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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Anderson,SC
Posts: 953
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Checking Vintage Air Performance
I finished the install of my Vintage Air setup last night and I charged the system with 28 oz of R134a. I was curious as to what air temps I should see from the ducts and when I should be checking it (doors opened or closed, windows up or down, fan speed, moving or idling)?
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#2 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 350
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Re: Checking Vintage Air Performance
Check it with windows up, and since those systems are recirculate-only, that should get you 38-44 degrees at the centre port, fan on high speed, temperature set to max cold. Any colder, and you get icing of the system (not good), any warmer, well, what's A/C for anyway? I prefer to get frostbite in mid-summer, and I got schooled in A/C work while working in FL. make sure the drain for the evaporator is open and flowing.
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#3 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Lynn Haven Florida
Posts: 1,019
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Re: Checking Vintage Air Performance
if you don't have gauges, the best way to check is measure temp at front of truck were condensor is , open doors to your truck run a/c on recirulate max fan, the temp should be 40 degrees differance at the vents from front of truck if you have a good charge. some people say your crazy .but try it then put a set of gauges on it to check pressures.
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#4 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 350
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Re: Checking Vintage Air Performance
That 40* difference is an excellent gauge, too, when the ambient isn't too low. I totally assumed that gauges would be used, and pressures monitored for proper levels. It doesn't take much to go from lukewarm to 'snowflakes out the vents', once you get the R134a level close. Low pressure is pretty much set on the Sanden compressor, but upper pressure should be max at ancient temp + 140, IIRC.
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#5 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Anderson,SC
Posts: 953
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Thanks. It's about 90 today, so I'll put the fan on high and measure the temp from the center vent. I charged the system with exactly 1.8 lbs per the installation instructions. I think my high pressure was around 200 last night with 75 to 80 degree temps
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#6 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 350
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Re: Checking Vintage Air Performance
Sounds like you just might be ready for summer!
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#7 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Anderson,SC
Posts: 953
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Re: Checking Vintage Air Performance
Quote:
![]() On the 10 minute ride back to work from lunch, the inside of the cab was 110* and the air settled around 60*. Hopefully it will do a little better this afternoon on my longer ride home. |
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#8 |
Hittin E-Z Street on Mud Tires
![]() Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 23,090
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Re: Checking Vintage Air Performance
The cab temp was 60* or the air out of the vent was 60*?
That's too warm out of the vent even for a short drive. My 65 Mustang's V/A A/C doesn't get as cold as the trucks and it still gets down into the mid-high 40's depending on outside temps. Did you evacuate the system first and pull a vacuum on it to remove all moisture and check for leaks?
__________________
Jesse James 1967 C10 SWB Stepside: 350/700R4/3.73 1965 Ford Mustang: 289/T5-5spd/3.25 Trac-Loc 1968 Pontiac Firebird: Project Fire Chicken! 2015 Silverado Double Cab 5.3L Z71 2001 Jeep Wrangler Sport 4.0L 5spd 2020 Chevrolet Equinox Premium 2.0L Turbo 2011 Mustang V6 ~ Wife's ride ![]() American Born, Country by the Grace of God ![]() 1967 CST Shop Truck Rebuild! My 1967 C-10 Build Thread My Vintage Air A/C Install Project "On a Dime" Trying my hand at Home Renovation! 1965 Mustang Modifications! |
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#9 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Anderson,SC
Posts: 953
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Re: Checking Vintage Air Performance
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#10 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Overland Park, Ks.
Posts: 5,216
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Re: Checking Vintage Air Performance
If you put in 1.8 lbs it is not quite enough. That is 24 oz. The cans we get are usually 12 oz. Look at the sight glass. There should be no foam. I just put one in my 56 & it is ice cold.
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#11 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Anderson,SC
Posts: 953
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Re: Checking Vintage Air Performance
Quote:
I put a set of gauges back on to measure the pressure and temperature. The outside air temp was 90 degrees and the air from the vent was 54 degrees. At 1500 rpms and the compressor on, the high side saw a max of 225 psi and the low side dropped to 19 psi. With the compressor off, the low side rose to 40 psi and the high side dropped to 150 psi. The static pressure with the truck off was 100 psi. Any thoughts on the pressures? The other downside to my current setup is that the only insulation in the truck is on the firewall. Everything else's is painted metal at the moment. That obviously helps contribute to my high in cab temps with or without the air. After reading through the instructions a dozen more times, the only places I can think of that I didn't follow 100% was warming up everything before I evacuated the system and I didn't think to purge the intake line on first can of freon or in between cans. That may have introduced some outside air and moisture into the system. |
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#12 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Overland Park, Ks.
Posts: 5,216
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Re: Checking Vintage Air Performance
[QUOTE=clemsonteg;7179815]1.8 lbs is what the install calls for and 1.8 lbs translates into 28.8 oz as far as I know since there are 16 oz in 1 lb. it's a little apples to oranges, but how much was your system charged with
Your right. I was adding .8 as oz. instead of 8/10 of a lb. I put in 2 12 oz cans plus a little more from another. I haven't really used it on a real hot day yet, but the outlet temp. is about 35 degrees. The site glass has liquid going through it when it is performing correctly. If it is foamy the liquid is breaking down before it gets to the evaporator. |
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#13 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Anderson,SC
Posts: 953
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Re: Checking Vintage Air Performance
[quote=Wrenchbender Ret;7180143]
Quote:
My current internal debate is whether to try again or to take it and have it serviced by a qualified AC shop. |
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#14 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Anderson,SC
Posts: 953
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Re: Checking Vintage Air Performance
After an hour in the driveway the best I could get was 50 degrees. I'm not sure if it's my lack of insulation is causing the cab temperature to be high and preventing me from dropping the temp of the air by more than 40 degrees or if I messed something up during the evacuation and freon addition. Maybe I should chalk this one up to a $50 lesson in letting AC people do the evacuating and charging part.
