Air conditioning

[ryan427]

Gotta have it in South Georgia... Finally got the parts (and guts) to replace some of the AC components on my truck. Fairly mechanically inclined but I was still intimidated. But, I shouldn't have been. It was straight forward and almost easy. Listed out are the parts I bought:
Reman AC compressor - $90.00 (included shipping) from eBay
Orifice tube - $3.00 from Advance Auto
Accumulator - $30.00 from Advance Auto
R 134A (3 12 oz. cans) $8.00 per can from Big Lots
PAG compressor oil $6.99 from Advance Auto
O ring kit $5.00 from Advance Auto

Took it to my mechanic, he vacuumed the system. I replaced all of the components (followed directions from various videos I viewed online), took it back to my mechanic and he pulled vac for 30 minutes. Charged the system and 35 degree cold air out of the vents. Paid my mechanic $50.00 for his time.

He said the only thing that ever fails (in regards to the AC system) on the square bodies is the compressor. They don't lock up they just start leaking. That's pretty amazing. Less than $200.00 in the whole job just by finding decent deals on the parts and bolting them on myself. Advice... always change the accumulator when you replace the compressor. Always change the orifice tube (in the high pressure line near the "red cap"). Always dump half the oil in the compressor and the other half in the accumulator (but not until you are going to connect the accumulator to the lines... otherwise, leave the caps on until you get to that point).

Ain't braggin here... Just encouraging you to tackle some of the odds and ends yourself to save money so you can have luxuries like air conditioning even in a 26 year old truck. Square bodies are SOOOOOO much easier to work on than "modern" vehicles.

 

[J Knight]

Good info.

 

[oneluckypops]

Always dump half the oil in the compressor and the other half in the accumulator (but not until you are going to connect the accumulator to the lines... otherwise, leave the caps on until you get to that point).

NOT ALWAYS, depending on what compressor you buy and where you buy it from MOST are actually prefilled with oil.

Also You can purchase kit compressors NEW from ebay that includes everything you just bought,

Very good call taking it in to have vaccumed down and charged by a professional, see way to many people try it themselves and fail.

 

[ryan427]

NOT ALWAYS, depending on what compressor you buy and where you buy it from MOST are actually prefilled with oil.

Also You can purchase kit compressors NEW from ebay that includes everything you just bought,

Very good call taking it in to have vaccumed down and charged by a professional, see way to many people try it themselves and fail.

Thank you! I did find some that were prefilled but wasn't sure of the difference. The one I bought had a bright orange sticker to warn that it needed to be filled with oil before installation. For some reason, I couldn't find a kit with all of the stuff for a decent price. So I pieced it.

Been a few days and still blowing ice cold. I am hopeful that it will run for years. I see you are 31. Good to know other young guys appreciate these old trucks too.

 

[oneluckypops]

Thank you! I did find some that were prefilled but wasn't sure of the difference. The one I bought had a bright orange sticker to warn that it needed to be filled with oil before installation. For some reason, I couldn't find a kit with all of the stuff for a decent price. So I pieced it.

Been a few days and still blowing ice cold. I am hopeful that it will run for years. I see you are 31. Good to know other young guys appreciate these old trucks too.

sounds like you did you homework and got the best deals you could find, I will be 32 tommorow but honestly I feel like im 60+

 

[HotRodPC]

Welcome to GMSB Ryan. Sounds like you did damn good. Nothing special in the conversion to R134A huh? Or is that the Orfice tube you speak of? I need to get mine charged in the 84C20. Everything is there and hooked up. The compressor doesn't come on, but I'm sure that's cuz there is no Freon on it at all. I'd like to go ahead and just convert mine to R134a now too while it's emptied out. Just get it vacuumed down first. I put mine off for some time because I've been hoping to install this used Olds 455 and the compressor will go on the other side of the engine. I'm also hoping to be using the old shcool long compressor with the Olds engine. The one that runs 3/4 the length of the valve cover and is a pain in the ass in the way all the time, but I hear that is the compressor or have if you want one that will last several years. But, if I get it converted to R134a now, it shouldn't be to big of PITA during the motor swap. Luckily, on the 454, I don't have that pancake junk compressor, and I hope the one I have it better than that.

 

[ryan427]

sounds like you did you homework and got the best deals you could find, I will be 32 tommorow but honestly I feel like im 60+

I'll be 34 tomorrow (6/25)... guess we also share a birthday in addition to appreciation of older trucks. Happy birthday.

