68 Fury, A/C Compressor mod yes or no?

[UnendingFury]

I recently bought a well kept 1968 Fury III fast top, and the a/c system does work. In fact, it looks like someone spent a lot of money redoing the evaporator core, heater core, and everything to do with the a/c system. It's been R134a converted, and I've heard that never works as well as the R12. It still has the OEM style V2 compressor, not the cylindrical one, but this unit is clearly an aftermarket part. I was told the compressor was failing when I had the system checked out, and the best they could get it to cool was about 60 degrees F.
If that is the case, what are my options for making this thing cold like it once was? I've seen lots of cruisers running the later model cylindrical compressors, but I like the original look. Should I just get a better quality compressor, or swap to a modern style one? And does it make any kind of sense to un-retrofit the freon type? A/c work is not my bag, baby.

 

[commando1]

First, we need two things.
1. Was this car factory air, and...
2. We need a pic of your present compressor and condensor.

 

[saforwardlook]

I recall that when Scott has his 65 red 300 convertible (that is always present when you log in on the home page inset) air conditioning system redone, he relied on Classic Auto Air to refurbish his system. I believe he was pleased with their work. Since you prefer the original look, I would probably have them supply you with an original RV2 compressor that you can rely on as being reconditioned correctly and then ask them about the benefits of going to 134A vs R12. Most conversions to 134A seem to be acceptable to the few people I know that have done them, but since you live in a hot/humid climate much of the year, you might be more concerned about ultimate performance. Since Classic Auto Air is also in Texas, you are one step ahead of most of the rest of us in terms of working with them. Here is their link:

http://www.classicautoair.com/

They could also supply you with a rotary compressor system too, I believe, if you decided to go to a non-original look, and thereby get a much smaller and smoother system. But since I am an originality kind of guy, I would stay with the original system, even though it is heavy and rumbles and shakes.

Good Luck,

Steve

 

[BillGrissom]

Easiest would be to replace the RV2. I recall rockauto sells rebuilds, and you see on ebay. But, I would lose that beast and change to a Sanden. You can find bracket kits at Bouchillon Performance and others for BB & RB engines. You can swap the rear head of the Sanden to get the ports you need ($20 ebay) or figure how to plumb to your tubes or hoses.

 

[UnendingFury]

Yes these old compressors are quite a shaky and taxing burden on the whole driving experience. But on the freeway you barely notice it. I would like to keep the original style compressor if feasible, but a lot of folks have told me the one on this car is an undercut piece of junk. Here is the current setup. And yes the car has always been an a/c car.

 

[commando1]

I think that you should keep it stock looking, use true R134A, not that BS Ever Freeze whatever you call it synthetic crap, and try it out. I know for a fact that adding pusher fans onto the condenser helps greatly.

I simply converted my stock 67 factory A/C to 134 and it was ok.
I then closed off the heater hose for the summer and it worked great, even for Florida.
I read that age keeps the door that blends hot and cold air from closing off the hot air when the MAX A/C is selected.
I'm not pulling the damn heater box.

 

[BIGBARNEYCARS]

Yo Unending. I learned ah trick or two to make your old Tecumseh two headed compressor kick butt while living in Tejas. When you convert to R134 and while your system is empty, disconnect the discharge line from the back side of the compressor and remove the discharge valve and reconnect the discharge line with a new metal gasket and put that valve up on your maybe I'll need it some day shelf. At the temperatures you live with at that latitude there iz no worry of the system freezing up. And on the slight chance it doez freeze up, shut it off for a few minutes and it'll thaw out REAL QUICK. After making the WPC Meet in Galveston in August of '95 I knew that hanging my left leg out the window waz not gonna be enough to make it long term without tweaking the A/C in the Hurst If I waz gonna survive the summerz in the Lone Star, Jer

 

[atlas]

really cool

s_dancing2:I upgraded my 67 new Yorker to a sanden comp with a conversion kit I purchased from e-bay and set it up for 134a it now blows at 28degrees and I probably shaved 60 pounds off the front of the engine. It was a pain to install but I believe well worth the effort.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Sandens are great compressors if you go that route change the condenser also to a new style triple pass with small tubes much more efficient at dumping heat with 134. I have never seen a RV2 fail that wasn't run low on oil, refrigerant, or just abused. Yours has been though a rebuilder so I could be worse than just old and worn out. I left the ERP valve in mine and it works fine your call but like Jer said in Houston I would leave it out.

