draining refrigerant HELP
 

I have the sunfire in the shed and am getting ready to pull the motor. I need to remove the A/C system and can't get the car to a shop. I don't want to vent it and have placed a free add on craigslist for anyone who has the equipment to evacuate the system. I am not sure if there is even anything in it. My brother and I carried the car in the shed and around a corner. There is no way it is coming out right now. Any suggestions?:confused:

Do they ever try to recover 134a? I wouldn't give it a second thought let it go.

See if you local Autozone or other parts store might be able to lend/rent the equipment to you.

Rooster: Bad boy.:eek:

R134 isn't bad. I have just let it go on several times while working on cars. I only do it with R134. If I run into the older stuff I will have it evacuated, but I don't see the need to with R134.

is it dangerous to me?
will there be any residue to make things yucky and make the shed a mess?

If you use your finger to push the pin to let it out it will get cold and possibly frost bit. Poke it with a screw driver and see if anything leaks out. Or just take a joint apart and watch for refrigerant leaking, it's just a gas with tiny bit of oil you probably won't see.

They sale the stuff at walmart so it can't be that dangerous or enviormentally unfriendly.

Can you remove the ac compressor and leave the lines connected? Or are you eliminating the AC system?

regards
Mech

R134 isn't as bad for the environment as the old stuff, but its still not good for it.

If you can have it handled properly.

the system is getting removed. I have a bypass pulley on the 3800 and like how the numbers feel on my butt o meter without it.

HAHA...the joke is on me. The system was already empty! Good thing I tested first before trying to load it on the flatbed and take it into town. There was a small hissy puff and that was it. Saved me at least a day and a half.

I have pulled the right axle shaft out and have stripped the motor. Tomorrow I will get the left shaft out and then it will get pulled as soon as I find a way to lift it.:thumbup:

I don't have the cash for a hoist, so it will probably have to be lifted by hand.
I will keep you posted.

I'm not surpised, even if you would have left everything sealed, eventually it would have been vented. Do it now or let it vent itself over next 4 years same result.

Keep us posted on the project, should be a fun ride. 3.8 in sunbird right using the sunbird auto tranny. Those 3.8's were a good long life, decent FE engine.

It is a sunfire, but yeah, pretty much the same thing. It has a 4t40E tranny in it. The 2.2 will get pulled and the 3.8 will get bolted in. I got both struts off, as well as the control arms and axle shafts. The control arms need new bushings and I might need new struts. I removed the A/C today and removed most of the stuff under the hood. I could pull the motor tomorrow if I had a hoist.:(

Tomorrow I will be taking the master cylinder out, loosening the motor mounts, and removing the exhaust. I will also be pulling the gas tank to inspect the pump. The dash and seats have to come out so I have easy access to everything.

The tranny will be getting a new filter, gaskets, and seals. Of course this means new oil, which will be synthetic. The oil looked good when I pulled the right shaft, so I don't think there is anything to worry about inside the case.

As far as I know, the torque converters are interchangeable. I have not heard anything to the contrary. If this is the case, I will be using the one with the lowest stall speed, if one is lower.

So far so good.:thumbup:

Sound's like a way more intinsive swap than when I put a 350 in a 4x4 s10. I lots a couple mpg, but no more downshifting every time the wind shifted or hit a 1/2 percent incline, and no more vacuum drop when getting into it when in 4x4 and the front diff unlocking.

It doesn't seem very intensive, but I have been gathering info on and off for a few years and full time for over two months. I will likely have to fabricate a few parts, but it is nothing major. I will be adding a strut bar and front dogbones to keep the motor from tearing up the mounts or crashing into the firewall or radiator.

There is a lot of torque there and it needs to be tamed. There is no cradle under the motor/tranny. The only mounts are on either side and a small dogbone on the lower right. I will be adding some extra support to remedy the issue.

Yeah way more that dropping in a v8 in a framed truck. I loved how everytime the 700r4 hit second and would squak the rears though. 16 mpg wasn't that bad.

I'm a rookie with FWD stuff, RWD, engine right 4wd I'll tear into, just haven't tore into FWD yet.

Wow. Things are moving right along. I found a 2 ton motor hoist for $100 and am going to pick it up today. I have always wanted one of those.:rolleyes:
The cool thing is I can hang deer on it.:thumbup: I might have this project done sooner than I thought.

starting update thread....see that one.:thumbup: