mikesan152

Hello All!

I have purchased an '87 560SL with 58K miles. Clean, but a few problems to deal with, one of which is AC and the other is vent controls.
1. The system is low on R-12. What is the recommended replacement for this
refrigerant? I heard you can't use R-134. True?
2. Before I get into the vacuum actuator etc, I want to get the right manuals.
Who makes the best set of manuals? Are they available in CD?

Thanks and best regards.

Michael

Untertürkheim

Don't convert to R124, it will never work as well. Buy the service CD directly from Mercedes, it has the shop manuals in PDF.

mikesan152

Thanks for your feed back. So if I can't use the 124, what do I do? AC isn't
a huge issue, where it's a convertible, but is there a "Plan B"?

Thanks again.

Mike

BJonesFL

Mike,

Use R12 in your AC system. Other poster is correct that changing to R134 is a bad idea. You lose cooling efficiency, the compressors were designed to run R12, etc. If a local AC shop tries to talk you into converting, find another shop.

Manuals on CD at www.mbusa.com for $20 +/- ; look under the 'Classic' link. Also, register your car while you're there. Paper manuals come up every so often on ebay and are quite pricey. Avoid Chiltons or Haynes....trash.
Have fun with the car.

Bob

mikesan152

Thank you for the advice! I appreciate it.

Mike

ZedStyle

good luck finding r12 for less than a few hundred dollars...

i've heard good things about 'freeze 12', google it and search for some reviews

BJonesFL

ZenStyle is correct. R12 goes for around $500 per 30 lb cylinder; R134 goes for around $200 per 30 lb cylinder. No doubt, R134 is cheaper. I can't recall the exact spec on the Nippondenso compressor, but the number 2.2 or 3.2 pounds comes to mind. Regardless, to top off an already existing R12 system to spec is going to be less than the cost of conversion to R134 and it will be more efficient, i.e., cooler.

Bob