Time for A/C Rebuild

[AmericanSavage]

Sorry to say I cant help on the brackets or pulleys for a v8 motor.

But on the 300 6 the water pump is a 2 groove. Lucky the crank was a 3 groove.

On the hoses I also had a little issue because I am using a newer type compressor but older drier / evap and the hoses are different both the fitting ends and how they run in the engine bay.

I looked in to having hoses made but would have needed to come up with the fittings.

I then looked into buying a hose kit, hose & fittings.

That brought up the need to crimp the fittings onto the hose.

The tool was not that much but to only use it for 1 time just did not seam like the way to go.

I was able to find hoses that worked even if 1 did not run the right way.

I did have to reused 1 hose. Forget what one but 1 end is on the condenser.

Dave ----

Dave,

Thanks for this. I am at the point, where I am going to have to figure out something to do about the hoses. I looked again today and the hoses I thought were for F series, were for the E series. ONE might work—the compressor to condenser hose (with the high pressure valve).

All I know if I am going to have to be creative. What a mess I got myself into!

My crank pulley is 3 groove. But there are options for not all that expensive for the pump pulley if I need to switch it out.

Everything will be new, and so all prepared for R134—Depending on the hoses, I may need an adatper. But I see those fittings are not too scarce…if I recall.

I hope you figure out your system Dave. I remember how much you put into it, and with experience like you have, comes a wealth of info

Matt: thank you for the helpful words. I would love to see your set up. Do send if you get a chance. The MPC and LIGHT are helpful, but not exactly conclusive in the diagrams. I found one for the Clevelant, and if that is the setup of the 351m, then I do not need a multi belt pulley, but I just cannot see how that will work at the moment. It might take getting it mostly put together.

[mat in tn]

Dave,

Thanks for this. I am at the point, where I am going to have to figure out something to do about the hoses. I looked again today and the hoses I thought were for F series, were for the E series. ONE might work—the compressor to condenser hose (with the high pressure valve).

All I know if I am going to have to be creative. What a mess I got myself into!

My crank pulley is 3 groove. But there are options for not all that expensive for the pump pulley if I need to switch it out.

Everything will be new, and so all prepared for R134—Depending on the hoses, I may need an adatper. But I see those fittings are not too scarce…if I recall.

I hope you figure out your system Dave. I remember how much you put into it, and with experience like you have, comes a wealth of info

Matt: thank you for the helpful words. I would love to see your set up. Do send if you get a chance. The MPC and LIGHT are helpful, but not exactly conclusive in the diagrams. I found one for the Clevelant, and if that is the setup of the 351m, then I do not need a multi belt pulley, but I just cannot see how that will work at the moment. It might take getting it mostly put together.

I keep that truck at the shop and if the rain allows, I will try to get pics Wednesday.

[mat in tn]

I keep that truck at the shop and if the rain allows, I will try to get pics Wednesday.

if you would like I can email the pics that I took today and get more specific it that helps too. if I send directly from my phone then you could edit or zoom better than posted here.

[AmericanSavage]

if you would like I can email the pics that I took today and get more specific it that helps too. if I send directly from my phone then you could edit or zoom better than posted here.

Do you need my number? I can send. Should I post it here? I know Gary has it.

You are the best Matt!

[Gary Lewis]

if you would like I can email the pics that I took today and get more specific it that helps too. if I send directly from my phone then you could edit or zoom better than posted here.

Do you need my number? I can send. Should I post it here? I know Gary has it.

You are the best Matt!

I'll email the two of you so you are connected. (Another reason we must MOVE!)

[AmericanSavage]

UPDATE:

OK, so I have hit a wall on many of the hoses. I am considering building my own. However, this one looks promising for the compressor-condenser.

That leaves the suction line from compressor-Evap.

Either way, I have to be creative. I am thinking I will have to create the lines. So, I went to Vintage Air and started to look around--I had no idea they had brackets for our trucks, and not just for A/c but for the Saginaw pump conversion. Pretty sweet.

