308 GT4 owners and A/C

The ac on my GT4 is a joke. I tried using it once, and just gave up.

Dom

 

its a joke on the 308gtb i have also. when the belt service was done i put all of the a/c crap in a box with the emissions stuff. ( exempt here ) i capped the lines off, but i could care less about a/c in a ferrari.

 

I had my system recharged after some gearbox work, and the A/c worked fine, having not had much of an effect before. The cold air only comes out of the central one of the 3 vents on the dash...so make sure that it's aimed where it's needed most.

 

My system is low on charge, so I don't bother with it at all. I survived driving around in California last August with the windows rolled down and was fine (not sweaty). All the better to hear them carbs and the Borla!

 

Minimal effect during the summer, it is better than nothing, but it barely keeps the cabin cooler than the ambient air. I was told by Gary Bobileff, that he has designed a retrofitted GM type of evaporator to replace the OEM evaporator. Gary said that the OEM compressor is plenty big enough, it is the evaporator that is lacking in sheer air volume. My top three vents all work with the AC on. The trick I learned for the AC to hit your face is to slightly lower your sun visor about 1/4 of the way down, it acts as a wind deflector, in this case downwards towards your lower face and upper chest. It is better than nothing. I truly want it to be much better by this summer and I might go for the $500 cost of this newer evaporator design. GM AC delco systems rock for AC. Cheap parts also.

 

Last summer Verell and I converted my 308 GTB to R134a and charged the A/C up properly. I have to say, the A/C works pretty well now. It's not as cold as the arctic A/C in my Toyota, but cool enough to get the job done. And MA in summer is plenty hot and humid (in the 90's).

Birdman

 

I modified the air flow in my GT4 by making up a 3 way diffuser which sits under the the cover which covers the brake booster and the a/c drier.I was able to divert the air to the two outlets that serve the feet area.Now I have air coming from the top centre outlet and the bottom.Air flow is dramatictly improved but still not perfect.If the car sits in the heat then it is still hard to bring temps down.I would like to upgrade the air velocity of the fan motor,and would also like to fit the upgrade Ferrari did to later model cars where they installed another vent in the middle above the centre console and just under the dash.If any one has a clear pic of this piece I could possibly custom make one up.

 

I switched to a sanden rotary compressor (which is OEM in Europe, why not here I don't know), new dryer, new custom fittings, flush, vacuum, charge with 134 and 42-deg Air sitting still in the parking lot on a 90-deg day for $450.

The York (Aspera) compressor will work w/ 134, but it's only a 2-stage design. The sanden I converted to is a 7-stage design and much more effecient.

Unfortunetely I can't find a link to my original post or I'd link it now.