Hi guys, I have a few questions about R1234YF since information seems to be limited and hard to find. If anyone can answer any of these questions, I would really appreciate it. Thanks in advance!

1. Does R1234YF perform worse than R134A? I presume it does for 3 reasons. First of all, companies claim “similar performance” rather than “better performance” compared to R134A. Second, a neighbor’s new car uses R1234YF, and the AC takes a while to get cold, and it never works well unless it’s a relatively cool day. And third, it seems that every time they come out with a new refrigerant, it’s worse than the one it’s replacing.

2. Is R1234YF good for the system’s longevity compared to R134A? I presume it’s not since, from my understanding, it is less soluble in PAG oil compared to R134A and therefore requires special oil. Also, I have heard that it is incompatible with a lot of rubber components. If that’s true, it’s obviously not good for the system’s longevity.

3. Can R234YF be vented? I would think it could since it’s GWP is only 25% higher than R600A and R290, which can be vented. However, I have never heard that it can be vented, so it probably can’t.

4. Is the price of R1234YF likely to ever come down? I know no one knows for sure, but is this stuff likely to get cheaper over time? It is nearly $100 a pound, which is crazy. I know it couldn’t cost them anywhere near that much to make the stuff, so I presume it will get cheaper over time. Am I correct?