A/C Question

Stock FSJ Tech Area

letank
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Location: SF bay area

Re: A/C Question

Post by letank »

1979bettywhite wrote:So I am guessing you never got it out? Are you using your A/C system currently with the old dryer?
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AC non op.
I vacuumed the system about 7 years ago, it was holding vacuum. When I refilled the system with r134, at about half the pressure, the low pressure hose blew up, sending compressor oil oc the york all over.
I started to understand about bits and components of the AC, the diff betwen r12 and r134... got hold up with various questions.... and family probs.
Ready to go forward as soon as my foot cast is removed in 10 days... after 7 weeks of idle.

update: one way to loosen that hard and stuck line is to use one of the air sprayer , duster with a can, reverse the can upside down and you will get the flow of cold propellant, be careful, wear protective gears
Michel
74 wag (349 Kmiles... parked, next step is a rust free body)
85 Gwag (229 Kmiles... the running test lab)

Topic author
1979bettywhite
Posts: 547
Joined: Tue Jul 25, 2017 8:14 am

Re: A/C Question

Post by 1979bettywhite »

Yeah I am learning a lot. Had almost the same situation. Held vacuum initially. Filled with r134 and got an immediate leak in the low pressure hose.

Replaced that hose and filled again. Lost all the refrigerant again somewhere. So I think I will add some dye today and see if I can find the leak. Have an uneasy feeling it might be in the evaporator core. If that's the case I don't know what I will do.

Would really like to get the dryer out to replace it, but that looks close to impossible to do.


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Topic author
1979bettywhite
Posts: 547
Joined: Tue Jul 25, 2017 8:14 am

Re: A/C Question

Post by 1979bettywhite »

Filled with some refrigerant and dye today. Looks like a have a leak in the expansion valve copper tubing. So that should be an easy fix. Replacing the reciever/dryer, well not terribly hard to get to after removing the radiator is going to be a time consuming pain in the rear.

I am scheduled to take the Jeep to a local classic offroad shop in about a month. They work strictly on old classic offroaders (wagoneers, CJs, Broncos, Land Cruisers etc.). Owner daily drives a 90 wag. I think I am going to talk to them to see if it is worth continuing to throw money at the old system, or just go aftermarket.

At this point I think I could get it operable, but I think it will be a constant process of chasing gremlins and having little small nit picky fixes here and there. I do know one thing though. Whichever route I decide to take, I am going to relocate that dryer to the fenderwell!

Either way, I have learned quite a lot about a/c systems through the process, so I guess that is good!

letank
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Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2012 9:16 pm
Location: SF bay area

Re: A/C Question

Post by letank »

babywag, aka Tony said once that a vintage air could the sure way to have a reliable AC, instead of chasing leaks for an old system, as dollar amount. The vintage air was in his mind, but looking at online pucts, such as bjs, it is sticking a bit too low in the passenger footwell...
Michel
74 wag (349 Kmiles... parked, next step is a rust free body)
85 Gwag (229 Kmiles... the running test lab)

Topic author
1979bettywhite
Posts: 547
Joined: Tue Jul 25, 2017 8:14 am

Re: A/C Question

Post by 1979bettywhite »

Alright, I am happy to report with a little bit of wrench time yesterday, I was able to get the condenser and dryer out of the Jeep. Of course the radiator had to come out....again. I think this is the third or fourth time I have had it out in the last year.

I blew the high pressure hose when trying to fill the ac system a couple weeks ago. At that point I threw up my hands and vowed to replace all the hoses and have everything checked for leaks before I tried again.

So I finally broke lose the high pressure hose from the compressor, pulled the radiator, pulled the condenser with hoses and dryer still attached, and then broke loose all the connections. PB Blaster is my friend. Oh, and I also went ahead and pulled the heater core box while I was at it. Plan on resealing everything there and testing the heater core for leaks while it is all apart.

Plan to take the evaporator, condenser and heater core to the radiator shop and have them all tested for leaks/repaired. Plan to get new hoses made for the ac as well.

So here is my question, has anyone relocated the dryer to somewhere other than the side mount on the condenser? I may just succumb and mount it back there again, but thought it might be easier to access on a fenderwell somewhere. Just wanted to see if someone had already done that. If so, my hoses will of course have to be a little different.

letank
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Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2012 9:16 pm
Location: SF bay area

Re: Dryer relocation

Post by letank »

1979bettywhite wrote:has anyone relocated the dryer to somewhere other than the side mount on the condenser?
It has been on my mind, to check at the junkyard the other possibilities such as those on the XJ or chebys, as most others have the dryer inside the engine bay... still on crutches so , no yard trip for another few weeks...
Michel
74 wag (349 Kmiles... parked, next step is a rust free body)
85 Gwag (229 Kmiles... the running test lab)

rapom
Posts: 82
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2016 10:00 am

Re: A/C Question

Post by rapom »

I kept my old system under the dash except replaced the expansion valve. But everything under the hood including the hoses are new. Sandborn compressor replaced the York. Charged with 134a and it blows so cold that I have to kept a window open and the under dash vents open to keep from freezing.

I used classic air's hose kit and used them for the compressor and the condensor. Hardest fitting to find was the big 90 coming off the evaporator.
I also installed a 14" Spal pusher fan on top of the condensor to keep the A/C temps cold in a traffic jam.

