Aircon Wiring

docchevron1472 · Post by **docchevron1472** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 2:29 am

Dont worry about the belt idler, get a XUD cam belt tensioner and cut it down. Easily available and cheap, and it bolts on.
There's a couple of issues with getting the cars together.
1: when I install the air con kit my car will be nothing but a vare shell, so it wont move, and it'll be in Stroud.
2: Vanny lives up north.

However, I can install all the hardware and drive the car to St. Austell and get the wiring sorted there.
It's no issue at all for me to get to St. Austell given that I go there as often as I can (several times a year). My mate / ex / er, I duno what she is so we'll call her my mate, grew up round there, my coach was based at St. Austell in the 70's, and I love Cornwall, there's nowhere else on earth I'd rather be.

Once Vanny's finished playing at Uni I'm sure we can intice him down here (even if I've got to pick him up actually it's no bother) then he can have a holiday (sort of) and we can get the cars air con units working.
Jobbed.

I think themain issue with my kit is that it came from a P1 valver (sp I'm told, I duno, never saw the car, bought it as a kit) and it's going in a TD..
But Vanny's good with leccy so he'll sort it!
I'll make the tea and drink beer!

Post by **Vanny** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 7:44 am

sounds like it would be a plan! Not been west for quite some time, and would only need my small electrical kit with me so could train/bus it to brizzle and on from there.

Converting ph1 to TD shouldn't be too much of a problem, you just wont be abel to increase the idle revs (i doubt anyways) but i suspect in a diesel it wont matter?

docchevron1472 · Post by **docchevron1472** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 12:16 pm

Public transport????
Stuff that, I'll come and get ya.
Standard diesel kits didn't increase the idle, and I really cant see it being a problem, if it really becomes an issue I'll just up the idle speed a touch on the pump.

robin hughes · Post by **robin hughes** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 5:12 pm

It would be grate if you both came down here for a holiday ( well sort of ) TBH i need as much help as i can get to install this aircon.

I spent another hour outside again today cleaning the compressor and the plastic thing that the condensor rad fits into. The good news is that i gan still get the idler off the engine as its still in a shed at the mo. And even better news is my car IS already equipped with a sump for the aircon compressor to bolt straight on to

one cleanish compressor

the plastic thing the condensor rad fits into

Post by **Vanny** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 8:19 pm

the condenser shroud is i think the only thing i am actually missing! Can't remember if i ever had it, but the most likely case is that i forgot what it was for and stuck it in the bin! You know, if we all got together in one place to do it, i suspect a fridgeman might offer a healthy discount for doing three at the same time in the same place!

docchevron1472 · Post by **docchevron1472** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 1:32 am

I aint got the shroud either, but I'm not overly fussed about it TBH.
Thats not a bad plan though, get three cars done at the same time..

Although mines gona be a way off yet as I haven't finished the valver yet, and I cant strip the TD till thats done.
Plus once al the air hardware is installed it'll need to be stuck on a vac for a while given that it's been exposed to air for quite some time..

Post by **Vanny** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 9:16 am

which the fridge man would do, which is why doing three at once is good cos it saves so much time, just more the gear down the line

docchevron1472 · Post by **docchevron1472** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 12:51 pm

Quite so, but I'd be rather tempted to leave mine on a vac for 48 hours at least really..

Either way, Cornwall in the summer is just the best place on earth so holiday / car tinkering / ale drinking sounds like a top plan to me!

AlanS · Post by **AlanS** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 9:59 pm

docchevron1472 wrote:I aint got the shroud either, but I'm not overly fussed about it TBH.
Thats not a bad plan though, get three cars done at the same time..

Although mines gona be a way off yet as I haven't finished the valver yet, and I cant strip the TD till thats done.
Plus once al the air hardware is installed it'll need to be stuck on a vac for a while given that it's been exposed to air for quite some time..

FWIW, you might get away with the shroud off over there but you wouldn't in some of the extremes we get here due to it basically allowing the air to scramble instead of being directed over the condensor in a reasonably controlled manner; the fans lose efficiency without it particularly in traffic.
As regards the fact that the system has been exposed to air, don't put too much faith in the vacuum pump getting it all out. For what it costs, I wouldn't waste time trying to economise by not replacing the receiver drier as well as ALL "O" rings with the new green types and remember if your systems were last run on R12, they need to have the new O rings in them as well as the compressor oil changing and the new receiver driers come with a different dessicant to the original (R-12) ones.

