AC help needed please

Gary Lewis wrote

Yes, the evap comes out the engine side of the HVAC box.  Not too bad at all.

Good luck, Dave!

Edit: I don't know about the valve, but I can's see why you need two back-to-back.

Gary thanks valve will be removed. Never gave it much thought on the 2 valves back to back before seeing it posted on YouTube.
I also hope it is not to hard to get the evap coil swapped out


When getting my monthly eye injection I got a call the dryer was in so picked it and some system flush up on the way home from the Dr. office.

After I rest the eye I may go out and start the AC part swap / flush / recharge job.
The only thing to flush is the condenser, and it is more to get the oil out and hoses, everything else gets replaced.

From what I am reading I only add oil to the compressor. Half in the compressor and the rest in the low side of the coil as not to slug the compressor.
I think I added to much oil when I first got the system running so hope to fix it this time.

Thanks again
Dave ----

FuzzFace2 wrote

Gary Lewis wrote

Yes, the evap comes out the engine side of the HVAC box.  Not too bad at all.

Good luck, Dave!

Edit: I don't know about the valve, but I can's see why you need two back-to-back.

Gary thanks valve will be removed. Never gave it much thought on the 2 valves back to back before seeing it posted on YouTube.
I also hope it is not to hard to get the evap coil swapped out


When getting my monthly eye injection I got a call the dryer was in so picked it and some system flush up on the way home from the Dr. office.

After I rest the eye I may go out and start the AC part swap / flush / recharge job.
The only thing to flush is the condenser, and it is more to get the oil out and hoses, everything else gets replaced.

From what I am reading I only add oil to the compressor. Half in the compressor and the rest in the low side of the coil as not to slug the compressor.
I think I added to much oil when I first got the system running so hope to fix it this time.

Thanks again
Dave ----

The evaporator replacement on our trucks is surprisingly easy. Basically, just split the case from inside the engine bay by removing the screws that hold the two half's together.

In regards to the oil, I recall adding a set amount in the compressor and then portioning out the remainder in the condenser and evaporator. Good luck in your quest to fix the AC.  

Sorry to hear about the eye, Dave. Avastin injections? Typically get those for Wet AMD or macular edema.    

Machspeed wrote

FuzzFace2 wrote

Gary Lewis wrote

Yes, the evap comes out the engine side of the HVAC box.  Not too bad at all.

Good luck, Dave!

Edit: I don't know about the valve, but I can's see why you need two back-to-back.

Gary thanks valve will be removed. Never gave it much thought on the 2 valves back to back before seeing it posted on YouTube.
I also hope it is not to hard to get the evap coil swapped out


When getting my monthly eye injection I got a call the dryer was in so picked it and some system flush up on the way home from the Dr. office.

After I rest the eye I may go out and start the AC part swap / flush / recharge job.
The only thing to flush is the condenser, and it is more to get the oil out and hoses, everything else gets replaced.

From what I am reading I only add oil to the compressor. Half in the compressor and the rest in the low side of the coil as not to slug the compressor.
I think I added to much oil when I first got the system running so hope to fix it this time.

Thanks again
Dave ----

The evaporator replacement on our trucks is surprisingly easy. Basically, just split the case from inside the engine bay by removing the screws that hold the two half's together.

In regards to the oil, I recall adding a set amount in the compressor and then portioning out the remainder in the condenser and evaporator. Good luck in your quest to fix the AC.  

Sorry to hear about the eye, Dave. Avastin injections? Typically get those for Wet AMD or macular edema.

It looked like thats how it came apart but wanted to check to make sure before Igot into it.

The eye thing has been going on for almost 10 years now.
I get the injection every 4 weeks now but was up to 12 weeks at 1 time.
I dont remember what they inject, they have tried 2 different meds to get this under control and told it will be fore the rest of my life.
I get samples now but if I had to pay for it each shot is $1200! So I would be going blind in that eye if not for samples.

The eye builds up pressure and if not kept in check the eye can pop like a balloon at the back were the nerves are and kills them and I end up with an area there dose not picture what it should.
I have a little area now that is like that and for the most part I dont even notice but Icant pass my eye test for my CDL with that eye and when backing up the work truck, trailer truck, I cant judge how close I am to something. I think I am 10 feet and I am more like 30 feet so I have to get out a bunch till I am close enough to hookup the hoses to off load product.

Thanks for the information heading out in a few to "get'er done"!
Dave ----

We have AC
The factory evap coil was easy on a 300 six, I would do them all day long.
The compressor clutch gave me more trouble to swap than the coil.

