Lude Generation

I've just got a 1990 Prelude 3G, to go with my 1996 4G, and am on a steep learning curve...

Does anyone know if these have the old type of coolant gas in? If so, what's needed to convert it to the new type?

cheers,

David

Have you looked for a sticker under the bonnet? Quite often on one of the aircon related pipes. Is this an import then?

The easiest way to check what type you have is to look at te fittings on the pipes. If you have the car tyre valve type fittings to recharge and not the red and blue capped off clip on type valves, then you have the old type. Most auto recharge centers have conversion kits that change the valves to new types and then they will put in an additive to protect the old system to make it compatible with the new gases.

That is indeed how can you tell what gas it was built to take and Sam's absolutely correct about what's needed to convert (basically nothing, just an additive to allow the old equipment to handle the different pressure the system runs at/different lubrication value of the new gas).

Given the age of the car, it will have been an R12 car at build. If it's been gassed in recent years, it will have R134a in it (because you can't recharge with R12) but either way it doesn't matter - because any place you take it to will see it was an R12 car and they can't tell what gas is actually in it now, they'll just vac it right down and refill from empty with 134a anyway.

You'll find places like Kwik-Fit will turn you away - they don't carry the adaptor kits. Best thing is to find a local independant automotive a/c specialist, they're normally mobile too so they come to you.

i went today to refill my 3rd gen and every single one put me away (been in 3 garages)... apparently its illegal to refill r12 gasses and no one offered a convertion kit... upset now...

you will have to go to a mobile technician then.

Done - found a mobile tech, who diagnosed me with a leaky A/C condenser, so the next question is does anyone know where to get a new one of these?