Where to get air-con re-gassed?

[Bling]

For $1400 I think i'd just wind down the window I pad $3-400 for a repair on the AC control unit, a pipe being fixed, some new parts, and gas. Thought that was pretty fair

[RunningRich]

All up I think I paid about $1400 to convert and overhaul my whole system.

My own experience doing it myself.

$150 to rebuild the pump (my own labour, just parts).
$100 for set of (good) gauges off TM.
$250 for 10 kg or R12 (enough for around 15 cars).
$30 for oil and o-rings etc.
Borrowed vacuum pump.

Who said it wasn't economic?

[Bling]

Did you find a DIY guide on the net or already know what to do?

[RunningRich]

Net/library for generic AC books/OEM manual for charging charts etc.

Both systems I've done have been suspect (one was almost empty when the car was bought, the other had had the AC ripped out. On both I replaced all o-rings with new, drained pumps of oil, flushed some pipes and refilled oil per OEM manual. Installed a new drier, rebuilt one of the pumps (google found the manual, very easy if not worn).

Then using the gauges and vacuum pump you pull a vacuum for an hour or so. The intent of this is that under vacuum all water evaporates and gets sucked out.

You then close the taps and do a leak down check to ensure the vacum is kept, tests for leaks. No vacuum loss, no leaks (in theory).

If all good you simply then feed in gas into the low pressure port till pressures meet factory spec and bubbles disappear in the sight gas. Remove gauges, fit caps with decent seals (caps hold the gas in, not the schrader valves) and you are done.

Technically if you can do a cambelt you can do AC. Vacuum pump is the big $$$ item.

Supply of R12 is an issue and I'm not sure if they sell R134a to general public. I've had no issue buying oil and parts though.