A/C / Heater Advise

[elorenzof]

Good Morning, I have a 1970 C10 AC truck, with the A6 Compressor. We just bought her in November of last year. The Heater and the AC is inop, and when i got her i had to redood all the cooling system. Extrememly rusty and goopy. I did everything, Radiator, thermostat, water pump, heater hoses, etc. but the Heater core. And i drove her this past winter with no heat, i couldn't help it but drive her! So this morning i took out the heater core, (with the help of a couple of how to threads on this forum) I have a AC set up, I'd like to go with a newer ac system and get rid of the ugly evap outside box and such. But i need to keep it real because of cash. My questions are this:

If i leave the outside box off that has the evaperator,
1.How do i get the heat to work, do i get a non ac heater box set up and put it in?
2. can i add the AC system from an aftermarket system to the non ac set up later? I wont be able to do the ac system till probably next year $$ is limited.
3. Do i just put the AC box on the firewall back on? (I dont have the compressor so it doesnt work.) Everything is dry rotted, and old, I'm looking at LMC Truck to get new seals, vent hoses (falling apart) ect.

If someone could direct me Please, I do have a little fundage, just not enough for the AC set up later just yet. Could i sell the factory ac set up to recoup some cash? All the Boxes under the dash are perfect and clean with no cracks, just the hoses are jacked up. AC controls move and work perfectly too. Please help on direction and advise so i can figure out what to do.

Lorenzo

[Stocker]

Pretty sure the heater / defroster works independent of the factory A/C system. My A/C was dead for many years and the heat / def worked just fine. Since your controls seem to be working, a good heater core (why did you remove yours?) and a couple heater hoses might be all you need. Maybe a water valve (my '72 has one on the pass. side inner fender).

Don't know about converting to a different type A/C system, except this: many, maybe all of them, just recycle inside air. They don't have capability to draw in fresh air.

[B. W.]

Keep the stock system - it's a great system. It's also the cheapest way to get your heater working.

You need the outer box for the heater to work:
1. it houses the blower motor
2. it holds the blend door which controls hot/cold (triangle shaped door in pic below)

You can run the heater side of the system without the A/C being operative, you can repair the A/C later.

As Stocker said, check the water valve on the passenger fender. It opens to allow hot coolant to the heater core when the heater is on.

Also make sure the blend door is moving when you move the controls. It it attached to the cable in the engine compartment at the top of the firewall. (see pic)

[Hidesertchevy]

As others have said keep the factory a/c system

[elorenzof]

Thank you all for your help. I removed and cleaned on Saturday the heater core and Evaporator. The evap box is in excellent shape no cracks, not broken, etc. even under the dash all the boxed look excellent. The P.O. duct taped the vent hoses which are dry rottted, but it actually cleaned up pretty well. i am going to keep it all and i have LMC Truck sending a new seal kit and such. I have replaced the water valve on the fender but i didn't notice that the vacuum line to it is cracked I'll get it back together and replace all the vacuum lines and go from there!

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by elorenzof

The P.O. duct taped the vent hoses which are dry rottted, but it actually cleaned up pretty well.

Take a good look, they might be worse than you thought. Many years ago I duct-taped some of my vent hoses just to buy some time. Recently I was working around them and they were way too bad to salvage, literally falling apart when touched or moved. Ordered all new stuff -- one or two were a very tight fit, but I got 'em all hooked up.