Dear all, I may have to replace the A/C compressor on my '86 Mondial 3.2 Cabriolet. This is the best picture I could take of the compressor that is currently on my car, possibly to be replaced. Anyone can tell from the car model, or the picture, which Sanden model shall I choose? I have been recommended the S6642 but would appreciate direct experience... I searched at my best but I couldn't find any answer to my question. Thanks all in advance! Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hi, thanks for your reply, yes this is what Europares read, whereas others (e.g. ferrariparts) list the Sanden S6642... by the way I honestly can't tell the difference between the two, and I believe Sankyo and Sanden are something like the same (or maybe Sanden owns Sankyo?), and the picture on Eurospares is clearly a Sankyo, but model S6626... That's confusing to me, but I would like to try my best not to purchase it as "Ferrari OEM"!
I‘ve a T and it uses a different compressor. I changed it against something compatibel and it works perfectly. The only difference is the pulley, but it works also with the smaller Ferrari belt. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Yes, that's a completely different model, but it's the same idea I have... you can find Sanden compressors from agriculture sellers at like 15% of the Ferrari OEM... Just i would be happy to purchase with the confidence that I am ordering the correct p/n, so I need to know from someone who has been there...
It should be an SD508 per the 3.2s. Just be aware that the new aftermarket SD508 can spin in both directions. The internal gearing has to be straight in order to do that... Otherwise the compressor will not last as long. Try to search SD508 in this forum. There are quite some threads with further info. Especially by @afterburner
Thanks all for the inputs! No community is better than Fchat! OK this explains, thanks. Correct, in that an SD508 was on the car, but I now positively realised that the Sanden SD5H14 models (among which the S6642) are the new equivalent in terms of dimensions and displacement, for R134(a) gas, and unfortunately here in EU (I assume it is the same in the US?) professionals MUST convert any R12 system they encounter into a R134a. One problem is that to my knowledge there is no version of the SD5H14 that comes with the same single groove pulley I have, so the S6642 double groove version is what is sold as the "equivalent" of the SD508. Maybe I am lucky and one of the two grooves is in the same position of the one on the SD508, maybe not and I will have to swap pulleys; to my understanding it is the latter. I hope I will be proved wrong by someone more experienced here. A very good questions, with unfortunately a very easy reply: because I found nobody here that does that job and we can't find rebuild kits. I am sure though that a good mechanic (maybe even myself) can mix an SD508 and an SD5H14, in sort of rebuild mode. I hope all is limited to swapping clutches (or even just pulleys) and go with the SD5H14. Then if all of the above is correct, I will enter into the infamous matter of R134 conversion. My understanding is that, forget about the compressor, it is a matter of O-R's material and, maybe, dryer cleaning/replacing? Does anybody know if the compressor hoses shall be replaced because of different head fittings? Can the system just be flushed, and dryer and evaporator remain the same once cleaned? I used the "search" function, but found nothing helpful for me (e.g. we have no diy conversion kits here...).
The SD5H14 is the same form factor as the 508 but not compatible with the Mondial 8/QV/3.2L's rotation direction. It's wobbly plate is driven by helical gears (to cut noise) and not by straight cut ones as is the SD508. It will self-destruct, as some of the Chinese knock-offs will. This also means its internals wont' be useful to repair a 508. What's wrong with your compressor? Image Unavailable, Please Login
Dear Afterburner, thanks for your note, which raises a very important point! I have to say it is surprising to me as the SD5H14 is what all parts sellers list in place of the SD508, see for instance: https://eurospares.co.uk/Parts/123205/OEM/New/92130 https://www.ferrariparts.co.uk/part/ferrari/123205 https://www.okp.de/xtc2/Ferrari/10-Engine/Cooling/Compressor-for-air-condition-Ferrari-208-308-328::19935.html And also, according to the Sanden website, the SD5 series can rotate both directions (see attached abstract). May I ask where does your info come from? In reply to you question I am sorry but I can't tell (for now at least) what the issue I have is, what I can say is the shaft is locked. The reason I can't say. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I stand corrected if you have more updated information than I have Let me share what information I got: The following screenshot is from Sanden Singapore, who made the SD5H14 compressor I bought. You'll find its description under products on www.sanden.com.sg I bought an SD5H14 and my service center was very reluctant to fit it when they checked up on it - on top of the pulley question. I contacted Sanden SG re the rotational direction and here is the screenshot of their answer: Image Unavailable, Please Login Noise level increases substantially = it's grinding somewhere...? I dug deeper after that and contacted Sanden Europe with the same question: Image Unavailable, Please Login Then this one re the warranty: Image Unavailable, Please Login I did inquire which SD5H14 model would be CCW compatible and how much a CCW development would cost: Image Unavailable, Please Login I would like to stress I don't know if the current SD5H14 models are CCW compatible or not. I just thought I'd share what I researched. I sold my new SD5H14, got an SD-508 and haven't regretted it. Remove your compressor, open it up, have a look and go from there?
