for around town or camping WITHOUT the wife and kids, so I had nothing to lose.

Others may not achieve the same results.
Good Luck.