Air Conditioning

[mrein3]

Anybody notice anything different?

Relax a second while I post some pictures.

[mrein3]

I started with a non-AC truck. I modified the firewall to be the same as a factory AC truck.

[mrein3]

A little paint...

[mrein3]

I used an A6 compressor out of a 1971 Monte Carlo I junked in 1994. I put some oil in it and every once in a while spun the compressor and made sure it worked.

I adjusted the POA to work with R134a.
http://www.autoacforum.com/messagevi...AR_MSGDBTABLE=

I flushed the compressor with modern oil that I purchased from ACkits.vom. BAV Auto 100. It is chartruse in color which helps with leak detection. After 3 or 4 flushes I figured it was good to go.

The evaporator and condensor came out of a junk truck. I flushed them with mineral spirits.

I purchased a new, aftermarket expansion valve from ACkits.com.
A new aftermarket receiver/dryer from ACkits.com.
And a new fan belt from NAPA.

I pulled a vacuum. Let it sit for 30 minutes to make sure I had no leaks, then filled the system with 36 oz. of R134a.

[mrein3]

You guys may not like wet spots on your shop floors but I sure don't mind a little condensation dripping off the evaporator in my shop.

[Riveted1]

Very nice! How's it working?

[jbclassix]

Dude! This is the gold mine I was looking for! I am getting ready to put a Sanden on a 73 Pontiac Ventura with a POA! I have been wracking my brain for weeks!

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by Riveted1

Very nice! How's it working?

Awesome. The only thing I need to do is find an idle compensator for my aftermarket carb. For now if it starts to stumble at a stop light I just turn the compressor off with the fan switch.

I've heard and read that older (designed for R12) condensers don't work well with R134a. And it is looking like the 90+ degree days are not going to happen any time soon but for the 80s I've seen here since I got it working Friday night it works perfect.

Originally Posted by jbclassix

Dude! This is the gold mine I was looking for! I am getting ready to put a Sanden on a 73 Pontiac Ventura with a POA! I have been wracking my brain for weeks!

If you plan to switch your POA system over to R134a like I did, you need to adjust your POA like in the link I posted.


I don't know if I would convert another non-AC truck to use an all stock 67-72 AC system. If you got more money than time a $1000 - $1500 aftermarket kit might be the way to go. However for the $350 I have into it I guess it was worth my time.

If you already have a truck with all the stock AC components I would definately re-hab what you have.

Here is what you'll need...
AC Suction and Discharge hose ($95.00 P/N 138514 at GMCPauls.com)
AC Expansion valve to drier hose ($21.95 P/N 273623 at GMCPauls.com)
Replace ALL the o-rings in the system ($4.65 P/N CP3011 at Ackits.com)
Get a new expansion valve. ($16.50 P/N 38652 at RockAuto)
Flush the compressor with R134a compatible oil. ($28.69 for 1/2 gallon P/N 41-50062-64 at Ackits.com)
You need to flush the used compressor with this oil two or three times. 1/2 gallon is enough to flush the compressor and fill the system with the required 11 oz. when you're ready to button it up.
O-ring/thread sealer ($9.49 P/N RT201B at Ackits.com)
Flush the evaporator and condenser with mineral spirits. ($15 at hardware store)
New receiver/dryer ($9.64 P/N 33215 at RockAuto)

That is $200.92 if I did my math correctly.

After all the o-rings are re-habbed and all the parts installed, pull a vacuum. You need to get down to -28 to -30 in. Hg. Once you get there you want to close the valve on your gauge set and leave it sit for at least 30 minutes. If you still have the same -28 to -30 as when you shut off your vacuum pump you're good to go.

I had a couple of cans of R134a in my shop. I picked up two at Wal*Mart for $22.62 including MN sales tax. You need three.
I paid $100 for all the AC stuff off a junk truck except the condenser which I got off a junker da-burb was parting. If I remember right that was $35.

You're looking at $225 if you already have all the stuff on your truck. $350 if you have to convert a non-AC truck with junk parts like I did.

