Air con question

[Zudoo]

I've got a car in the states waiting on the import approval, it has a complete a/c system but has a leak somewhere so it has no gas in it.

I'll take it I will have to get a a/c gas technicion over there to cirtify that it has no gas in it?

Also being an old car I'm presuming it is set up with the old style gas which aparently makes it illegal to import, is it easier just to remove the a/c system??? seems such a wast, or can it be modded over there to run on R134a or should I just get the de gas cirtificate and chance it?

Thanks in advance

[Macka]

Zudoo, you'll be able to import it but make sure you have a certificate before it is shipped that the gases have been removed.  They'll need that here for your importation application as its one of the things thats checked.  THe gas and a different receiver dryer can be fitted here.

[Moz]

You can still get the old gas if you know a good fridge technician.

[Zudoo]

Acording to the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities because the a/c system runs on CFC's and has not been modded to run HFC's it is still illigal to import and needs to be disabled so it cannot run on CFC's before it can be imported.

[Moz]

I brought in a heap of stuff and was never questioned on any of it at all.
All they were interested in was how much it cost so I could pay GST on it.

So he could take off the pump and under dash unit and store it in the boot, and as long as he declares it with a cost of $50 there is no problem.

[mark678]

Hi Just get a receipt from an aircon guy stating gas has been removed, weather it has gas or not in system, should be around $50-70.....

[StephenSLR]

Hot off the press, I got this from Schumacher:

Rules and Regulations for exporting vehicles to Australia with A/C units

Air conditioning gasses and systems come under the control of the Australian Department of Environment and Heritage, and those fitted to vehicles/trailers fall under very strictly controls. This is a technical area of the import process but the department have not issued specific forms to enable compliance, only a set of guidelines, as follows:

•   If the car is not fitted with air conditioning a certificate from the shipper of the car to state the car is not fitted with air conditioning is required.

•   If the car is fitted with a CFC air conditioning system the whole system MUST be completely removed before shipment. CFC units are strictly prohibited. Alternatively it can be converted to HCFC before shipment but a certificate from a certified air conditioning engineer MUST be supplied – see below

•   HCFC air conditioning units MUST be degassed with the dryer and Schreader valve removed by a certified engineer. The engineer must supply a certificate on their business letterhead to state that all gas has been removed (it MUST also name the type of gas) and that the Schreader valve and the dryer are removed.

•   An old system which has been removed from the car and is placed in the trunk of the car is NOT allowed without a certificate as it could be a CFC system and therefore prohibited.

•   Units cannot be removed or degassed after the car arrives in Australia. Should a car arrive without acceptable certification the costs and repercussions can be devastating.

As a service to our clients, we can have the existing CFC unit Degassed and the Schreader valve disconnected for $250.00.

This will also include a letter of certification from a qualified engineer which will be sent along with the necessary paperwork to the receiving agent in Australia for customs clearance.

Air conditioning systems and their certification, is becoming more and more of a challenge for exporting cars and now ranks as important as the Import Permit for the car. For more information call us on 562 408 6677 and/or visit:  

http://www.environment.gov.au/atmosphere/ozone/licences/index.html

s

[ponyride]

Just another avenue for revenue by Schumachers in my opinion. I did precisely that through Schumachers a while back and  got a hand scrawled note from "Jimmy's Tow Service" (I kid you not) saying "this car aircon has no freon in it". Had it been required to be presented at this end there's no way that would have passed as a proper certificate by an authorised technician.  

[StephenSLR]

Just another avenue for revenue by Schumachers in my opinion.

Ah, though whether or not you get Schumacher to do it, the law still stands that you can't bring a CFC AC into Aus. and need any AC drained right?

s

[ponyride]

Just another avenue for revenue by Schumachers in my opinion.

Ah, though whether or not you get Schumacher to do it, the law still stands that you can't bring a CFC AC into Aus. and need any AC drained right?

s

As far as I'm aware yes that's right Stephen, I think Scumacher's are just capitalising on it. Just my experience.

[StephenSLR]

I think Scumacher's are just capitalising on it. Just my experience.

Yep, Mainfreight charge $125 for the degas service.

Another question, the system has been modified for R134a.

Now that it's degassed what's the best way to go?  I hear R134a doesn't cool as well as R12 and now there's R413a which is supposed to be pretty good.

Any recommendations on who to go to?

s

[GLENN 70]

Dont muck around get it d gassed over there ,by the shipper cost 50 bucks,they do it all the time,costs around 125 dollars here .who are you shipping with and where from

[StephenSLR]

who are you shipping with and where from

http://www.mustang.org.au/forum/viewthread.php?tid=10569#pid178085

Dont muck around get it d gassed over there

I did but that's not the question I asked.

Now that it's de-gassed what's the best option and who do I see to get it running again?

s

[ponyride]

Stephen I was able to find aircon guys pretty readily to fulfil the requirements at this end. To be honest I don't even remember the type of gas that my aircon tech used (he was a mobile guy and I've since sold the car). I do remember that when I researched it there are a couple of alternatives, including a new style which is supposed to be greener and far more efficient.

A new receiver dryer was installed to enable the old unit to run on the new gas, all up it was about $3-400.

Not much help to you sorry but as I'm in W.A. I can't even refer you to the guy I used.

[GLENN 70]

Sorry mate did not read Q right ,get the air con done here,i dont trust them over their,it will be new here with warranty .Over there no come backs.

[StephenSLR]

A new receiver dryer was installed to enable the old unit to run on the new gas

Yeah, you need to retro fit old units (R12) to run on R134a, not sure if it needs to be modified to run on R413a.  

Mine's already on R134a.

s

[Meaty0]

Zudoo.  There can be a lot of confusion over this subject.

You'll find the answers to your questions here: http://www.environment.gov.au/atmosphere/ozone/licences/vehicle-import.html
Look under "Import Scenario 2"  and Scenario 5

Notable is that after 2010 it became illegal to import a car with A/C precharged with HCFC's.  They must be degassed BEFORE importing, not here in Australia.

Once here, you can recommission the system by refitting the system with a more efficient (and much lighter) rotary compressor and new receiver/dryer (and maybe a new evaporator and condenser unit).  Or you may just wish to regas the existing system and modify it slightly to run on the newer gasses.  I was warned that doing this preserves the "originality" of the car, but the A/C will be quite inefficient.  I can't say how accurate this statement is - it was based on the A/C tech who recommissioned my system.  

I opted for the new rotary compressor.

[mark.wright]

When I imported mine (last year) the company I used, who I won't name just incase said there was a loop hole regards gas and they could bring my car in gassed. When it arrived it was indeed icy cold.
Don't know whether they were right or I'm now in all sorts of trouble!!