 

[commando1]

I've left them out on all mine. Only had one freeze up. And I have a thermostat for the AC sitting on the shelf I've been meaning to install for 6 years...

 

[66Newyorker]

I replaced my RV2 with a Sanden style compressor. Didn't replace the condenser, used the stock style expansion valve, replaced the drier and flushed the system. Works great. Got my brackets from Classic Auto Air. Uses the same belts. Total was about $600.00

 

[commando1]

And the lines?

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Use the same lines I have originals and have been waiting for the system to leak off because I need to pull the heater box and recondition it still waiting 3 years now.

 

[66Newyorker]

Used the factory hard lines. Had new hoses made. R134 hose has a lining in it, the old R12 hose will leak R134 through the hose.

 

[commando1]

old R12 hose will leak R134 through the hose.

SONOVABITCH!
Thank you.
You just solved my Where is it going dilemna...

 

[68plymouth383]

And without even knowing.... only at fcbo can that happen.

 

[commando1]

I'm not here for the babes.

 

[BillGrissom]

I think that you should keep it stock looking, use true R134A, not that BS Ever Freeze whatever you call it synthetic crap, and try it out. I know for a fact that adding pusher fans onto the condenser helps greatly. ...

Consider that R134A is on the "to be outlawed" list by the EPA. It is a potent "greenhouse gas" (global change), which is now worse than the (imagined?) ozone hole problem. R1234YC (or such) is the likely new refrigerant. The EPA and Congress seem tentative after the whole R134A mess. I have use HC refrigerant (Duracool) in my cars since I converted my 65 Newport in 1992. Works even better than Freon and no actual hazard to my mind and I am an engineer who did research in combustion. The one drawback is that you must first convert to R134A if you want to stay legal (makes perfect sense in the EPA's flaky mind).

PAO 68 seems the best oil today to use with any refrigerant. But, do your own research. If you go the old route with PAG oil, insure that you never leave the system without pressure for long since PAG absorbs moisture, forming corrosive acids.

As mentioned, any replacement hose should be "barrier" type. It has an internal liner. I like to use "reduced barrier" hose, which is same ID but smaller OD. I found that the #12 reduced ferrules work fine in my hose crimper using #10 std dies (crimp slightly past the line). The #6 std dies are even marked for "#8 reduced". All your hoses are standard AC ID sizes so you can connect at any existing metal fittings and adapt from there. You can buy hose by the foot on ebay. If you don't have access to an AC crimper, you can use Oeticker-style crimp rings (see Eaton Aeroquip "Bead-lock") or even screw hose clamps (thick ones for AC).

 

[commando1]

Bill, explain to me the qualities about Duracool that make it more suitable for our old cars.

 

[BillGrissom]

Nothing about "our old cars" is relevant to AC choices. For any vehicle, HC works better than R-134A, barrier hoses are better, multi-piston compressors (like Sanden) are better, and parallel-flow condensers are better. I put HC refrigerant in my 2002 T&C when I had to replace the compressor a year ago. Duracool and Envirosafe (formerly Freeze-12) are the two HC refrigerants I know of. Search their websites. Many fear the "explosion hazard" and AC shops promote that fear, similar to how plumbers ranted about plastic water pipe for decades. Millions of cars have used HC coolant for decades with no reported fires from it. R-134A is both flammable and produces poisonous phosgene gas when it burns.