 

[ryan427]

Welcome to GMSB Ryan. Sounds like you did damn good. Nothing special in the conversion to R134A huh? Or is that the Orfice tube you speak of? I need to get mine charged in the 84C20. Everything is there and hooked up. The compressor doesn't come on, but I'm sure that's cuz there is no Freon on it at all. I'd like to go ahead and just convert mine to R134a now too while it's emptied out. Just get it vacuumed down first. I put mine off for some time because I've been hoping to install this used Olds 455 and the compressor will go on the other side of the engine. I'm also hoping to be using the old shcool long compressor with the Olds engine. The one that runs 3/4 the length of the valve cover and is a pain in the ass in the way all the time, but I hear that is the compressor or have if you want one that will last several years. But, if I get it converted to R134a now, it shouldn't be to big of PITA during the motor swap. Luckily, on the 454, I don't have that pancake junk compressor, and I hope the one I have it better than that.

Thanks. I bought this truck a few months ago. It had been converted to R134 back in 97. I do have a "pancake" compressor... hopefully the rebuild was good quality and it will last for a while. I am told that they tend to work harder since they are so small. I put good quality synthetic PAG oil in the system so maybe that will help. Drove it to Tallahassee today (about 40 miles from my house) and enjoyed the cool air all the way. Those big compressors are good and also weigh about 40 pounds. So good luck muscling that thing in... you'll definitely get some ice cold air out of it.

Good luck with the motor swap. My little 305 has 113k original miles on it so it is still smooth as silk. Next motor will be bigger and more powerful for sure.

 

[CaliDude76]

yes.. it is very good to see the X-Generation having appreciation for the classics!!

I'm a step ahead of you guys in age.. I'll be 36 come July. I inherited my square from my dad about 5 years ago, and haven't stopped enjoying the benefits of a classic square body yet!!

Before I got it, my dad says that he thinks he replaced the compressor some time back when but wasn't too sure. He had a new crate 350 put in it, and pops said the air worked fine.. before they had took the compressor off to replace the new motor. They attached everything back, and the air didn't work.. obviously they got let the freon out.

When I got it, I had a mechanic pull a vacuum, and add 134a with oil and I can get down to about 40 degrees vent temp. Haven't changed orifice tube..fittings, or o-rings.. the accumulator either. The "pancake" compressor does grumble some at certain idle RPM's though, if I tap the gas pedal some, it quiets right up...bad clutch bearings, I suppose..

Nevertheless..the A/C units on our squares are tough working! It does good for me, especially during these California summers

 

[RetroC10Sport]

Hey, look at what the cat drug in. Good to see ya dude.

 

[HotRodPC]

Welcome back CD76, guess will borrow Ryans thread here and ask how you and the wife are doing with the baby? Is it here yet or still in the oven???

 

[CaliDude76]

Hey, look at what the cat drug in. Good to see ya dude.

Welcome back CD76, guess will borrow Ryans thread here and ask how you and the wife are doing with the baby? Is it here yet or still in the oven???

Hey Fellers!!!!!,

Good to see you all too!!.. Instead of hijaking this thread, I'm gonna go ahead and start one about my baby and stuff in the 'Lounge' under the name " CaliDude's Daughter"

come on by!

 

[bobehud]

Something i dont see people do is ALWAYS turn the compressor by hand before you install,not just the clutch the whole compressor. AZ rents out the
tool to do it.Spin it with the clutch pointing at the ground,our sitting on a table..lubes everything up nicely.

 

[ryan427]

Something i dont see people do is ALWAYS turn the compressor by hand before you install,not just the clutch the whole compressor. AZ rents out the
tool to do it.Spin it with the clutch pointing at the ground,our sitting on a table..lubes everything up nicely.

Great point. An update... the reman compressor I installed locked up. Pulled vac again, installed another reman compressor (oiled first and turned), charged, and didn't get any cold air. Pulled vac again and removed the orifice tube and saw that it was completely blocked with slime and metal (from the compressor).

So I started over... pulled everything apart and flushed the lines. Then, I realized the rookie mistake I made the first time: I hadn't flushed the evaporator nor the condenser. I should have taken a picture of the gunk that flushed out of both of these components. I thought by "flushing the system" the first time all I needed to flush were the lines. Stupid mistake man. Went through 2 cans of flush and a lot of air to get everything clean.

After the flush, I replaced the accumulator (again), orifice tube (again), removed, re-oiled and replaced the compressor, pulled vac for 30 minutes, charged, and... 36 degree air coming out of the vents on a 94 degree day. Not bad.

This second reman compressor is still a bit noisy but everything I have read suggests this is normal for an R4 "pancake" compressor. Let's hope so. An expensive rookie mistake.

 

[HotRodPC]

Sounds like you did it thouroughly this time. What did you use for a vacuum pump? Anyone know if AZ, O'Reilys or Advanced do a tool loaner program on a Vac Pump? I was going to make one out of an old house unit AC compressor, but it appears I must have scrapped it by accident last year when I did some spring cleaning around the yard and shed.