Hello everybody! My names Josh. I just recently stumbled upon this forum site looking for some info on my 03 Monte Carlo SS. Im happy to be apart of this forum in hopes to both gain information/knowledge as well as give back whatever I know. I've been a technician for 10 years now. Im 30 and live here in Springfield, IL. I've been unemployed for almost a damn year now lol but it's given me the opportunity to be with my baby girl for her first year + of life. I wouldn't change it for the world. I'm a proud owner of my 2003 Monte Carlo SS (the sad year right before they supercharged them, only has the ground affects lol.) I'm also as of yesterday an even prouder owner of a 1983 Monte Carlo SS. I had a crazy experience omw home yesterday from purchasing it. I was on Highway 55 N headed home and had a blow out on my front right passenger. I heard "BOOM" then seen a huge black object just flying out into the field next to me and thought it was my entire tire haha. Thankfully it was not. Instead the ENTIRE crown all around split off smh.. Banged up my front passenger fender near the rockers and took some paint off along with other minor damage... I was almost crying lmao. Also I've never used an 83 monte carlo jack.. well... this damn thing was smarter than me apparently because it was HELL getting it to work without the right know how. Anyways Im going to make a thread/post here soon with some questions I'd like to ask you all about the new car. Got 1 new tire so far and 4 more coming Wednesday (the other 3 and 1 spare). So far my issue is putting some refrigerant inside to get some cold AC lol because its not. I just got some adapter for that allows me to put R134a inside my R12 system. There's some weird procedures on the adapter as far as releasing all the old Freon and some residual oil? Along with other instructions. I've yet to look around to see if there is already a thread so please feel free to let me know if there is?? Either way I'm gonna make a thread listing a few concerns and questions I have so far and I greatly appreciate ANY advice. Thank you all!

 

Welcome.

I did not know these cars took r12.

 

Welcome to MCF, Josh! I used to have an '03SS that I bought new and loved it....until an old lady ran a red light and totaled it out for me... Now I have the '07. Show us your ride(s) when you can!

 

If there is R12 still in there, I'd take it to a shop to recover it rather than just dumping it into the atmosphere (as the damage it does is the reason for it being discontinued).

I've never owned a R12 car, but ive certainly heard the negative stories on conversions from friends with older stuff - compressor failures, leaks, doesn't cool as well, etc. Perhaps we have some members on here that have actually done it.

The 03 doesn't but the 83 he mentioned mid post does. It was discontinued in the mid 90s.

 

Hi Josh welcome to the Monte Carlo Forum.

 

Hey guys Im finally getting time to get back. So I'm not yet converting it over to R134a yet, I decided to just get 6 little cans of R12 to put inside it. Also I am talking about my 1983 Monte Carlo SS not my 2003. I noticed someone said they didn't know they had an R12 system so I wanted to just make clear the 83 is R12 and the 2003 is R134a. I just changed the plugs, wires, and did an oil change with 10w30. I recently just got all 4 belts (accessories and drive) and have yet to look into figuring out how to change them all out. I'm definitely new to the 1983 Monte so any advice and tips would be greatly appreciated!