I got a compressor with out clutch because I replace it not long ago.
I had to get more oil as the compressor calls for 10 oz from what I found and I have less then 8 oz.
When out I also picked up more Freon with dye so I did not need to add it to the system.

The compressor came with shipping oil and had to be drained and PAG46 oil added but the full 10 oz could not be added to the compressor as per paper work. Some was added to the compressor and the rest to the evap coil inlet side. Once the compressor had oil in it they wanted it set on the clutch end to get oil on the seal for about 5 min. so I did other things.

I picked up system flush the other day and back flushed the condenser just to make sure it had no junk and get any extra oil out also flushed the hoses. I then ran shop air through the condenser as per the can of flush till no more misting came out.

Every thing went well till ........... I went to hook the suction hose to the dryer.
Just placing it there I seen it would be to high and could not close the hood.
Guess the old dryer was a little different as it was the same hose?
I tried using my to small tubing bender I have had since high school and broke it
At that itme my son  showed up and showed him what was going on. He said why not use MAP gas torch to heat the metal tube and bend it around EXH. pipe I had sitting on the bench.
It worked out pretty good and was able to close the hood.

Started pulling a vacuum and after 30 mins shut it down to check for leaks, all was good so started to pull vacuum for a deep pull, did it for 2 hours as I was picking up tools and doing other things.

My son started checking why the right side bumper fog / driving lights stopped working.
Both bulbs went bad and in the middle he left for work so I had to swap bulbs and put the housing back in the bumper, wile the vacuum pump was doing its thing.

I figured after 2 hours pulling a vacuum if not enough then to bad and started to add Freon to the system. First can had the dye in it as I wanted some in the system just in case.
The sticker calls for 13 lb and 12 oz of R12 and using 12 oz 134a cans comes to 3,75 cans IIRC
When said & done 4 cans got added.

At first I was a little worried the compressor was not working after adding the 2nd can and not seeing the high side come up. Then realized I had the high side gauge valve open.
With the 4 - 12 oz cans I had 55 to 60 on the low side and 155 to 160 on the high side with OAT in the 90's and only my drum fan blowing on me and the radiator.
I had water dripping off the dryer and hose all the way back to the compressor and even a little of the compressor.

I did not have a way to measure the temp out of the vents but I was happy from what I felt blowing out.
I loaded up the weekly trash and made a dump run AC blowing cold but had the windows & kick vents open, too tired to close them as I been working on the truck since 4am and it was now 3pm

I dont have anymore issues with this AC
Oh when swapping the clutch I could tell the old compressor was bad as you did not hear the same compressing noise between them. This new compressor is also quite so the other was bad from day one.
Dave ----

Well done! Hope it stays frosty for awhile.

grumpin wrote

Well done! Hope it stays frosty for awhile.

Thanks and me too
Dave ----

Yes, well done!!  

Gary Lewis wrote

Yes, well done!!  

Thanks
With everything new it better work good now.
Dave ----

I know what you mean.  Big Blue's is all essentially new and it worked for a bit but then failed.  Turned out it was a bad o-ring and once that was replaced it has been rock solid.

However, it is still a 30+ year old system and it doesn't do as well as newer systems.  For instance, the blower isn't nearly as powerful so the cold air takes some time to cool things down - especially at our 100+ current temps.  But once cooled down it does a good job.

Not only is it 37 years old, it was designed for R12, not R134. Darth's original system was great, the conversion was adequate but never quite as good as the original.

Now you understand why I put an entire 1996 crew cab system in Darth, bigger, multipass condenser and bigger evaporator also.

85lebaront2 wrote

Not only is it 37 years old, it was designed for R12, not R134. Darth's original system was great, the conversion was adequate but never quite as good as the original.

Now you understand why I put an entire 1996 crew cab system in Darth, bigger, multipass condenser and bigger evaporator also.

The condenser was just the normal replacement for the truck that you had to space the bottom out a little to make work. Think its for the 87 up trucks? but listed to fit ours.

Now on the new evap coil it is a little bigger.
When I pulled the old one out it had a rubber spacer that ran top to bottom on the end to the firewall.
I pulled it off and was looking to see how I was going to get it to "stick" so I could install the new coil.
I then thought I should match the 2 coils up side by side before trying to install and find it would not fit for some reason.
That is when I found the new coil was wider the width of the rubber spacer.
It is maybe 2" wider but every little bit of more cooling helps.

