ac Condenser upgrade?
oilspot
Wagonist
Have the ac working in my wagon now, man it's nice to finally have a car with a/c. Driving around with kids in the desert in the summer with no air sucks!
So here's what I've done so far. I replaced the compressor, pulled and cleaned the evaporator, replaced the expansion valve, pressure checked the whole system with nitrogen, pulled a vacuum, and charged the system with R134a. I works pretty good. But honestly compared to say my wife's newer Nissan truck it's nowhere near as cold.
My fans are working great, r134a charge is perfect. What I notice is that it is way colder say at highway speeds (when the air is really moving). When I have to sit at a long light the ac isn't quite as cold.
So I talked to a friend of mine that is a mechanic, and a certified a/c tech. He said the prob with "r12 to r134a conversions" lies in the design of the condenser. That a condenser designed for r12 has a closed end design and the newer r134a condensers have a "open end" freer flowing design.
He actually had a little demo piece that he showed me that he just got from some ac class that he had just had to attend to update part of some certification.
So from that information my problem lies in not being able to dissipate the heat quickly and efficiently enough through the stock condenser.
Has anybody upgraded? I even wonder that if you order a new condenser through say a autozone or someplace like that if it would incorporate the newer design. Of course asking somebody working an employee at a store like that doesn't really get you anyhwere.
So here's what I've done so far. I replaced the compressor, pulled and cleaned the evaporator, replaced the expansion valve, pressure checked the whole system with nitrogen, pulled a vacuum, and charged the system with R134a. I works pretty good. But honestly compared to say my wife's newer Nissan truck it's nowhere near as cold.
My fans are working great, r134a charge is perfect. What I notice is that it is way colder say at highway speeds (when the air is really moving). When I have to sit at a long light the ac isn't quite as cold.
So I talked to a friend of mine that is a mechanic, and a certified a/c tech. He said the prob with "r12 to r134a conversions" lies in the design of the condenser. That a condenser designed for r12 has a closed end design and the newer r134a condensers have a "open end" freer flowing design.
He actually had a little demo piece that he showed me that he just got from some ac class that he had just had to attend to update part of some certification.
So from that information my problem lies in not being able to dissipate the heat quickly and efficiently enough through the stock condenser.
Has anybody upgraded? I even wonder that if you order a new condenser through say a autozone or someplace like that if it would incorporate the newer design. Of course asking somebody working an employee at a store like that doesn't really get you anyhwere.
Comments
huh! this a/c stuff is starting cost $$$$.
I thought I'd try another fan, maybe a larger diameter slimfan or two.
wagon........................4ever......................
Maybe so. I know that the radiator is a direct fit, not sure of the condenser.
Thanks!
I am itching to try the condenser upgrade. Mine looks pretty old and crusty.
The question still remains: Will we get a noticeable boost in cooling power just by replacing the condenser with a new one?
The prob is 134a is less efficient so actually needs a LARGER Condenser that's why I tells peep to stay with the R12.
I guess next on my A/C quest will be to wrap the lines. Not sure if its just my car or not, but it looks like almost 40% of my low pressure line is exposed with no foam wrap. Part if it is really close to my header heat shield and I know its not helping anything being so close to that heat.
My compressor is old though... Could an older compressor not cool as well, even though pressure readings are good?