Fixing my AC

[JerryC]

New fan and fan clutch installed. The new fan is much better designed to pull air, blades are bigger and shaped better.

It is 90 degrees outside and I'm getting 53-55 out of the vents. Doesn't sound like it's real cool but it is enough to keep the inside nice and cool. If I lower the fan speed to medium it drops to the low 40's. With the fan on medium it feels as cool inside as with the fan on high.

Pressures, at idle with engine fully warmed up 38 low, 210 high. According to the charts it could take little more refrigerant but I think I'll leave it as is for now.

 

[wildbill23c]

One shop quoted $1800 for the conversion, that didn't include a new compressor if the compressor turned out to be bad. They also quoted $500 for a compressor? WHAT!!! Why was it I found a new compressor for $177 yet they wanted to charge $500 for a rebuilt compressor. That was the 2nd red flag, past the $1800 for the conversion LOL.

Edit: Considering a I charged the system and then found the compressor was bad I am into the conversion/repair of my AC system about $520, including the compressor, and tools and conversion items.

 

[wildbill23c]

New fan and fan clutch installed. The new fan is much better designed to pull air, blades are bigger and shaped better.

It is 90 degrees outside and I'm getting 53-55 out of the vents. Doesn't sound like it's real cool but it is enough to keep the inside nice and cool. If I lower the fan speed to medium it drops to the low 40's. With the fan on medium it feels as cool inside as with the fan on high.

Pressures, at idle with engine fully warmed up 38 low, 210 high. According to the charts it could take little more refrigerant but I think I'll leave it as is for now.

Once you get the vehicle out on the highway those vent temps will go down more as well as you get the air flowing through the condenser. Sitting still the temps won't get down as far when its really hot outside.

 

[JerryC]

One shop quoted $1800 for the conversion, that didn't include a new compressor if the compressor turned out to be bad. They also quoted $500 for a compressor? WHAT!!! Why was it I found a new compressor for $177 yet they wanted to charge $500 for a rebuilt compressor. That was the 2nd red flag, past the $1800 for the conversion LOL.

Edit: Considering a I charged the system and then found the compressor was bad I am into the conversion/repair of my AC system about $520, including the compressor, and tools and conversion items.

That's insane. Conversion is an evac, a $8 adapter kit and a recharge.

I got the comp, accumulator, orifice tube and all the lines for $397 after taxes, all new at Autozone. $500 for just the comp, rebuilt at that, wow just wow...

I'd file their name under "places I ain't ever going to".

 

[wildbill23c]

That's insane. Conversion is an evac, a $8 adapter kit and a recharge.

I got the comp, accumulator, orifice tube and all the lines for $397 after taxes, all new at Autozone. $500 for just the comp, rebuilt at that, wow just wow...

I'd file their name under "places I ain't ever going to".

Definitely insane. They're trying to gouge people on these conversions left and right because many people can't or won't do the work themselves, so what do the shops do, take the cost of the parts and double them and make huge profits on a simple job in many cases.

 

[JerryC]

95 today, sitting at idle ~850 rpm air is cool-ish. Revved it to 1200 and the temp drops down to the "oh, that's nice" range.

This is where I see an electric fan really helping as it is not dependent on engine rpm.

Might be my project for next spring. While I have that far apart, I'll do the water pump.

 

[wildbill23c]

Thinking the same thing. Electric fan would definitely be a huge plus. At idle you get the so-so AC even with a working fan clutch. The fan clutch I just installed I've noticed is locked up most of the time seems to take forever for it to disengage so fuel economy and power loss is noticeable but manageable.

I definitely want to look into an electric fan for next year, and it will lighten the load on the engine as well.

 

[JerryC]

Back to thinking on this... I'm still seeing the high side too high and hosing the condenser does bring it down. The air draw through the condenser is weak, no surprise there. Taking a look I can see a big gap on each side between the radiator and condenser where air could be pulled into the radiator without going through the condenser.
I'm wondering if closing those gaps will help and if so will it affect how radiator cools the engine as it will be drawing all of its air through the condenser.
Also what to use to close that gap? My first thought was foam weatherstrip tape, but can it take the heat? Custom fab some aluminum? Maybe I will try the foam tape as a test to see if it works before going crazy on the fabrication...

