AC compatibility between 308 and Mondial? AC upgrade suggestions?

Hi All,

I'm planning on updating my non-working AC system this year and I've been considering buying a Retroair upgrade system., which was recommended by my mechanic.

http://www.retroair.com/ferrariairconditioning/308upgradekit.html

The issue is I don't know if this system will work on the Mondial. The company is not a lot of help. They say it will work on "any car that says 308" but they don't know really seem to konw one Ferrari from another honestly, nor how the Mondial and the 308 relate internally, and the guy who developed the system is long gone according to the guy on the phone.

So........

Anyone have experience putting this system into a Mondial?

Anyone worked on both cars and can tell me if it should work?

Does anyone have any alternate suggestions? Alternate upgrades or a different company to try? My goal is to try and install a more modern and efficient system that blows cold and pulls less juice, thus reducing the load on the fuse box. I have an SRI box installed so I should be safe but less heat is less heat.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions or experience.

 

Dave, the Mondial's HVAC is more powerful than the 308's for the additional interior volume and glass area so requires a larger compressor than the 308. You can see that when you compare the compressor specs of the 2 cars.
So the 308 replacement systems wouldn't just "fit"; its compressor would need to run a lot more to supply the rest of the system.
Additionally, the control logic of the ECU isn't adapted to the smaller output compressor.

 

I have worked on cars with the retro air system and was not impressed. I couldn't tell the difference. The compressor installation is very bush league. Going to a Sanden compressor is in itself a good idea but not how they did it. I'd get the parts from a Mondial mount and do the very slight mods required to make it fit the smaller compressor the 308 needs. Putting in a new, straight, clean, more efficient condensor with some very powerful fans isn't a bad idea either but that is more of a maintenance item at this point in the cars life anyway. I almost never see a 308 with an original condensor that is still capable of doing the job anymore. Old, corroded, bent fins are not much of a heat exchanger.

Their system also uses R134. I think that alone is a bad idea.

 

The OP has a Mondial as I understand, so needs a bigger compressor than the 308 kits offer.

 

Dave, check https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/some-tlc-for-my-qv.482046/ post#57

 

Then there is better than a 50% chance he has the best possible compressor anyway.,

 

Thanks Brian. I do have a Mondial, not a 308, but regardless I'll look into different options.

I've also been told recently that you can upgrade by installing the system form a later Ferrari, modified to work in the older cars...355 maybe?

 

Thanks!

 

If you have the round compressor, you have the best thing going. It it is square buy a setup off a later Mondial. As far as any of the other parts the car was kind of built around them. Old corroded, bent up condensers will not work very well and new should be considered. Don't be talked into conversion to R 134.

 

Ah, yes. It was the R 134 conversion I was thinking of...couldn't remember the name. Do you view it as a waste of money, or does it cause further compatibility problems, etc? Just trying to get a full picture before I make a decision.

I'll have to ask what condenser shape have. My car's an '83 QV...so maybe it has the older version?

Thanks for your help Brian!

 

You'll find a lot of answers in my thread

 

I'm looking but it's a looooooonng thread! lol