Topic author
1979bettywhite
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Re: A/C Question

Post by 1979bettywhite »

Thanks. Thinking about trying to use my York compressor in the interim to see how it does. Other than that, everything else under the hood will be either new or repaired. Just trying to decide whether I try to use the old condenser or go with a universal one. Which condenser did you go with for yours?

Topic author
1979bettywhite
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Re: A/C Question

Post by 1979bettywhite »

Since I have been pondering all this this afternoon, I went ahead and just pulled my compressor. Having some hoses made tomorrow, and the guy that does it is a great ac guy. Rebuilds compressors as well. I think I will just take all my questions in to him tomorrow and see what he thinks is the best process to move forward to have efficient and reliable A/C. But I do plan to at least keep the interior box, evaporator core etc. I do enjoy the stock look of things there.

Topic author
1979bettywhite
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Re: A/C Question

Post by 1979bettywhite »

So I have decided to go ahead and swap out to a Sanden compressor. Got one (as well as a york to sanden bracket) from my AC parts guy. He is also making all the hoses. I believe I will start by using my stock condenser. He said it actually might be ok, and I could throw an electric fan on there as well to help.

What I do need to know from you guys though is about both a low and high pressure control switch. I understand that our Jeeps came with a low pressure control switch, but I am unsure if mine has been removed or just not working etc. Where would I find this switch if it were there?

Are they any precautions I need to take with my new setup. Basically it will be all new except for the condenser and the evaporator core. Should I be installing low and high pressure switches? A fan? etc.? EDIT: Did more research. Guess it will be up to me to decide to do a binary or trinary switch installed on the dryer for my system.

rapom
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Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2016 10:00 am

Re: A/C Question

Post by rapom »

I used a binary switch, it came as part of the dryer which I mounted next to the condenser behind the grill.
I would recommend a new condenser as they are a lot more efficient than the stock one. (I was told this by multiple sources). And you need a better one since 134a isn’t as good as r12 which is what the stock system was designed for. Not sure of the exact size but it was smaller than the stock one. As cold as mine blows, if the stock condenser is use it might work just right.

rapom
Posts: 82
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2016 10:00 am

Re: A/C Question

Post by rapom »

I think the binary is the low pressure switch. Your ac guy will know what you need.

letank
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Location: SF bay area

Re: A/C Question

Post by letank »

When I redid the 86 Honda AC, the new switch is binary. It is a simple screw - on device, they also come as ternary which add heat sensing... on our riggs it is by the glass window on the fender...
Michel
74 wag (349 Kmiles... parked, next step is a rust free body)
85 Gwag (229 Kmiles... the running test lab)

Topic author
1979bettywhite
Posts: 547
Joined: Tue Jul 25, 2017 8:14 am

Re: A/C Question

Post by 1979bettywhite »

Yeah I don't think my 78 has one at all. Will be putting one in for sure. Can always wire in a fan later.


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Curly
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Re: A/C Question

Post by Curly »

1979bettywhite wrote:Yeah I don't think my 78 has one at all. Will be putting one in for sure. Can always wire in a fan later.


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My 77 A/C system was complete but inoperable due to a blown compressor. I never did find any kind of psi switch, anywhere. I added a binary switch on the fender where the quick disconnect is/was. I had new hoses made and had the switch port located there. Shop couldn't replicate or reuse the quick disconnect. Everything else is the same.
I start what I finish.

81 Wagoneer 4.2/auto
77 Cherokee S 360/Auto/QT
97 Jeep Wrangler

Topic author
1979bettywhite
Posts: 547
Joined: Tue Jul 25, 2017 8:14 am

Re: A/C Question

Post by 1979bettywhite »

I assume you are running 134a now? How is the cooling? Also, I guess they just added a block for the binary switch to screw in to?

I may call the a/c guy and see if he can put in a place for the binary switch. Thanks for the info.

rapom
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Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2016 10:00 am

Re: A/C Question

Post by rapom »

this is how I bought my dryer. Switch mounts on it.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-Rece ... 3452!US!-1

Topic author
1979bettywhite
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Re: A/C Question

Post by 1979bettywhite »

Alright guys. Got the parts back from my ac guy today. He went with an SD5S14 compressor. But I have reached an impasse on the project. One of the bolts on the back of the sanden hits the head. Therefore I am off about an 1/8" give or take in lining up exactly with the pulleys:

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So the two options I thought might alleviate the problem are:

1. Grind down that bolt enough to gain clearance.
2. Use some 3/4" steel spacers to get enough height to clear.

The problem with the spacers is that I might have to now get a slightly longer set of belts over stock. Which is not the end of the world.

The other problem is that the coil is going to hit the back of the compressor. I could drill the current mounting plate farther in to gain clearance or I guess I could move it somewhere else in the bay?

Any thoughts from the wise sages out there?


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rapom
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Re: A/C Question

Post by rapom »

You may be able to clock the compressor to a different position and clear. That being said, I had the same problem but I determined that it wouldn’t be a problem. My compressor is slightly ahead and I ‘ve had not problems in over 1000 miles.

rapom
Posts: 82
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2016 10:00 am

Re: A/C Question

Post by rapom »

If you clock the compressor so your fittings hook up on the passenger side you should be ok. I have to look at mine again but I think that’s what I did.
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