Big Blue's Transformation

[salans7]

Oh no. Depending on the age of that compressor I'd go with a new one. They're no guarantee, but a new one should last at least 2 years(of course you hope much longer) and you'll want a good working system for any big adventures in your near future.

I thought you would have already realized that the 88-97 460 trucks did not use FS6 compressors.

I thought the whole point of the newer brackets was to convert to a serpentine belt?

[Gary Lewis]

I thought you would have already realized that the 88-97 460 trucks did not use FS6 compressors.

I thought the whole point of the newer brackets was to convert to a serpentine belt?

Rob - It does look like a new one is in the offing.

Shaun - I knew I was going to have to replace the clutch and pulley, but assumed it would bolt to the bracket.

So it is the FS6 that is the right compressor? I wonder what I did with the one off of Huck? Surely by '90 they'd gone to that compressor. I'd planned to use the clutch and pulley from it, but may have to put a new compressor in.

[85lebaront2]

Rob - It does look like a new one is in the offing.

Shaun - I knew I was going to have to replace the clutch and pulley, but assumed it would bolt to the bracket.

So it is the FS6 that is the right compressor? I wonder what I did with the one off of Huck? Surely by '90 they'd gone to that compressor. I'd planned to use the clutch and pulley from it, but may have to put a new compressor in.

You need an FS10. 1988-97 460s use an FS10, It is a tangent mount using 4 M8X1.25 bolts with 10mm heads.

You will probably have to get lines custom made, or ideally find a 1994-97 F250/350 with a 460 in a junkyard and get the entire underhood portion.

[Gary Lewis]

You need an FS10. 1988-97 460s use an FS10, It is a tangent mount using 4 M8X1.25 bolts with 10mm heads.

You will probably have to get lines custom made, or ideally find a 1994-97 F250/350 with a 460 in a junkyard and get the entire underhood portion.

Ok, Bill. I should have the system from Huck. I think. Perhaps I can ressurect it. I'll go looking tomorrow or Monday. Thanks.

[salans7]

Rob - It does look like a new one is in the offing.

Shaun - I knew I was going to have to replace the clutch and pulley, but assumed it would bolt to the bracket.

So it is the FS6 that is the right compressor? I wonder what I did with the one off of Huck? Surely by '90 they'd gone to that compressor. I'd planned to use the clutch and pulley from it, but may have to put a new compressor in.

That's why I'm glad I found a motor with the correct bracketry, as my only other choice would have been to upgrade to the serpentine bracketry and an FS10 compressor, which meant custom A/C lines.

[Gary Lewis]

Rob - It does look like a new one is in the offing.

Shaun - I knew I was going to have to replace the clutch and pulley, but assumed it would bolt to the bracket.

So it is the FS6 that is the right compressor? I wonder what I did with the one off of Huck? Surely by '90 they'd gone to that compressor. I'd planned to use the clutch and pulley from it, but may have to put a new compressor in.

That's why I'm glad I found a motor with the correct bracketry, as my only other choice would have been to upgrade to the serpentine bracketry and an FS10 compressor, which meant custom A/C lines.

I do have the compressor, evaporator, condensor, and all the lines from Huck, the 1990 half truck. So, assuming the Bricknose evaporator fits in a Bullnose HVAC housing then I can go that way. If not, will a Bricknose HVAC housing fit a Bullnose?

And, while this system has had paper towel plugs in the major ports, it has obviously been apart for a couple of years. And I don't know that the compressor was good. Nor do I know the condensor nor evaporator are good. However I can find that out when I pull a vacuum on the system.

So, what do I really need to replace before pulling a vacuum?

Edit: Or, come to think of it, will the clutch/pulley combo from the FS10 compressor fit on the one from Big Blue? If that's the case I could make a bracket and use that as the system is complete and works.

[salans7]

I do have the compressor, evaporator, condensor, and all the lines from Huck, the 1990 half truck. So, assuming the Bricknose evaporator fits in a Bullnose HVAC housing then I can go that way. If not, will a Bricknose HVAC housing fit a Bullnose?

And, while this system has had paper towel plugs in the major ports, it has obviously been apart for a couple of years. And I don't know that the compressor was good. Nor do I know the condensor nor evaporator are good. However I can find that out when I pull a vacuum on the system.

So, what do I really need to replace before pulling a vacuum?

Edit: Or, come to think of it, will the clutch/pulley combo from the FS10 compressor fit on the one from Big Blue? If that's the case I could make a bracket and use that as the system is complete and works.

I'm not sure if the evaporator will fit in the bullnose housing, however I can say that the bricknose housing will mate with the bullnose firewall and inner plenum/heater core box (and vice versa). So you do have that option if need be. I remember my bricknose housing having a strange little box on the side of the evaporator cover, so that leads me to believe there may be some differences in the evaporator. I know the bracket mounted to the evaporator for the receiver/drier is different between bullnose and bricknose.

Also keep in mind that the bricknose housing has plenty of differences, such as plastic blend doors, plastic hinge rods, and a different vacuum motor. The blower motor also mounts differently, so you cannot re-use anything from the bullnose box.

[85lebaront2]

I do have the compressor, evaporator, condensor, and all the lines from Huck, the 1990 half truck. So, assuming the Bricknose evaporator fits in a Bullnose HVAC housing then I can go that way. If not, will a Bricknose HVAC housing fit a Bullnose?