Hi Steve, and thanks for coming back to me. After reading your chat I thought maybe the FAQ reply I pasted should have read "...with the exception of THOSE SD5 Sanden models...", meaning that the SD5 is the only family including some units that can rotate both ways, but then checked and NONE of the SD5 models is mentioned to rotate both ways, as all are listed as CW. So truth is we have conflicting information on the Sanden website, but I can't deny your chat with those people... I asked the same questions myself to Sanden and parts sellers, and will see what they say! It looks to me like it is more a noise question, than integrity, but we don't know if the noise is acceptable, in case. Still, to my understanding, it is a matter of gears cutting, meaning an SD5H14 could most probably donate parts to rebuild an SD508, in the likely case that the problem is not those super-sturdy gears. I would assume anything involved in rebuilding is the same... I see your point of keeping the SD508, I could even source a NOS unit, but my problem is that nobody will fill my system with R12... and I don't know if a full cleaning of the SD508 would allow using R134, did you maybe do that, or just went with R12? Also, as you say, I will open the SD508 asap (maybe next week), and see if I can understand where the problem is... but I'd like to be prepared, you know. Your feedback on my considerations is appreciated.
I fitted the Sankyo compressor in 2015 and it has done 40'000km since, on R134a, using Sanden's SP-20 oil. The oil is readily available and recommended for this type of application. I initially only changed the dryer and all accessible O-rings. I didn't have any issues related to the change of refrigerant or oil. We have similar legislation to the EU here re the use of automotive refrigerants. So I had to switch from R12 to R134a when a hose bust in 2015 and I needed a refill after replacing the leaking hose.
This to say that the SD508 works perfectly with R134a using SP-20 oil. Where I live, the AC essentially runs permanently
Steve, this more or less solves my problem, as: either I can rebuild and clean my SD508, and then use it with proper oil and R134, or I will buy a new one, clean and replace the oil with one suitable for the R134. By the way one of the places that the Sanden guy recommended to you is pretty convenient to me, so I will start asking them to rebuild my SD508 but, as said, it's not too difficult to find new or rebuilt samples on the web... just I think I will have to swap pulleys anyway, as I never saw an SD508 on sale with the same pulley I have... Thanks for your help!!!
Yeah the pulley is the golden object here. Make sure it does not get lost. The bearing, coil and clutch plate can easily be sourced but the pulley you need to keep. Let us know what you find when you open your compressor!
To you, an all who may be interested: I finally took the SD508 to an authorised Sanden shop and they "rebuilt" it for me, meaning they took the pulley and the cover and moved them onto an SD5H14 unit. Sanden people confirmed the SD5H14 is designed to run CW; it can though be run CCW but it will be noisy and bearings life will be compromised. The people that "rebuilt" my compressor basically believe this is bulls**t, they say they run the SD5H14's both ways with no issues whatsoever, and, once rebuilt, they run mine on the bench and it was perfectly silent, and they guarantee perfect functioning. I'll see once my car will be finished (I took the chance to do timing belts, thermostat and all the stuff in that area). I didn't have may options, as my SD508 was completely locked and they didn't even try to open it.
Thanks for your information - very valuable. It would be great if the SD5H14 would actually work for our applications.
Hi, I am sorry I didn't come back to you... this is what I finally have on my car, and I can confirm it works. I hope this may help others having the same issue. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Do note the that the original long ac hoses are not modern "barrier" hoses that are designed to work with R134. The R134 will permeate the rubber, and you will lose some of the refridgerant over time. Probably 1/2 a small can of refridgerant per year. So do check the pressures and recharge the system periodically, people will think there is system leak when it is just a natural outcome of the R134 conversion with the older hoses in place. The gold standard would be to replace the hoses with suitable new barrrier hose, but to my knowledge there is no kit or hoses with the correct fittings that makes this plug and play, and of course removing and rerouting new hoses does not look like a simple project. My factory SD508 system was converted to R134 has worked well for more than 15 years, blows as cold as one would want, and I do a small top up each year before the summer driving season. It was flushed out thoroughly, a new drier and 134 green orings installed, and the proper R134 compatible oil added.