As for cooling I think the pick up cools pretty good compared to my 02 Durango even with rear heat/AC.
The Durango is a lot of space to cool down over the pick up cab and both would be sitting out in the sun all day. The other day the Durango said it was over a 100* out side, hotter in the truck, when I got in after work.
Dave ----

Big Blue is running a complete 1990 system with the larger compressor, but it still takes a bit to cool down.  As I'll explain in WHYDTYTT, a young man at church asked me to help him get a Honda he bought to the mechanic's shop.  So we were out in the 103F heat and sunshine quite a while today getting the trailer out, loading the car up, unloading it, and putting the trailer back in its spot.  And when we got back in the truck we ran the A/C on Max & high fan for 30 minutes and we didn't get cold.  The air was cold, but we weren't.

if  you needed to modify the hose end then you had a later model drier. there was a change around 90 which pointed the drier outlet more upward and the hose for it was shorter at that point and lacked the 30 degree bend.

Gary Lewis wrote

[…] we were out in the 103F heat and sunshine quite a while today […] we ran the A/C on Max & high fan for 30 minutes and we didn't get cold.  The air was cold, but we weren't.

Move North.


Big Bro has no AC.  Right, much too hot… 4-5 days per year.

mat in tn wrote

if  you needed to modify the hose end then you had a later model drier. there was a change around 90 which pointed the drier outlet more upward and the hose for it was shorter at that point and lacked the 30 degree bend.

The drier is for 81 to match the 81 evap coil.
The factory 81 compressor is the big York unit.

The compressor I am using and the suction hose is for 85 system IIRC.
I could not use the 85 drier as it would not bolt up to the evap coil.

The later hose should run along the cowl to the direr and the fitting would be to the engine side.
Because I have to use the 81 drier the hose fitting is on the fender side so the hose kind of run across the air filter housing on my 300 six.

Now 2 years ago I used a new different drier and this hose and it all fit.
I dont remember who's drier the old one was but this new one is a Murray and it is just a little different.
Besides the hose fitting the low psi switch is also not in the same place and now hits the heater cut off valve but got it to fit.

I have been using the truck the last few days and at 4am (77*f) I have to turn the temp up as it gets a little cool in the cab. On the way home it was 94* and the humidity 88%+ and with the fan on high, temp cold and set to Normal AC it was nice and cool in the cab.
If I put it to MAX AC the air flow changes from dash to defrost more then on normal.
Dave ----

ps: just re-reading this I just thought I bet I could have used the 85 evap coil and the 85 drier I bought 2 years ago and think the hose would run across the cowl like it should

Ok, guys keep in mind Darth is a crew cab so has a cab close to the interior volume of a Durango as the seats are set up for 3 abreast at equal sized locations. I, as does Gary have the biggest physical sized gas engine Ford built after the MEL engines were discontinued. When I was doing my updating, first, I used a bunch of thermal barrier under the carpet, with a double layer over where the exhaust runs underneath. The 1996 Door panels also have a layer of insulation in them and I replaced the 1986 firewall pad with the thicker 1996 pad. I also have the fabric covered 1996 headliner so even though his roof is black I do not get a load of heat in through there. All side windows are tinted as is the rear sliding window. Under the rear slider is also carpeted.

On the actual system, FS10 compressor with the small clutch pulley since Darth has a 3.55 gear and the E4OD. A 1994-97 multipass condenser and the 1996 evaporator and casing. New 1994-97 accumulator with the pressure switch set for 34° F with R134 and the correct (red I think) orifice tube for a crew cab in a high humidity area.

Yes, he gets warm inside in creep and beep traffic, but once rolling you can almost hang meat in there.
I generally come off max AC and then still end up moving off full cold.

this is something I usually consider when doing a build. planning out the ac. I like to build in ac even though I personally never use it.  whichever you are going to use for the compressor is the deciding factor. if I chose a compressor for a 96 then I get all for the 96, relative to the refrigerant system. the evaporator air box is a little different, but everything fits and or can be fitted easily. the main thing is that all components fit each other and there are little chances of mis matching. they all use a cycle switch, and the comps all are two wire setup. also, when doing that you can use that vehicle's designed refrigerant and charge.

This is excellent news.  It is such a bear to split that case on my truck.  No room!  Glad you got this fixed let’s hope for a LONG while.  

I haven't pulled one apart with a 400 in the way. but I have with 4.9, 5.0, 5.8. all very doable. I can imagine it being a different animal with the 400, 460 ,6.9 etc. but only for the simple available space issue.  but as we know "simple doesn't always mean easy"

On the 400, it is easier to just pull it as one unit.  Of course, you have to remove the hose into the heater core.  But, trust me on this, removing all those little screws from above, and below, is a chore.