I also saw bubbles and liquid in the sight glass of the drier. Not sure if that is good bad or neither. |
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#15 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Gonzales, La
Posts: 1,441
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Re: Checking Vintage Air Performance
Mine blows a cold 42 degrees when 90 degrees outside.
__________________
MyToys: Goldilocks the "Ol School Survivor" 1968 C10, SWB Stepside, 08/15 TOTM, 250 CI 6 cylinder, 3 on the tree, 3.73 rear, 3/5 static drop, 23,500 original miles. Samson the 1970 CST10, LWB, 462Ci, Turbo 350 tranny, 3.08 rear gear, PB, PS, A/C, AM/FM, 2/4 Drop. Brutus the 1998 Camaro Z28, 33,500 original miles, LS1, 519 RWHP/497 RWTQ. Member of the Louisiana Classic Truck Club, LCTC Member of the Louisiana C10 Club Member of the Baton Rouge Drifters Car Club |
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#16 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Anderson,SC
Posts: 953
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Re: Checking Vintage Air Performance
This article is pretty good. I checked most of these items. Some of them could only be done if the system was evacuated and recharged again.
http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/interio...-conditioner/p |
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#17 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 2
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Re: Checking Vintage Air Performance
The temp should be measured from the vent closest to the evaporator, blower on high, hood closed, and the rpm raised to around 1000. It shouldn't really matter if the doors are open or if it's set to recirc or not since you don't really need to run it long enough to cool down the whole cab.
For a 134a system, temperatures 25F below ambient temp is considered normal. Some vehicles can cool better than this, but I wouldn't freak out if yours doesn't. If it's really humid outside that can also hurt performance. |
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#18 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Anderson,SC
Posts: 953
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Re: Checking Vintage Air Performance
Looks like my problem was resolved by the guys at VA, Mark specifically. Those guys are really knowledgeable and gave me some easy troubleshooting tips to help resolve my issue in less than a day.
Turns out that the temperature probe that monitors the evaporator coil temp and controls the compressor was inserted too far. I am going to guess that in the half dozen to a dozen times that I had the air box under the dash that I bumped it pushing it too far inward. A simple adjustment now has my air temps at 43-45 degrees. Mark suggested leaving it in that range, much cooler may result in the evaporator becoming frozen and reducing performance. Thanks for everyone's help. Hopefully this will help someone else down the road! |
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#19 | |
Hittin E-Z Street on Mud Tires
![]() Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 23,090
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Re: Checking Vintage Air Performance
Quote:
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__________________
Jesse James 1967 C10 SWB Stepside: 350/700R4/3.73 1965 Ford Mustang: 289/T5-5spd/3.25 Trac-Loc 1968 Pontiac Firebird: Project Fire Chicken! 2015 Silverado Double Cab 5.3L Z71 2001 Jeep Wrangler Sport 4.0L 5spd 2020 Chevrolet Equinox Premium 2.0L Turbo 2011 Mustang V6 ~ Wife's ride ![]() American Born, Country by the Grace of God ![]() 1967 CST Shop Truck Rebuild! My 1967 C-10 Build Thread My Vintage Air A/C Install Project "On a Dime" Trying my hand at Home Renovation! 1965 Mustang Modifications! |
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#20 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Anderson,SC
Posts: 953
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Re: Checking Vintage Air Performance
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#21 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 350
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Re: Checking Vintage Air Performance
It's always the details, that make the difference.
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#22 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Anderson,SC
Posts: 953
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Re: Checking Vintage Air Performance
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#23 |
Hittin E-Z Street on Mud Tires
![]() Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 23,090
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Re: Checking Vintage Air Performance
I'm driving the entire hot rod power tour with my wife in my 65 mustang (+\- 3300 miles) in two weeks.
I'm strapped for time. I redid the rear brakes yesterday and added a new cooling system today. Still some more to do! Matt borrowed my gopro so I hope he made some cool videos.
__________________
Jesse James 1967 C10 SWB Stepside: 350/700R4/3.73 1965 Ford Mustang: 289/T5-5spd/3.25 Trac-Loc 1968 Pontiac Firebird: Project Fire Chicken! 2015 Silverado Double Cab 5.3L Z71 2001 Jeep Wrangler Sport 4.0L 5spd 2020 Chevrolet Equinox Premium 2.0L Turbo 2011 Mustang V6 ~ Wife's ride ![]() American Born, Country by the Grace of God ![]() 1967 CST Shop Truck Rebuild! My 1967 C-10 Build Thread My Vintage Air A/C Install Project "On a Dime" Trying my hand at Home Renovation! 1965 Mustang Modifications! |
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#24 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Anderson,SC
Posts: 953
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Re: Checking Vintage Air Performance
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