Sorry if I've duplicated things already discussed and sorted, but I am not on the net much lately due to a serious medical condition.

Alan S

AlanS · Post by **AlanS** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 12:35 am

A couple of points I don't think have been covered are these.

A 16V compressor is a 7 piston pump which has the specs of "Running 6000 rpm changedown 8000" and is usually designated by a number such as 709 as its model.

The 8 valve has a 5 piston pump with specs; "Running 4000rpm, changedown 6000rpm." and can carry a model such as 510.
In both cases, the first digit is the number of pistons. If the number is a more complicated one, it means the compressor has been changed to an R134a compressor.

If thinking of buying a condenser off eBay don't fall for the trap of buying a "Will suit a Citroen BX" as the condenser that suits an 8 valve model, will be miles too big physically for a 16V and can't be modified to fit. It has to be a 16V condenser.

If you need any specs on any of this stuff I may still have it in some of my trade books.
Incidentally, if you haven't yet bought the neoprene O rings, shop around a bit as I buy then in packs of 10 and 20 and can buy enough that way to not only set up your 3 cars but enough to have a few spares for less than about 5 - 10 UK pounds.

Alan S

docchevron1472 · Post by **docchevron1472** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 2:09 am

AlanS wrote: FWIW, you might get away with the shroud off over there but you wouldn't in some of the extremes we get here due to it basically allowing the air to scramble instead of being directed over the condensor in a reasonably controlled manner; the fans lose efficiency without it particularly in traffic.

Hhmm, hadn't actually thought of that. Shouldn't be too hard to make one up I guess..

AlanS wrote:As regards the fact that the system has been exposed to air, don't put too much faith in the vacuum pump getting it all out. For what it costs, I wouldn't waste time trying to economise by not replacing the receiver drier as well as ALL "O" rings with the new green types and remember if your systems were last run on R12, they need to have the new O rings in them as well as the compressor oil changing and the new receiver driers come with a different dessicant to the original (R-12) ones.

I shall be getting a new reciever / dryer so thats sorted, and all seals and the such will be replaced also..

As for the vac not getting it all out, is there anything I camn do to endure it's totally free of moisture? It's been sat around (admitedly the ends are all taped up, but I very much doubt thats kept anything out other than dust TBH) for 4 years at least...

AlanS wrote:Sorry if I've duplicated things already discussed and sorted, but I am not on the net much lately due to a serious medical condition.

Everything OK Alan? On the mend I hope?
Best wishes mate.

Alan S[/quote]

Post by **Vanny** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 7:56 am

you know, since i've done the hard part and already bought the neoprene seals from citroen, i could just go count them up and then we would know exactly how many are needed (this is the reason i bought the kit in the first place, couldnt be bothered faffing over how many where needed.)

docchevron1472 · Post by **docchevron1472** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 12:40 pm

I'm guessing it's less than 1,000,000!

Post by **Vanny** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 8:25 pm

its sub fifty, i think somewhere in the region 20 to 30 tbh

AlanS · Post by **AlanS** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 10:19 pm

Standard practice I've always used has been to evacuate for an hour or two then leave on the gauges and keep a check on the vacuum for another hour. If it drops in reading within that hour you have a leak. (There is a system whereby the vacuum pump can be used to both test for moisture or leaks but too involved to go into here.)
After this, I remove old receiver/drier fit new, along with new "O" rings and evacuate system again.
Over here these days, rather than let the system just fill with air when swapping drier over, (and potentially moisture) they replace the vacuum with LPG (yep, barbeque gas), just a slight pressurising before disconnecting, then going through the entire process again. Problem is that your fridge man mightne't like getting LPG into his evvacuation process, as a few of them don't realise it's totally environmentally friendly and is compatable with all refrigerants, seals, oils and dessicants, in fact I have one car operating on LPG over here that I ran out of time on and had a hard to find leak and in any case is the base material for "Greenfreeze" refrigerant.

As to my current state of health Doc, might be able to tell you more later today as I had a call from a doctor who had been called by the pathologist who did blood tests on me yesterday morning, that one had come back abnormally high and he was all for dropping me in hospital when he rang at midnight. I have to see my doctor at 9am today. Hopefully some idea then.

Alan S

BX16V.com Forum

BX16V.com Forum

Aircon Wiring