1979-1993 & 94 Conv [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
spb90,
Seems like your inspector's really picky--some places here in N.C. just beep the horn and give you a new sticker...well, almost that easy. I'd try getting a good used one from a junkyard or try one of the site sponsor's here. Any taillight from 1979-1993 should fit yours, if both yours and parts donor are 3-door models (hatchbacks). If no luck, email me. I might be able to find one for you if your '93S is a "3-door."
I don't know about the freon, though (whether your '93 has the newer R-134a freon or the older style R-12). R-12 is REALLY expensive now, and not available off-the-shelf in supermarkets, etc.
If your car came originally with the R-134a refrigerant from the factory OR if it has been converted to use 134a, then you can get a cheap ($15 or less) refill kit at most parts stores. You should find a label in the engine compartment passenger side fender OR on the compressor itself saying what refrigerant the system requires. The EPA (I think) requires a label to be affixed "in a visible location" to R-12 cars retrofitted to use R-134a, so look for that label if your original SAAB label says R-12 before becoming concerned about expense of R-12. The fittings for R-12 and R-134a are tell-tale, too--to keep from contaminating systems with the wrong refrigerant, I suppose.
I followed instructions somewhere on this bulletin board and "converted" my Mom's '88 Jeep Cherokee to R-134a last weekend. Works fairly well, but it is not super-cold like R-12. (A good non-SAAB mechanic I met told me this is normal as retrofitted vehicles don't EVER get super-cold, supposedly because the condensor--the part at the radiator which looks like a tiny radiator itself--in the R-12 a/c system has smaller tubes, less coils, and can't handle the heat generated in the R-134a systems. I guess that makes sense, but I'm no expert.)
I didn't replace any a/c seals or the a/c compressor or any a/c parts on the Jeep. I got the a/c system evacuated--there was very little R-12 left in it due to a slow leak--and then I drew a vacuum (with engine off and cool) with a hand vacuum pump on the suction side of the compressor (marked with a big "S" on the Jeep, I think my '84 900 is similar). Then, I simply followed the retrofit/refill kit's instructions, putting on the R-134a-specific fittings over top of the compressor's original fittings and starting engine, turning on a/c--compressor doesn't function until enough freon is inserted to trip the low-pressure switch back on--and put in first two bottles of freon mix with bottle inverted upside-down.
On the other hand, if your '93 900S has R-12 still in it (but such a low amount that the low-pressure switch is open-circuit and keeping your a/c compressor from engaging), AND you want to keep it an R-12 system, then you're looking at quite a bit more expense than the $25 retrofit kit. There are no kits of R-12 sold (in the US) anymore, so you'll have to go to a foreign country and buy it--I'm kidding, but it's possible--or have an a/c service shop re-charge your '93 with R-12 freon.
Also, if the system leaked out enough R-12 to trip low-pressure cut-out switch, you might have a major leak in the system requiring replacement of some part--hose, receiver/dryer, evaporator, condensor, compressor, etc. which means BIG bucks. You can check to see if the level is so low that the switch is tripped by turning on a/c with engine running, opening hood, and see if the compressor's center part (clutch) is spinning along with the belt and pulley. If clutch is stationary, eitehr the low pressure switch is tripped and freon is very low OR there is some electrical problem, like a/c switch, relay, compressor wiring, etc.
Retrofit notes: the R-134a retrofit kit I got for Mom's Jeep came from Advance Auto Parts here in western N.C. and cost $29.88 before tax. It came with R-134a compressor fittings which I've mentioned and new caps for such fittings, a little label denoting the vehicle has been converted to 134a, three cans of freon EACH of which have a proportioned mix of R-134a, polyol ester oil (oil for compressor), and stop leak additive built-in. That way, you don't add oil, then freon, etc. and you don't have to worry about getting the ratio of oil to freon wrong.
I'm glad the kit has that stop-leak additive. The Jeep had a slohttp://wwwww leak somewhere in the system and we had just given up getting the a/c going again, due to condition of the vehicle versus expense of getting its original R-12 system up to snuff. Why? The Jeep has 213,000 miles on it! That's long past its prime for a Jeep...) Seems to work, though, as we've used the Jeep's a/c a lot--it's been in the 90's here--every day since I did the retrofit last Saturday. Not a long term test, by any means, but a good sign.
I hope this long ramble helps!
--Micah in NC
'84 900S, 238K mi.
posted by 216.77.239...
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