[71meangreenc10]

[QUOTE=mrein3;4834143]Awesome. The only thing I need to do is find an idle compensator for my aftermarket carb. For now if it starts to stumble at a stop light I just turn the compressor off with the fan switch.

I've heard and read that older (designed for R12) condensers don't work well with R134a. And it is looking like the 90+ degree days are not going to happen any time soon but for the 80s I've seen here since I got it working Friday night it works perfect.



I turned the idle up just a little bit and mine works fine, I have the older condensor on 134A and its working good. just going to add a pusher fan to get it to work better....

I changed mine over to a newer system and so far so good. I have about 1K in the whole system, but I had to rebuild the entire inside system and have a shop put in the outside, besides the sanden compressor I put in. Have all the part numbers for new stuff if anyone wants it.

Smitty

[dukcaln]

great work...you helped me out just by reading your post....

[Ed 72 Sierra Grande]

Originally Posted by mrein3

Awesome. The only thing I need to do is find an idle compensator for my aftermarket carb. For now if it starts to stumble at a stop light I just turn the compressor off with the fan switch.

I've heard and read that older (designed for R12) condensers don't work well with R134a. And it is looking like the 90+ degree days are not going to happen any time soon but for the 80s I've seen here since I got it working Friday night it works perfect.


If you plan to switch your POA system over to R134a like I did, you need to adjust your POA like in the link I posted.


I don't know if I would convert another non-AC truck to use an all stock 67-72 AC system. If you got more money than time a $1000 - $1500 aftermarket kit might be the way to go. However for the $350 I have into it I guess it was worth my time.

If you already have a truck with all the stock AC components I would definately re-hab what you have.

Here is what you'll need...
AC Suction and Discharge hose ($95.00 P/N 138514 at GMCPauls.com)
AC Expansion valve to drier hose ($21.95 P/N 273623 at GMCPauls.com)
Replace ALL the o-rings in the system ($4.65 P/N CP3011 at Ackits.com)
Get a new expansion valve. ($16.50 P/N 38652 at RockAuto)
Flush the compressor with R134a compatible oil. ($28.69 for 1/2 gallon P/N 41-50062-64 at Ackits.com)
You need to flush the used compressor with this oil two or three times. 1/2 gallon is enough to flush the compressor and fill the system with the required 11 oz. when you're ready to button it up.
O-ring/thread sealer ($9.49 P/N RT201B at Ackits.com)
Flush the evaporator and condenser with mineral spirits. ($15 at hardware store)
New receiver/dryer ($9.64 P/N 33215 at RockAuto)

That is $200.92 if I did my math correctly.

After all the o-rings are re-habbed and all the parts installed, pull a vacuum. You need to get down to -28 to -30 in. Hg. Once you get there you want to close the valve on your gauge set and leave it sit for at least 30 minutes. If you still have the same -28 to -30 as when you shut off your vacuum pump you're good to go.

I had a couple of cans of R134a in my shop. I picked up two at Wal*Mart for $22.62 including MN sales tax. You need three.
I paid $100 for all the AC stuff off a junk truck except the condenser which I got off a junker da-burb was parting. If I remember right that was $35.

You're looking at $225 if you already have all the stuff on your truck. $350 if you have to convert a non-AC truck with junk parts like I did.

Thank You

Good Work

[Katrina/10]

Originally Posted by mrein3

Anybody notice anything different?

Relax a second while I post some pictures.

Nice job! How about inside the cab? Did you replace all the non air stuff? All the hoses, vents and controls, I mean. I have an air cab, but the heat and air components have been removed, I need some info on how it all goes back together.

[RenoKeene]

Great job! I'm finishing mine up but I'm missing the spring that goes from the fresh air flap to the cowel, could you tell me how long this spring is and maybe post a picture of it. I can't button up my cowel without this spring and have no idea what to buy. (Lockdoc sent me one but it is the wrong style)

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by Katrina/10

Nice job! How about inside the cab? Did you replace all the non air stuff? All the hoses, vents and controls, I mean. I have an air cab, but the heat and air components have been removed, I need some info on how it all goes back together.

