r12 AC Testing and Recharging
 

Question #1 Is it legal to recharge r12 systems?
Question #2 Does anyone have a recommended shop in the DMV?

Yes it is legal. What brand of car?

'86 951

Any shop that offers r12 AC service can charge your system.

Ask Karl--he might have some R12 left over in cans.

Getting R-12 is not hard. I know a guy that has 20 pounds of the stuff..... It is not cheap. The last thing you want to do is charge a dead flat R-12 system without testing the system first.

Is the system dead flat and out of refrigerant? If so you should have it leak tested and repaired first. If it has been flat for a while the system can be contaminated with moisture as well.
134 is cheap and not quite as harmful as R-12. R-12 is the king O3 killa' and 134 is only a heat trapping gas. People often test 134 systems by charging up and waiting to see how long the charge lasts. @ $50+ a pound you don't want to spend a charge of R-12 just to find out that the compressor seal or a hose is rotted out.

If it has some charge and it has been a long time since it was last filled it might be worth it to top it up. Automotive AC is an open system and the charge often slowly leaks out around the compressor seals and can also work its way through the flexible portion of the AC lines. Needing to top up after 5 years is not uncommon.