Mine has been off and in a box for a couple of years and I was thinking about just buying the retro air kit but if you like this compressor enough to get yourself one, I'm sold on it based on that alone. So unless that retro air uses that compressor, I'll just buy everything else from them. Where can I source one?
I wanted an OE looking installation and bought a complete set up off a Mondial being parted out. Because of space 328 uses a shorter compressor and I came across one years ago that had been replaced. I had it rebuilt and performed the required modifications to the Mondial mounts to take the shorter compressor. If you are planning on doing it the easy way I thought there was a company offering a kit to convert them. I'd do one stop shopping and get it all from them. I am sure I have read about it here. It takes some hose changes and the fittings end up wanting to take up some of the space occupied by the US version fuel evap system. To do a clean job it is not really straight forward. The one piece I had left on mine was one of the hoses. I was never able to get one of the hoses made in a way that I liked and I bought the last one Ferrari had. Now I need to take the car half apart to install it and do whatever needed to redesign or relocate the fuel evap pieces.
FWIW, I'm 100% convinced the York system (running R12 & maybe even 134) is plenty sufficient a system for this car. The biggest problem is air movement inside. Most of the cold air goes up into the hot windshield. If you adjust the louvers to move the air towards you, you essentially close them off. If there was a better way to deliver this cold air to the cab, we would notice a huge difference. It would look HORRIBLE, but if we could jerry-rig a 90 degree elbow up there, we'd all be a lot happier. If someone has a broken round vent they'd be willing to part with, I'd fabricate a few mockups.
Retro Air is who you are thinking of I'm sure. The kit is nice and as much as I don't want to go 134, it appears that their condenser has the surface area to make it efficient. That plus better fans (and correct hose material) should do the trick with a 134 conversion more or less.
Have you thought about using RED TEK 12a? Had my dad not had his cylinder of R12, I was going to give this a try. Operation: RED TEK 12a possesses similar volumetric refrigerating effects to R12 or R134a refrigerants. Operates at lower head pressures and offers improved cooling properties, performance and energy efficiency verses R12 or R134a. Can be used effectively in R12 or R134a refrigeration systems without major "retrofitting." Lower Cost: Less expensive than R12 refrigerant and R134a "retrofits". Energy savings up to 30%. Compatibility: Compatible with most common refrigeration materials and lubricants including R134a, R12, metal components, mineral and synthetic(Ester and PAG) lubricants, seals, gaskets, hoses, compressors, and o-rings. Environment: 100% natural organic refrigerant, non-ozone depleting, non-global warming. 12a is in full compliance with the UN Montreal Protocol. Safety: Does not become caustic when contaminated with moisture or oxygen. Non-toxic, non-carcinogen, autoignition temperature above 1385F. No long term health risks have been attributed to RED TEK 12a refrigerant.
The jury is still out on the product and a simple reading of the available information suggests it is not as free of issues as suggested. Forgive my skepticism but if it was the perfect product you describe it would have taken over the A/C industry already and like all the other alternative products it has far from done that. Based on what I have already seen it will be on the long list of alternative products that have come and gone soon.
I guess I wasn't very clear in that when you point the vents at you, they are nearly closed. In this position, they don't allow nearly the same amount of airflow as when pointed straight up. Craig
It would be great if it is great and we'll see but for now I'll keep using R12. The funny part of that is in California with all of its restrictions, R12 is far easier to get and cheaper than it is here. In California I could get a pallet of 30lb bottles delivered by lunch and in Texas if I ask for R12 you'd think I just asked for a kilo of coke.
I understood. Still don't agree. Dash is sloped towards you and at a 60 degree or so angle it blows at you reasonably well and don't see it cutting off much flow. Its not like there is so much air capacity that wide open or at 60 degrees it makes a difference in volume. It would be nice if the evap fan was bigger but that would be a huge project. As far as the Sanyo compressor goes, I agree at highway cruising speeds it has all the capacity needed but at slower variable speeds around town it is pitiful. That is where the substantial greater ability of the Sanyo should make a difference. Then there is the bonus of it being lighter and use less power to drive.
Got the new Fan in 1200CFM a could make a diff. In slow trafic AC blows cold on the highway even at 1500 rpm.the old motor is less then 800 CFM so the extra Air will help even at 1000 rpm sitting at a light. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Very nice, really curious if this make a serious difference, I am often stuck in grid lock traffic and my ac cooling power definitely fades on a long idle, as much as probably the heat soak from the engine and rad making things harder on the a/c system so surely some extra airflow would help?