The A/C bracket they sell looks like a modified DEALER bracket from the MPC.

Anyway, will be looking at refrigerant hose, and fittings now. What a hot, but fun, mess I got myself into.

Cheers Everyone.

 

[FuzzFace2]

UPDATE:

OK, so I have hit a wall on many of the hoses. I am considering building my own. However, this one looks promising for the compressor-condenser.

That leaves the suction line from compressor-Evap.

Either way, I have to be creative. I am thinking I will have to create the lines. So, I went to Vintage Air and started to look around--I had no idea they had brackets for our trucks, and not just for A/c but for the Saginaw pump conversion. Pretty sweet.

The A/C bracket they sell looks like a modified DEALER bracket from the MPC.

Anyway, will be looking at refrigerant hose, and fittings now. What a hot, but fun, mess I got myself into.

Cheers Everyone.

I came relly close to doing the same thing with my truck.

Mine being a 81 with factory AC but I swapped compressors to the newer type and that made the hose fittings not work.

I was able to get hoses from Auto Zone to work, had to reuse 1 old one, condenser to evap IIRC, but the rest were new.

The thing that stopped me from making my own was crimping the fitting on as I would need to buy the tool and only use it the 1 time. It was cheap enough but .....

Dave ----

[AmericanSavage]

I came relly close to doing the same thing with my truck.

Mine being a 81 with factory AC but I swapped compressors to the newer type and that made the hose fittings not work.

I was able to get hoses from Auto Zone to work, had to reuse 1 old one, condenser to evap IIRC, but the rest were new.

The thing that stopped me from making my own was crimping the fitting on as I would need to buy the tool and only use it the 1 time. It was cheap enough but .....

Dave ----

Hey Dave,

Have you seen the new EZ Clip version from Vintage Air? I am going to make 1 or 2 hoses with that! Very easy, crimp tool is not as expensive (knock offs are cheap on the Jungle site), and you can reuse the clips and reorient the fitting. Check it out!

[AmericanSavage]

I came relly close to doing the same thing with my truck.

Mine being a 81 with factory AC but I swapped compressors to the newer type and that made the hose fittings not work.

I was able to get hoses from Auto Zone to work, had to reuse 1 old one, condenser to evap IIRC, but the rest were new.

The thing that stopped me from making my own was crimping the fitting on as I would need to buy the tool and only use it the 1 time. It was cheap enough but .....

Dave ----

Hey Dave,

Have you seen the new EZ Clip version from Vintage Air? I am going to make 1 or 2 hoses with that! Very easy, crimp tool is not as expensive (knock offs are cheap on the Jungle site), and you can reuse the clips and reorient the fitting. Check it out!

Today I got the condenser in, and the A/C bracket on.

Let me just say, they sure don’t make things like they used to. The compressor I took off had to be the original. It was beefy, and had support brackets around the fittings. This one? Really wimpy by comparison. No place to reinstall the brackets.

Oh also, since I was there, put the new fan shroud in I picked up from Dennis carpenter. Supreme fit.

Anyway, here are a couple pics:

[AmericanSavage]

Today I got the condenser in, and the A/C bracket on.

Let me just say, they sure don’t make things like they used to. The compressor I took off had to be the original. It was beefy, and had support brackets around the fittings. This one? Really wimpy by comparison. No place to reinstall the brackets.

Oh also, since I was there, put the new fan shroud in I picked up from Dennis carpenter. Supreme fit.

Anyway, here are a couple pics:

So last night I did not sleep well. The A/c compressor set up bugged me. I could not stop thinking about it.

Did not want to do lazy crap work……..

So instead of getting to the evap cannister tear and replace, I took the old brackets and fabbed them a little to brace the compressor fittings areas. Here is what I did. The driver wide is far more sturdy than pass side. But it helps.