Air Conditioning Condenser Upgrade?

Frankly, I just used what others had confirmed that fit. I don’t know the bigger size, if there is one.

Considering how notoriously hard it is to do in other cars since it is buried deep in their dashboards, pulling out the evaporator/fan assembly is remarkably easy to do in a 308.

If I recall correctly, the new Spal is a 1/4” in diameter bigger than the factory fan and fits back in with almost no more clearance remaining from the passenger wheel well. However it looked to me like the bolt holes and the holes for the evaporator connectors could probably be moved a little inboard with a little tinkering to facilitate installation of an even bigger diameter fan. Not sure.

Another consideration is current draw. My uprated fan works fine with the existing factory wiring, switch and fuse. I don’t know how close it is to the circuit’s limit. A yet bigger fan might require an upgrade to the fan wiring.

 

Please make sure you read the threads about installing the uprated fan. Although the evaporator/fan assembly is easy to remove from the car, you need to disassemble that assembly and the new fan needs an adapter plate to install. The adapter plate can be hand fabricated but requires some metal working skill. They may be available for purchase somewhere. I bought mine from an FChat member who led a group buy of 5 of 6 plates.

 

Yes, it takes more than just removing old fan/installing new. TBH, I was thinking about doing it a couple years ago but after reading all the info about the install I asked myself, "Do you really want to do this?" Myself responded, "No."

 

I will have to go back and re-read the posts....but I don't remember someone providing a "plate template" drawing. Someone got a sketch of how to do it right?

 

May have been in this thread ?

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/upgrading-a-c-and-radiator-while-im-in-there.611123/page-5

 

Yes, that's the famous thread post (#45) from Ferraridoc. I'm sure Patrick would not have dims on a sketch, but his photo is a good reference.

 

Yep, that (excellent) thread is what convinced me that the "fix" was to leave it alone!

 

FWIW the lower center vent has clutter. I removed all the vent outlet clutter and cut circular openings on the sides. The lower center vent now flows more air.

 

I didn't really find it too tough of a project. The big thing is getting/making that adapter plate. After that it is just straightforward futzing around.

 

Well, we had a cool front come thru today with the outside temperature reaching 52F (11C). A/C worked great.
Set your expectations accordingly

 

Funny - in a way, I've indirectly done the same thing...I don't drive the car in hot weather any more. It's not because I don't want to but because our current life-situation is that we are in Texas, where the Ferrari is now located, from Nov-Apr; no hot summer months. So there is less need for a good quality AC. Therefore my previous interest/need to get it working as well as possible has become less of a concern.

 

I have a extra adapter plate for the evaporator, for the larger spal fan motor. You can also check how many volts you are getting to the motor. Mine was 11.1. So I installed a relay, so I get full battery voltage 12.6 to the fan motor. I did the same for my condenser, radiator fan motors to increase fan speed and take the stress off of the fuse box. In my opinion, after converting hundred of car from r12 to r134 , r12 is still better for the older cars. You need a bigger condenser and more air flow to make r134 work.

 

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Brian, I got an electrical newbie question......because the new Spal motor has the built-in resistor with the individual "speed" wires, how do you wire up the Spal 008-A45-02 to the old 2-wire/existing resistors layout? Black to the ground and the red to the MAX speed connector?

 

I chose to bypass the new resistor and just connected the wires from the old resistor appropriately. I don’t recall which wire was which but recall there was a diagram or something.

 

Understood!