1993 Air Conditioning Help

For the past week My A/C has been as cold as it was the day I bought it, but after about 30 miles of driving it would stop. Well, Wednesday it finally stopped and no more cold air. I bought a R134 conversion kit last night, and before I started I put the pressure guage on and it displayed WARNING as if something other than the coolant pressure was wrong. I can here the clicking of the switch, but it doesn't appear that the compressor is kicking on. Although I can't be sure. Has anyone seen this, or where should I look next? Any suggestion? It's getting Hot!

Sounds like what my '93 Wagon did a couple years ago. Something called the orofice valve was clogged. Turned out that it has a screen strainer and it wus all gunked up. I bought a new one from AutoZone for about $10 and also bought the tool you need to uncouple the A/C line. If you need to locate it I can go take a picture for you.

Yes, please send a photo. I think this will be a great help.

Do I need to discharge the system in order to change this screen, because I may just as well convert it to R134 at the same time? Any thoughts?

That's what I did-I changed to R-134a while I had the system open. You are supposed to have the system vacuumed after you open it but I didn't. It works OK usually running in the high 30's at the A/C register. Stand by for photo.

The yellow area is where the valve is. The red area is where the coupler is. When it's working it should be warm on one side of the valve and cold on the other.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=500/353032license_003.jpg

The yellow area is where the valve is. The red area is where the coupler is. When it's working it should be warm on one side of the valve and cold on the other.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=500/353032license_003.jpg

Is it best to have a professional discharge the system, or is this something I can do myself?

I think I'd go to an A/C shop and tell them they can have the R-12 if they'll suck it out for free. It's worth a lot of money so maybe they'll go for it.

One more question. How do you open it to get the orifice tube out?

There's a special tool that you can buy at a parts place. Doesn't cost much.