Edit: maybe heater hose would work. Hopefully I'll get enough time this weekend to work on it.

 

[wildbill23c]

Mine has a space as well, if its dropping the pressures hosing down the condenser you should be fine. High pressures are due to the high heat outside and no air movement through the condenser. How much refrigerant did you add?

 

[JerryC]

I put most of three cans in it, which should be right around the 32oz I had for a target.
I took another look at Duracool, I am considering switching to that at some point.

 

[XTC90BII]

Jerry

If you put the better part of 3 cans in and the cans were 12OZ which most are that would be 36OZ. If your system is like mine 32OZ or 2lbs is the most that should be installed. That might account for the high pressure

Dennis

 

[JerryC]

Jerry

If you put the better part of 3 cans in and the cans were 12OZ which most are that would be 36OZ. If your system is like mine 32OZ or 2lbs is the most that should be installed. That might account for the high pressure

Dennis

I didn't use all three cans but I also didn't weigh it in either. I had leak when I started to charge it and lost some and another small leak I found that took a couple of days to get sealed up (tightened connection, tightened again). If I decide to pull it all out again to weigh the charge in, I'll probably switch over to Duracool.

Hopefully I'll get the airflow gaps sealed up and that will do the trick. I probably should just run it like it is and i should quit hooking up the gauges and enjoy the AC

 

[XTC90BII]

That might be a plan

Dennis

 

[wildbill23c]

I haven't messed with my AC since I got it working, if it works don't mess with it LOL. High pressures could be normal with the vehicle sitting parked at idle. Move your gauge set around so you can look at them while sitting in the cab and giving some throttle. Mine settled down quite a bit after I did that. Just sitting there idling the pressures were pretty high for me too.

 

[IIBRONCOS]

Have you tried taking a spray bottle of water and spraying the condenser when your gauges are hooked up ? There should be a very noticeable pressure drop on the gauges.

 

[JerryC]

I haven't messed with my AC since I got it working, if it works don't mess with it LOL. High pressures could be normal with the vehicle sitting parked at idle. Move your gauge set around so you can look at them while sitting in the cab and giving some throttle. Mine settled down quite a bit after I did that. Just sitting there idling the pressures were pretty high for me too.

I revved it at the throttle body.They just kept climbing until the compressor shut off. I didn't know it would do that.

On a side note the AC worked great today, it was 84 degrees today. Funny how well the AC works when it cool outside. Actually saw a 39 degree vent temp today.

 

[JerryC]

Have you tried taking a spray bottle of water and spraying the condenser when your gauges are hooked up ? There should be a very noticeable pressure drop on the gauges.

Did that with a garden hose and it dropped a lot. That's one of the reasons I think it needs more air through the condenser.

 

[wildbill23c]

The compressor on mine runs for quite a while, but then again most of my driving is in town so its not really running long enough to start cycling on and off. I usually get 38-40 degree vent temps unless its sitting and idling then the temps start climbing a little. An electric fan would sure help, even with a working fan clutch it still don't pull much air at idle especially with a larger double row radiator and the condenser right there to have to suck air through and with it being in the high 90's and 100's it really makes for a tough job on the AC system.

 

[IIBRONCOS]

Did that with a garden hose and it dropped a lot. That's one of the reasons I think it needs more air through the condenser.

Do you have the factory installed 17" x 1" x 1" foam seals on each side of your radiator that seals against the condenser ? I have seen a number of new radiator installs where the foam seals are stuck to the old radiator and discarded. New foam seals don't come with most new radiators. Without the foam seals the fan is unable to pull as much air through the condenser. It is worth checking.

 

[JerryC]

Do you have the factory installed 17" x 1" x 1" foam seals on each side of your radiator that seals against the condenser ? I have seen a number of new radiator installs where the foam seals are stuck to the old radiator and discarded. New foam seals don't come with most new radiators. Without the foam seals the fan is unable to pull as much air through the condenser. It is worth checking.

They are gone. The radiator was replaced a couple of years ago, but I don't know if the seals were there at that time.

I'm going to guess that getting the seals from Ford is not likely.