Where do I start A/C repair

[deadshort52]

I just bought a 71 c-20 camper special with a 402 motor. I am starting to work my way through it to make it road worthy and I want to repair the air conditioning. When I bought it the belt was taken off the compressor. I am looking for some insight on where to start. There is a little pressure still in the system so I don't expect any big leaks but I am still wondering where to go from here.

Thanks in advance for your responses.

[Katrina/10]

First, see if the compressor will turn by hand. The belt was taken off for a reason, it could be locked up.

[deadshort52]

Originally Posted by Katrina/10

First, see if the compressor will turn by hand. The belt was taken off for a reason, it could be locked up.

I should have stated that in the first post... The compressor does turn but it turns pretty hard, I had to turn it with a big channel lock. I know I will need a compressor but will I need a drier, accumulator and replace all of the hoses just to try it out? Do I need to get to the evaporator to clean it out? What compressor do you recommend?


Does anyone else get a kick out of a seller when you are buying something that needs a little fixing? Of course everything I asked him about that wasn't working just needed a $5.00 part and it was really easy to install...he just didn't have the time! Fortunately I know better I just always get a chuckle out that situation though.

[Katrina/10]

Nothing is ever that easy, especially with air conditioning systems, there are so many things that can go wrong. The questions are, how much money do you want to spend, and how many times do you want to work on it?

[deadshort52]

Originally Posted by Katrina/10

Nothing is ever that easy, especially with air conditioning systems, there are so many things that can go wrong. The questions are, how much money do you want to spend, and how many times do you want to work on it?

I want to fix it once and I am not overly concerned about the cost, within reason anyway.

[Already Gone]

It sounds like you got somewhat lucky with your truck. I have looked at buying many, many trucks the last bunch of years and I find 90% of the time when you look at a mid-range priced truck with A/C firstly the A/C isn't working and in 90% of those trucks the compressor and accompanying brackets etc. have been removed and are not with the truck and it just behooves me why people remove everything when the A/c stops blowing cold or compressor seizes.

[Katrina/10]

Originally Posted by deadshort52

I want to fix it once and I am not overly concerned about the cost, within reason anyway.

As a minimum, replace the compressor and drier. The only way to evaluate the rest of the system is to charge it up and check the pressures.

[jessewebb]

Originally Posted by Already Gone

It sounds like you got somewhat lucky with your truck. I have looked at buying many, many trucks the last bunch of years and I find 90% of the time when you look at a mid-range priced truck with A/C firstly the A/C isn't working and in 90% of those trucks the compressor and accompanying brackets etc. have been removed and are not with the truck and it just behooves me why people remove everything when the A/c stops blowing cold or compressor seizes.

I'm working on the same thing. Without using a AC cab. So far so good. But yet so far away
Posted via Mobile Device

[deadshort52]

Originally Posted by Already Gone

It sounds like you got somewhat lucky with your truck. I have looked at buying many, many trucks the last bunch of years and I find 90% of the time when you look at a mid-range priced truck with A/C firstly the A/C isn't working and in 90% of those trucks the compressor and accompanying brackets etc. have been removed and are not with the truck and it just behooves me why people remove everything when the A/c stops blowing cold or compressor seizes.

I did get somewhat lucky with this truck. I am happy that at least all of the a/c components are here. Its like taking a step back in time working on this truck. Nothing has been taken apart on it as far as I can tell. Its all still here and all original.

Did the factory a/c set up work okay on these trucks or would I be better off looking into an aftermarket system?

[Katrina/10]

I like factory air, but opinions are all over the place on that.

[Davidf]

Replace compressor, go with S6, Everco, or Pro6ten (all direct A6 replacements). Replace receiver/drier. Open up system and reverse flush evaporator and condenser. If orig compressor failed, it will have sent metal debris down stream...got to get it all out. Bench test POA, search will show you how. Keep it R12, otherwise replace condenser with larger unit and readjust POA TO 26psi.

[F.A.A.benny]

Recommendations from guys if going with 134a are usually to get an aluminum a6 replacement compressor(pro6ten) a parallel flow condenser and to NOT get a poa delete kit(cycling switch). The drier should be changed regardless and hoses/lines are pretty cheap from palces like LMC. If your poa valve is stuck, lmk, Ive rebuilt quite a few of them.

[deadshort52]

Originally Posted by Davidf

Replace compressor, go with S6, Everco, or Pro6ten (all direct A6 replacements). Replace receiver/drier. Open up system and reverse flush evaporator and condenser. If orig compressor failed, it will have sent metal debris down stream...got to get it all out. Bench test POA, search will show you how. Keep it R12, otherwise replace condenser with larger unit and readjust POA TO 26psi.

Do you have a recommended vendor that I should buy these parts from? What condenser is recommended? Do I search for one from a different make and model?

[RedRoad]

benny, is that the PF condenser and drier you use on your conversions? do the factory hard lines work or do they need to be modified?

Looks great by the way!

[hdff]

Sub'ed

[jjzepplin]

In!

