1986F150Six Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 One chapter of this story that I skipped over before my Death Valley trip was my feeble attempt to get the AC working. The PO had removed the compressor, but everything was still there. Don't throw stones, I know that just slapping it back together and adding 134A is cringe worthy, but not knowing the condition of anything I didn't have a lot to loose. The system held pressure, but as I added the refrigerant and the compressor got something to pump, the belt began to slip and the clutch started smoking. I took the belt off and have not touched it since... The compressor is the old York style, and I don't know if it was removed because it didn't work or if the guy just didn't use it and wanted to de-clutter. But my assumption is that the compressor is bad. I don't see many of these in the junkyards, and the ones I do see look sketchy, like they have not been in use for a long time. But I did find a new style one on a truck that was a garage kept cream puff and looks basically brand new. So I bought that along with the hoses. Now the fun begins. The cast iron hockey stick that mounts to the block was used 80-82. The 80/81's got the York, 82 had the new style, so the mounting brackets are a one-year-wonder. I have the aluminum platform piece from an 82, but looking at the diagram I'm still missing a few things 🙄. Namely the sickle shaped piece, the front to rear brace and the two ears that bolt to the compressor itself. This wasn't supposed to be this hard! So I guess my options are to fork out $300-ish for a re manufactured York, or come up with the brackets to mount my $37 junkyard one. (Either the missing 82 parts or the entire 83-86 set up). Suggestions? I had decent luck running 134A in my diesel with the newer style compressor, so I'm leaning that direction... Jonathan, https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1428631-festus-in-florida-8.html Pages 8 - 11; Festus in Florida; 1981 F150 with 300 six cylinder engine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford F834 Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 I may have an extra York, and will look in a bit. But an option you didn’t mention is to convert to serpentine and use the 1987+ brackets. See illustration P-20241 here: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/300-six-compressor-illustrations.html. The thought had crossed my mind Gary, and I even know where there is a straight six serpentine van for the Saginaw bracket... but it's a lot of parts to buy just to get the AC working. I'm assuming I'd need a different alternator and I don't know if the AC compressor I just bough can be converted? I am trying to ~not sink a bunch more money into the 81 at this time so that I can focus on the IDI, but maybe I should reconsider on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford F834 Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 Jonathan, https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1428631-festus-in-florida-8.html Pages 8 - 11; Festus in Florida; 1981 F150 with 300 six cylinder engine Guess I'm not the only one with bracket woes! That was a lot of fab work. I'm really hoping I can find what I need without going through all that, but we will see what I can find. I want to visit the other yard to see what they have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford F834 Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 I may have an extra York, and will look in a bit. But an option you didn’t mention is to convert to serpentine and use the 1987+ brackets. See illustration P-20241 here: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/300-six-compressor-illustrations.html. The thought had crossed my mind Gary, and I even know where there is a straight six serpentine van for the Saginaw bracket... but it's a lot of parts to buy just to get the AC working. I'm assuming I'd need a different alternator and I don't know if the AC compressor I just bough can be converted? I am trying to ~not sink a bunch more money into the 81 at this time so that I can focus on the IDI, but maybe I should reconsider on this. Do any of you know offhand of the serpentine 4.9L has the same water pump rotation direction? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1986F150Six Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Do any of you know offhand of the serpentine 4.9L has the same water pump rotation direction? I believe it is driven by the back of the belt, so would be reverse. Some have written that the vanes on the newer pumps are not directional?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford F834 Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 I believe it is driven by the back of the belt, so would be reverse. Some have written that the vanes on the newer pumps are not directional?? Thanks David, the water pump did change in 1987, but the obvious difference is a pipe coming out of the top of it that probably has to do with the EFI system? So one cannot tell whether the inside is different or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 I believe it is driven by the back of the belt, so would be reverse. Some have written that the vanes on the newer pumps are not directional?? The Cooling Sytem/Water Pump #'s & Illustrations page shows that the 1987 4.9L's got a different water pump from the '86 and earlier 4.9's. (Notice on that page that the engine was a "300" in '83 and a "4.9L" in '84.) So, I'd guess that when they went serpentine that it did indeed go to reverse rotation. As for the alternator, the serpentine pulley would work on the 1G you probably have, and the mounting is the same. Last, unfortunately I don't have an extra York compressor. But, they are so heavy that shipping wouldn't be cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford F834 Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 The Cooling Sytem/Water Pump #'s & Illustrations page shows that the 1987 4.9L's got a different water pump from the '86 and earlier 4.9's. (Notice on that page that the engine was a "300" in '83 and a "4.9L" in '84.) So, I'd guess that when they went serpentine that it did indeed go to reverse rotation. As for the alternator, the serpentine pulley would work on the 1G you probably have, and the mounting is the same. Last, unfortunately I don't have an extra York compressor. But, they are so heavy that shipping wouldn't be cheap. Okay, so the 1G would work with a pulley swap but I'd need a different AC compressor, different water pump, and the brackets and engine pulleys. Maybe sometime but not today. I need to keep my scope creep in check. If I can't find the missing parts they should not to too terribly difficult to make. I have the two tricky bits: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Okay, so the 1G would work with a pulley swap but I'd need a different AC compressor, different water pump, and the brackets and engine pulleys. Maybe sometime but not today. I need to keep my scope creep in check. If I can't find the missing parts they should not to too terribly difficult to make. I have the two tricky bits: Keep your creep in check? Why would anyone want to do that? But, you have a good point. So, make a list of part numbers and maybe people can help you find them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford F834 Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 Keep your creep in check? Why would anyone want to do that? But, you have a good point. So, make a list of part numbers and maybe people can help you find them? I agree Gary, behaving oneself is not the most fun, but I do have to mind the resources and make choices. The diesel has been neglected far too long and that needs to change. Having AC in my working truck is still a priority but needs to not take over into other things. I will pull up the catalog and find the part numbers when I get a chance to break out the computer. I do need to comb both yards still, to make sure I didn't miss any bracketry. It wasn't until I got home with the compressor that I realized I was missing stuff. I'm sure my yard will be far cheaper than service parts. Maybe I will be lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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