Air Conditioning Conversion

[BIGREDRASA]

I'm going to be on the road for about one month this summer, and want to have A/C. 8)
My 200 CID six had a dealer installed unit, with a York compressor. The main compressor mounting bracket mounts on top of the head, passenger side, secured by two front head bolts. It is a vertical rectangular plate, with four holes, in a rectangle 3 1/4" x 4 3/8". I want to install a Sanden compressor and convert to R134a. Classic Auto Air has a conversion kit for $463 plus shipping.
The Classic kit consists of a Sanden compressor, an adapter plate, and two hoses. Does anyone have any suggestions for a less expensive install, that includes an efficient compressor?

 

[xctasy]

I've got an A/C pump from an XF Falcon which bolts on to the same bracket as the alternator, both benath the header tube on a log engine. The alternator is Bosch, the compressor is the same as the 86 Mustang ones, I think. All is on the right hand side, and is out of the way of most parts. The stuff I've seen on 200/250 Mavericks and Granadas is differnent.

The best thing is the small size of the gear. Check with MustangSix regards the bolt spacings for this bracket. It should mount on the 200 I6, and give you a cleaner look with top refrigeration.

 

[twentyover]

Careful if all they send is the pump and hoses. To correctly convert to you NEED to replace the R/D (unless it has been replaced recently w/ a 134a compatible unit.)

Until about 1992 all major R/D manufacturers used a desiccating agent known as XH-5. Sealed tube tests with 134a and the PAG lubricants used for these systems generated some real nasty stuf- hydrofloric acid among them. This lead to the development of desiccating agents identified as XH-7 (R12 and R134a compatible) and XH-9 (R12, R134a, and blended refrigerant compatible.) These are the same desiccating agents, but use a different binder, ans that was the cause of the bad chemistry.

If the R/D has been manufactured in the last several years, it is probably OK- UOP basically stopped production of -5 a couple years ago, so all new parts being manufactured are -7 or -9. Many parts made during the transition were identified as 134a compatible with a tag or other method.

Other things the OEM's did during conversion was a change to the hose material from so-called 'rubber' hose (constructed of ruber/woven sheath/rubber to so-called barrier hoses (like Parker Par-flex and Coodyear Galaxy) the 134a molecule is smaller and migreates through the older hoses at an unacceptable rate.

Pils were changed from mineral based to PAG type- and constituent components on some compressors needed to be hardened to accomodate the reduced lubricity of this lubricant type

Condenser's were upsized (not rquired except in the most extreme high traffic/low speed/high temperature envirornments) and TXV or orfice tube settings were changed (Not a big deal- more an optimization for the different thermodynamic characteristic of 134a).

Have fin and good luck

 

[BIGREDRASA]

Woops! The Classic kit also includes the Drier and bolts. I priced the items locally, and the compressor is about $300, the hoses will be another $80 or so, the bracket is about $80, and the bolts a few more $s. It looks like the Classic kit is not that outrageous.
We have a pretty good A/C shop in Omaha, and they tell me they could get me up and running for about $700. And they'll flush and charge the system. I think I'll just bite the bullet and have the pros do it this time, since I lack the equipment to properly flush and clean the system. 8)

 

[MustangSix]

The Sanden is far superior to the old York compressor. It's a lot smoother and takes less power to run.

I've seen them used to replace the "lawn Mower engine" with just a simple bracket, utilzing the original evaporator and condensor unit. You have to flush and change the filter/drier but apparently it works well with the rest of the original system.

 

[LaGrasta]

www.nostalgicairparts.com