[1972RedNeck]

I always replace the expansion valve and accumulator (or what ever you want to call it) when I open a system. If you want the stock look, good A6 rebuilds can be found easily. Unless you are going to run R12 or R12 replacements (Freeze 12, RedTech 12, or homemade refrigerant) you will want to upgrade to a more efficient condenser. Changing hoses is more of a personal preference but definitely flush them what ever you do (new or old).

[davischevy]

Do what makes you feel good, but,

I finished The red and white truck in my avatar in 1990 and it has been running 134 for several years now and works great with all factory components in place. This truck has been driven to Goodguys Des Moines, Cruisin the Coast, Bowling Green and Pigeon Forge on several occasions. My wife was in there, and if she is ridin' in it, the air better work.

The system was flushed, then we installed a new compressor, hoses and dryer and that's it. Flushing is crucial when switching to 134. The new compressor and dryer was just my preference of starting with new parts.

One of the most common problems with these trucks is no vacuum to the heater valve. With the engine running Make sure you have 15+ pounds of vacuum coming out of your vacuum canister mounted on the side of the "suitcase" and at the heater valve and valve on the cowl. If the heater valve doesn't work, the heater will overwhelm any cold air you have. You can get a vacuum pump/guage at any parts store.

Take note; If your defroster doesn't seem to work, that will be the diverter box in the cab. It's the greenish colored plastic box right by the hump in the floor.

We have four of these trucks, three chevelles and a 71 Corvette, all with factory components and 134 refrigerant.

I work under the premise "If it's on there I want it to work and work well". but I also like to keep it simple. I drive my cars and if I break down, I want to be able to call O'Reilly and tell them what to bring to fix it.

Larry

[Steeveedee]

If you are only air-conditioning the cab of your truck, that A-6 compressor is complete overkill. That compressor was designed by GM to cool even a big black Buick station wagon in the desert where the nearest shade was 100 miles away.

If the belt was removed, it could just be that the clutch shoe has bad springs. You can replace that shoe easily. I'd recommend taking it to several shops who can lay eyeballs on it and give you an estimate. You will be amazed at the differences in cost. Use your judgment on how crazy the answers are. Then get back to us...

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by 1972RedNeck

I always replace the expansion valve and accumulator (or what ever you want to call it) when I open a system. If you want the stock look, good A6 rebuilds can be found easily. Unless you are going to run R12 or R12 replacements (Freeze 12, RedTech 12, or homemade refrigerant) you will want to upgrade to a more efficient condenser. Changing hoses is more of a personal preference but definitely flush them what ever you do (new or old).

Accumulator, or receiver/dryer. Homemade refrigerant could include propane. That is what is generally used in Australia, though it isn't really "homemade" there. I'm not in/from Australia, I just have a wide data base. Propane may require a different lubricant. Interestingly enough, there doesn't seem to be a large reporting database about traffic accidents in Australia where vehicles caught fire in an accident where the AC system was breached. But that is one reason that non-flammable refrigerants are used in the US.

[1972RedNeck]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

Accumulator, or receiver/dryer. Homemade refrigerant could include propane. That is what is generally used in Australia, though it isn't really "homemade" there. I'm not in/from Australia, I just have a wide data base. Propane may require a different lubricant. Interestingly enough, there doesn't seem to be a large reporting database about traffic accidents in Australia where vehicles caught fire in an accident where the AC system was breached. But that is one reason that non-flammable refrigerants are used in the US.

If you think about how little refrigerant is in an A/C system, it wouldn't make a very big bang if it were full of propane.

[Mapearso]

subscribed!

[F.A.A.benny]

Originally Posted by RedRoad

benny, is that the PF condenser and drier you use on your conversions? do the factory hard lines work or do they need to be modified?

Looks great by the way!

I cant take credit for that setup. That picture came from one of the fb goups. But I can tell you that it is a parallel flow condenser, unlike the ones that Old Air Products and Classic Auto Air sell
I cant seem to verify it. I was told it came from Silla but when I looked it up on their website, the image looks like the ones that old air and CAA sell. Called them but the csr on the line didn't really know much or couldn't verify it either. I don't want to spend the $200 its gonna cost to get it to me just to verify. If not, then I can already envision the hassle with returns and probably me having to pay the shipping back/20% restocking fee. Also, I would not be using that style of drier in the pic. That is a steel drier. You can pick those up at any auto parts store. I like the factory aluminum reproductions. They cost a little more but they look better. Oh and don't buy them from Old Air Products unless you happen to like paying 2 times what you can find them for on other sites. Now you can purchase a rebuilt one from old air( gotta have your core, or its $125 core charge) or you can just have yours rebuilt by them. CAA offers this same service.

[RedRoad]

Cant wait to see the pics of the set up you are currently restoring. If you put a kit together with the PF condenser, dryer, compressor with options on recalibrated POA, evaporator, lines etc you would do well. Most folks with factory air would rather rehab their systems instead of pulling it all out and going aftermarket.

[F.A.A.benny]

Originally Posted by RedRoad

benny, is that the PF condenser and drier you use on your conversions? do the factory hard lines work or do they need to be modified?

Looks great by the way!

Also forgot to say that the factory hard lines would work without needing to modify them.