Its been a while but I know for a fact that the AC stuff "piggy backs" off the non-AC components. The windshield defroster ducts are the same. I did have to buy a $3 bag of flexible dryer vent hose at the local fleet farm to connect the AC registers to the added from junk truck AC HVAC output.

A look at the LMC catalog helps if you don't have the factory assembly manual.

[Katrina/10]

Thanks! I have some of the parts, but I did not remove them. I'll take a look at the catalog to see what I may be missing.

Gary

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by RenoKeene

Great job! I'm finishing mine up but I'm missing the spring that goes from the fresh air flap to the cowel, could you tell me how long this spring is and maybe post a picture of it. I can't button up my cowel without this spring and have no idea what to buy. (Lockdoc sent me one but it is the wrong style)

Its been a while but I remember posting picks of that flapper. The reason I remember is that somebody commented about the picture I took from inside the cowl that shows my deer antler wall of shame in the background.

I couldn't find that post but I did find the pictures. I don't have the length of the spring. What you need to know is that the spring holds the door open, vacuum works against the spring and closes it. I think with that information and the pictures below you can figure out what to use. Just measure from where it attaches to the flapper to where it attaches to the truck.

I picked mine out of a parts drawer at my local hardware store.

[RenoKeene]

Originally Posted by mrein3

Its been a while but I remember posting picks of that flapper. The reason I remember is that somebody commented about the picture I took from inside the cowl that shows my deer antler wall of shame in the background.

I couldn't find that post but I did find the pictures. I don't have the length of the spring. What you need to know is that the spring holds the door open, vacuum works against the spring and closes it. I think with that information and the pictures below you can figure out what to use. Just measure from where it attaches to the flapper to where it attaches to the truck.

I picked mine out of a parts drawer at my local hardware store.

Thank you very much, looks like the one Lockdoc sent me will work. My original one was laying in the bottom of the cowel and it was the type with the coil in the middle and the ends were straight with turned back tips (hard to describe), one of the 'arms' was missing so I wasn't sure of the length, also wasn't sure if the tension was critical.

[jbclassix]

I don't have my truck close to go look at... does anyone know if the fresh air flap can be adapted to non-ac cabs?

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by jbclassix

I don't have my truck close to go look at... does anyone know if the fresh air flap can be adapted to non-ac cabs?

Yes. You're looking at an adapted non-AC cab.
There are factory dimples to locate where you drill.
I believe the firewall simple was dimpled out so I used a 12 inch or so long drill bit through the other hole to get the hole going.
Of course the glove box was out to preform the operation.
Posted via Mobile Device
Posted via Mobile Device

[johnmiller66]

Great thread, just what I was looking for. Thanks

[sxh9057]

I been looking at the different threads in regards to adding AC a guts\unit from a C10 to my 72 C10 NON-AC cab. I understand I will have to cut the firewall & inside vents on my truck but I have a couple questions I hope someone could help me with. Do I need to add all the stuff for the fresh air flap to the cowel and will it work if I get it off an AC cab that has it? Is cutting\modifications required on mine to make it fit? Also what about the kick panel air valve? Mine currently has the manual hand vent. If I get a kick panel air valve unit, will it bolt up to mine or are modifications required? What happens if I don't do the fresh air flap\kick panel air valve? My engine blew last year so I ended up purchasing\installing a 383 stroker from a guy which came with the serpentine drive system and a peanut style AC compressor unit.
If the fresh air flap to the cowel & kick panel air valve are required, where is a good place to get those parts as LMC don't carry them?

I know above is a lot of information but wanted to make sure I covered everything. I am not a AC guy and know enough to be dangerous so would appreciate any help anyone can provide.

[jr1000yarder]

Interested

[Katrina/10]

The kick panel parts are interchangeable. The cowl flap will fit, but you may have to drill a couple of holes to install it. If the cowl flap is not installed the "inside air" function (recirculate) on your control will not work. The cab will not get as cool on very hot days without this.

[sxh9057]

Thanks for the info, glad to know they will fit. See if I can find them at a salvage yard.

[Katrina/10]

That might be a good idea, I don't know if they are available new. Also keep an eye on the parts for sale section here.