And, while this system has had paper towel plugs in the major ports, it has obviously been apart for a couple of years. And I don't know that the compressor was good. Nor do I know the condensor nor evaporator are good. However I can find that out when I pull a vacuum on the system.

So, what do I really need to replace before pulling a vacuum?

Edit: Or, come to think of it, will the clutch/pulley combo from the FS10 compressor fit on the one from Big Blue? If that's the case I could make a bracket and use that as the system is complete and works.

The fit through the firewall is the same from 1980-1996/7, the evaporator case changed probably in 1987, maybe a little later, it changed again in 1994 with the change to R134a refrigerant. Compressor changed to FS10 probably over a couple of years, maybe more. 1987 saw some serpentine belt applications, but the 460s didn't change to the polygroove until 1988.

You are better off with the FS10 vs FS6, difference is displacement 10 ci vs 6 ci. That being said, lines are completely different, FS6 uses service valves and screw on O-ring lines, FS10 the lines are in a block held to the rear head (think Frigidaire A-6) with O-rings on the compressor.

If you use the 1985 system you will still need some custom lines made, if you use the 1990 underhood components, everything will fit, but, the 1990 HVAC harness and vacuum lines pass through the top of the underhood section by way of the recirculation inlet area, 1985 went underneath if I remember correctly. I think the inside plug and vacuum connections are compatible.

If you dig out the parts from huck get a picture of the blend door cable hook up for Brandon.

[Gary Lewis]

The fit through the firewall is the same from 1980-1996/7, the evaporator case changed probably in 1987, maybe a little later, it changed again in 1994 with the change to R134a refrigerant. Compressor changed to FS10 probably over a couple of years, maybe more. 1987 saw some serpentine belt applications, but the 460s didn't change to the polygroove until 1988.

You are better off with the FS10 vs FS6, difference is displacement 10 ci vs 6 ci. That being said, lines are completely different, FS6 uses service valves and screw on O-ring lines, FS10 the lines are in a block held to the rear head (think Frigidaire A-6) with O-rings on the compressor.

If you use the 1985 system you will still need some custom lines made, if you use the 1990 underhood components, everything will fit, but, the 1990 HVAC harness and vacuum lines pass through the top of the underhood section by way of the recirculation inlet area, 1985 went underneath if I remember correctly. I think the inside plug and vacuum connections are compatible.

If you dig out the parts from huck get a picture of the blend door cable hook up for Brandon.

Ok guys, lots of good info in your posts. Thanks.

Basically it is looking like I have two options: Either the complete underhood '85 system or the complete '90 system. I say that because the '90 evaporator will not fit in the 'Bullnose housing. Both evaporators have the same tube spacing, but the Bricknose unit has a tab for mounting the receiver/drier and it won't go in the Bullnose housing.

To do the '85 system I'd have to put the serpentine pulley/clutch unit on the '85 FS6 compressor. Bill - will that work? And, I'd have to make a bracket to hold the FS6 in the FS10 cradle - and I don't know that it would be easy to align the pulley.

To do the Bricknose system I'd have to replace the underhood HVAC housing with the Bricknose unit. I'm leaning to this approach for several reasons. One is that when I get the EFI on it I can say it is a '96 engine, A/C system, fuel system, power steering system, and hydroboost braking system. (I know the Sag is from a van.) Nothing has been kludged together.

Another reason is that the FS10 is apparently the better unit. Plus, the Bricknose condenser is 1.17" thick as opposed to the .882" thickness of the Bullnose unit.

Thoughts?

On the left is the Bricknose evaporator in the Bullnose housing with the tab hitting the housing. On the right is the Bricknose housing with the notch for the tab.

Also, the green arrow points to something on the side of the Bricknose bracket. What's that?

[85lebaront2]

Ok guys, lots of good info in your posts. Thanks.

Basically it is looking like I have two options: Either the complete underhood '85 system or the complete '90 system. I say that because the '90 evaporator will not fit in the 'Bullnose housing. Both evaporators have the same tube spacing, but the Bricknose unit has a tab for mounting the receiver/drier and it won't go in the Bullnose housing.

To do the '85 system I'd have to put the serpentine pulley/clutch unit on the '85 FS6 compressor. Bill - will that work? And, I'd have to make a bracket to hold the FS6 in the FS10 cradle - and I don't know that it would be easy to align the pulley.

To do the Bricknose system I'd have to replace the underhood HVAC housing with the Bricknose unit. I'm leaning to this approach for several reasons. One is that when I get the EFI on it I can say it is a '96 engine, A/C system, fuel system, power steering system, and hydroboost braking system. (I know the Sag is from a van.) Nothing has been kludged together.

Another reason is that the FS10 is apparently the better unit. Plus, the Bricknose condenser is 1.17" thick as opposed to the .882" thickness of the Bullnose unit.

Thoughts?

On the left is the Bricknose evaporator in the Bullnose housing with the tab hitting the housing. On the right is the Bricknose housing with the notch for the tab.

Also, the green arrow points to something on the side of the Bricknose bracket. What's that?

Vacuum tank on the side of the bricknose casing, beats the "coffee can" as far as rusting out goes. I went all the way to a 1996 system as the evaporator core is taller and thicker and the 1994 up condenser is a multipass unit.