To fix factory AC, or replace factory AC

[masterbeavis]

My '72 appears to have all of the AC stuff intact and in decent non destroyed shape (despite the duct tape holding some stuff together. If I was to take the time to iron out the power situation, and the system will hold a vacuum, will r134a give me cold blowing AC, or just cooler air. I have seen some conversions where you get ok air, but nowhere near ice cold. Ive read the threads about the new retro fit stuff, I dun wanna spend that kinda scratch. (yet) i want to frustrate myself with trying to fix what I have. I will be swappin in a late model r134a pump from a '00 pickup and will be needing new lines anyways. any thoughts, problems from personal experience, sucsess stories, wives tales?????

Discuss :d

[71swb4x4]

I posed this question a while ago, and got a lot of people telling me it would cost the same to get an old system running decent, than it would to spend $1,000 on a new system (Vintage Air, etc) and that one would work great.
Give it a shot and tell us if it works. I have all of the stuff to do factory air, but am not sure if the "little" things will nickle and dime me.

[tomatocity]

I know nothing about AC but I have a neighbor that is a HVAC guy and I plan on using his services, for my S10, next Sunday.

Rich (Chickenwing) is doing the same thing with his 2WD. Give him a ring.

Let me know if you are offing any of your AC parts.

[Kid]

When I restored my kid's 68, I used the "factory" air with the 134 conversion, & am not very pleased. Only gets to about 55 degrees. If I was to do it over, I would convert to late model type system or vintage air.

[chipflyer]

I converted my 71 with factory A/C to 134 and it works great. You MUST adjust the POA valve if using 134, if you don't it wont cool. There was anoher post a week ago or so that explained how to adjust the POA.

Jeff

[jamal]

Originally Posted by masterbeavis

I will be swappin in a late model r134a pump from a '00 pickup and will be needing new lines anyways. any thoughts, problems from personal experience, sucsess stories, wives tales?????

Discuss :d

Where do you get the lines made? I am putting a 350 in an s-10 and have a compressor for the 350 but the lines dont match and need the same thing as you. The engine has a factory v belt compressor that works great and matches all accesories

[masterbeavis]

Originally Posted by jamal

Where do you get the lines made? I am putting a 350 in an s-10 and have a compressor for the 350 but the lines dont match and need the same thing as you. The engine has a factory v belt compressor that works great and matches all accesories

I dont know yet. I knew of a place in stockton ca that did radiators and hoses, that I would look up if I still lived there. I do know the return line is nothing special. The pressure line prolly will cause me fits.

Stuff I was told in regards to r12-r134a swaps.
new oriphice (sp) (smaller I think)
better condensor
hi and low side pressure shut off switch
im drawing a blank at the rest, had this convo a year ago.

What is the POA valve??

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by masterbeavis

I dont know yet. I knew of a place in stockton ca that did radiators and hoses, that I would look up if I still lived there. I do know the return line is nothing special. The pressure line prolly will cause me fits.

Stuff I was told in regards to r12-r134a swaps.
new oriphice (sp) (smaller I think)
better condensor
hi and low side pressure shut off switch
im drawing a blank at the rest, had this convo a year ago.

What is the POA valve??

Follow this link
Link to POA Adjustment
for how to adjust your POA for R134a.

If you have a stock, intact system, you are crazy to rip it all out and spend a grand on an aftermarket system.

First adjust the POA like outlined in the link above.

If you need factory lines I bought a set from a supplier - I think it was LMC.

Then just flush all the old oil out of what you got, put it all back together with new o-rings at all the connections, buy a new receiver/dryer, pour in the correct oil, suck it dry (pull a vacuum to remove any moisture), and fill it up with R134a.

I put new o-rings and a new receiver dryer in my '72 Chevelle (same system) in 1989 right before they banned R12. It STILL blows cold air. Now that car is far from a daily driver but it shows how good the factory system is.

[Huck]

Might want to check but I don't believe any aftermarket system uses outside air for cooling-heat. Only one or two offer a system to match up to existing dash vents and they start at $1,000. As far as temp goes, both R12 and R134 will blow at 40 degrees if charged and adjusted correctly. I would look into a rotary compressor verses the original stock POS. You would save significant HP and mpg which would pay for it's self quickly. My .02---Huck

[64fleetside]

My bro has 69,,factory a/c, kept the expansion valve, used the POA elim from Old Air, has 45* air @ 95+ambient outta the vents. Using an R4 comp(serp belt) & Old Air dual elec fans. Use the factory stuff. 134A is very critical on charge amount. Brian

[masterbeavis]

Originally Posted by Huck

I would look into a rotary compressor verses the original stock POS. You would save significant HP and mpg which would pay for it's self quickly. My .02---Huck

Out of curiosity, what kind of compressor comes on a late model 5.3 from the pickups??? Im swappin one in, and that is the compressor that will be used.

[FormerMember]

Neddy can help you with the hoses, Tony.

[71chevylongbed]

will A/C parts from a new chevy truck work on a '71?

[masterbeavis]

I imagine some of the non application specific parts will.