Air Conditioning is Functional!

[AOD]

Yeahhhh buddy. Working A/C is a great thing.

I bought the shorter 5060560 belt to make my air conditioning function without an air pump installed.



Installing it is not as easy as loosening the tensioner and slipping the belt over. You need to remove the two bolts holding the tensioner and remove it. Install the belt, then reinstall the tensioner to its normal place.

I found it easy to install the bolt to the rear of the tensioner by crawling underneath. I must have lost my original bolt for the rear portion, but it I bought a 1.25" 3/8" bolt to install.



I replaced the alternator/water pump/steering belt as well, since we used the old one on the original engine swap. It would squeal above ~4000 RPM.

After everything was re-tensioned I fired it up and made sure it looked good. I had never tested the compressor clutch before today, so when I put it in the A/C mode and the clutch didn't kick in, I was a little dissapointed.

No worries though, Epi taught me a nice trick a few years ago. I used some jumper cables and two small pieces of wire to test if the clutch worked. Sure enough when I gave it 12 volts it kicked on! I wired up someting quick to run the clutch (and the compressor under load) so I could refill the system, because we released some when we did the engine swap.

Using the jumper cables I slowly filled the system back with three cans of refridgerant (R134a) and oil (2oz.). The compressor was freaking loud when running, even after three cans, so I think it needs a separate can of oil alone.

Everything electrical on the car works fine, so I figured there had to be something simple to why the compressor clutch was not kicking on when put in AC mode. I decided to look at the fuses and did not see anything explict to the AC system. I had one fuse missing for 'Fog Lights and Accesories" so I said what the heck and stuck a fuse in there. Sure enough I turned the HVAC control to AC and the compressor clutch kicked on!

Took the wife out for dinner tonight in the car, much to her surprise of hearing the car has functional air conditioning now. I told her I spoil her.

On a funny note, she said tonight my car is no longer an old man's car! Because the old man would have died by now, lol.

~Adam

[Archangel]

Cool, just in time to beat the heat. I'm seriously considering putting back my A/C, will have to relocate the tranny cooler but the compressor and the concesor are still intact. I'll need the connecting hoses and the small cylinder thing, but that's should be all... you can run the R134a in a system designed for R12 as long as you add some special oil for the compressor, correct?

[AOD]

This car looked pretty good to start with. There was no obvious refridgerant leaking on the lines that I have seen in the past on these cars. I'll be keeping tabs on the system to see if it's holding.

~Adam

[trwp72]

Toi convert to R-134.. you need to clean all the r-12 type oil out of the A/C compressor... and add the r-134 oil... or it will usually burn up the compressor... The two oils will not mix together well!!!!

[Lincolnmania]

good job man! cold air conditioning is a good thing

[grandpaslincoln]

I should put mine back in, need to get a few parts that I threw away though

Good job!

[Grand Marquis GT]

Bah, a 4bbl swap isnt about all that geedunk!

However, haivng functional A/C on a carb converted base model 2dr makes you the first, I guess.

But you can have that A/C, i'll continue to be the crazy floridian without A/C

[AOD]

Crazy man. I thought about pulling it out, but the more I thought about it the better it sounded. Taking it on long hauls on the highway with the windows down gets annoying quick. (I think my '95 Vic spoiled me...it's too quiet.)

I forgot to mention, Tom W., that the system was already converted to R134a before I bought the car.

I'm headed back to Wal-Mart today to get things and I'm going to add a can or two of oil alone to system and see how it quiets the motor down.

~Adam

[gadget73]

Hmm. Just looking at your belt routing, I ran my tensioner pulley on the opposite side of the belt. My tensioner is actually towards the fender more instead of towards the water pump. I guess it doesn't really matter any. I was having a bitch of a time trying to get the tensioner on the way yours is, but I managed to make it fit the other way. My AC leaked out too, seals at the compressor itself were leaking and dripping oil down on the compressor, and Scott pointed out a slight leak around the low pressure cutout switch. Not sure if there is a seal under there or the switch is toast. Must fix that soon though. My compressor is also loud as hell. Not sure if they're all horridly annoying like that or maybe mine was also low on oil.

[AOD]

I need to do some belt adjustment... when I turned the compressor on the belt looked like it had a bunch of slack in it.

Here's another fun issue:

I'm having a bitch of a time getting the compressor to quiet down. The R134a retro-fit kit I purchased included a gauge and squeeze operated handle thing, which is why I bought the kit.

The problem, after every can of R134a + oil, when finished, I can tip the can over and fluid pours out. I think this is the oil, which is why my dang compressor won't quiet down.

I can only think to try a different gauge / hose thing and see if it works...

Suggestions?

~Adam

[Ape]

today I just removed my unused/broken A/c parts and smog pump, I will still boil but its nice having some more room.

[Southern_Pride]

Im keeping the a/c on my car. Still works and will continue too damnit. Capri I'll live without it. Its a toy. DD must have a/c. When your back in the states come here without a/c for awhile tom.

[gadget73]

I'd say try filling it with the can turned upside down, but if the system is full it won't take more. I think it actually says to fill with 2 upside down cans and one right side up or some crap like that.

[88MercWagon]

Last time my A/C was tested it had the air down to 38 degrees coming out of the vents...I'm keepin it.

[LTDMan83]

After reading this thread I feel lucky to have a working and ultra quiet A/C,it will literally freeze you outta the car!I also have the same smog pump delete belt running mine,that thing is a bear to get on.As hot as it gets here,and as much as I have to sit in traffic in the blistering city heat every day (it will easily get up to 85-100F on a average day) the A/C is a vital piece of equipment.