Daytona A/C

Is the High speed fan on a relay so that it gets full electrical system voltage? It should get at least 13.5 volts, also old motors can get dirty and kind of slow up, maybe pull it out test it on a bench and clean it up.

 

The fans are not the main problem. The condenser is too small and the dash outlets blow on the hot windshield. The only effective AC I ever saw in a Daytona was Joe Pendergast's who had an aftermarket unit (Sears?) under the dash. Looked bad, but boy was it effective. The car was ex Kirk F White's and I don't know which of them put it in.

 

Hal Ulrich, Chicago), used to install Denso compressors in the Daytonas, not original but they did have frosty air. Also, saw another with a second system on the rear deck, don't know the deails, but another Ulrich job (he also did a power steering on them when they first came out). Hal is no longer with us.

 

It will cost a point or so, but you will have cool AC on the way home!

 

www.vintageair.com ... I saw one of their universal units installed inside the dash that worked great...the guy even hollowed out the stock compressor and mounted the smaller rotary compressor inside the York housing...took a lot of work but looked stock and cooled like a new car...

 

Was that in a vintage Ferrari? People always mention these guys but no one that has actually used their stuff. Best, Yale

 

Yes, it was a Daytona I saw at an event at Road Atlanta years ago...I believe the car was out of North Carolina. A car is a car...as long as you have room and 12 VDC a universal kit will work in any brand car...the one I saw the guy had everything up in the dash and the vents plumbed into the stock vents so everything looked OEM ...

 

My Daytona spent most of the last couple of decades in Florida, so a previous owner installed what looks like a period correct Chevy van air conditioner in the rear bulkhead. It works very well when Freon manages to stay in the system! I also get cold air out of the normal vents, too. I'm not sure how this is all plumbed.

-steve
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Thats the former Jim Schaffer, Dick Toplin car. That AC did work very well

 

Thats the former Jim Schaffer, Dick Toplin car. That AC did work very well

 

The initial post says the air is cold but there just isn't enough fan, so it might be that the compressor and condenser are fine. It's difficult to say for certain though because, whenever the fan is low the air usually feels very cold, it may become less cool when the fan is pushing more air. Seems worthwhile to first determine it the problem is with the fan and to determine how your blower compares with those mentioned that have frosty air.

 

I would not be too quick to blame the York compressor as that is a very common compressor used in a lot of large American cars during that period.

It has been my experience that one area that is very commonly overlooked is the replacement of the drier and expansion valve in these systems. Both of these parts should be replaced before you start redesigning a new system.

Good luck,
Mark

 

Try searching, I posted photos of my unit after rebuilding it several years ago, if that doesnt work I will post pics again. The issue is that the original evaporator has the coils so close together that not so much air gets past, which sounds like your case since the air is cold. Of course the system design is flaky, if it were "upside down" with the exhaust at the bottom then the cold air would blow on people, instead of the windshield. After building a new evaporator, resealing everything so the air comes out the vents[mostly] and replacing theexpansion valve[its Ford as I recall] and replacing the sensor which cuts off the compressor mine works pretty good, it makes cold air which will keep up and cool the car some. I am in Borrego Springs today, 101 degrees ouside, it definitly wont keep up with that.
Malcolm

 

You don't need to change the condensor or evaporator, just spend $300 and get a higher capacity A/C compressor with moderns seals from tyhe company that bought the York division.

See this article I wrote when mine went bad. The York A/C compressor replacement is sold by the TCCI company which purchased the York company.
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showpost.php?p=136100907&postcount=8

It fits in the exact size/form as the original and is a bolt up replacement, but has superior seals, accepts universal refirgerant (R-12, R-134A, R-22, etc), and has 40% increase in volumetric efficiency (10 CU as opposed to the old 6 CU).

PS - don't buy it from a retailer, see my article on how to buy it directly from the big distributor sellers. I've seen local owners pay over $500 for a rebuild of their old unit and could have boughten a complete, new unit for just over half that.

 

Malcolm:

I was interested to see what you had done to your A/C. The comment on the expansion valve and the compressor cutoff sensor were specifically notable.

I have gotten mine to work by going to a Freon replacement (NOT R132). It works great for about an hour and then quits. I can start it later and it will again run for a while and then quit. By quit, I mean that NO air blows thru.

I am assuming my cutoff sensor could be faulty, or I may have too much refrigerant in my system. What did you find to replace your cutoff sensor?

And why did you replace the expansion valve?

Thanks

Tom

 

Since the car was all apart it seemed sensible to eliminate any potential trouble. The cut off switch is Ford, I think, or maybe from NAPA. The old one was shutting off the compressor too soon. Is yours freezing-it sounds like it, that is the reason we tackeled this, mine would freeze. It is hard for the fan to blow the air UP through the ice. I may try the Compressor idea from the other post.
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Does the flat panel under the backglass also have 2 vents located on each end?If so then this A/C looks to me to be one of approx. 3 custom retrofit systems that I installed at FAI a few years back.The 2 little vents on either side of the main vent as shown in the pic is what tells me it is one .I could be brain fading also?Theres lots of hoses and fittings in the system, any of which can leak,and be whats leaking on yours.I got some photos of the installs somewhere and can advise you if needed. The system actually keeps the car cool inside on a hot day.also I hid all of the lines going from the engine compartment to the evaporator/fan unit in the trunk. I used a new "York" style compressor on 2 units and retrofitted a Sanyo/Denso (Japanese) style on the other.Both worked fine at pumping to the additional lines and other added components.However,I personally prefer the lighter weight and lesser drag seen with the Japanese style units.Just my opinion. you have to look really closely under the hood to see the added lines and other goodies.Can also be put back to stock with little grief. Tim

 

bump

 

I don't know the specifics, but my "go to" shop here in FL has some experience in a/c improvements. Another Ferrarisi took his Daytona in with the same complaint. The shop owner and I agreed that if the York and other exterior components are up to snuff the weak link [other than the vent location] is the inadequate volume of air being pushed out of the fans. Accordingly he replaced the fan motor with a Mercedes motor. I don't believe he changed the fan itself, but rather the fan motor only. It made a significant difference.

I will probably go down the same road with both my C/4 and GTC. The GTC is better w/ the vents in the middle console dash cooling me and not the windshield. The C/4 vent location is same as the Daytona.

Ultimately my driver GTC will have a Sanden compressor installed. The Yorks take 4+ times the power to operate as a Sanden. On top of that the York is ineffective at slow speeds - sitting at a stop it does not cool. The Sanden would not have this problem. But of course unless you want to "shell out" the York w/ different innards it won't be original. That does not matter to me for a driver. I just want to be able to drive my GTC here in our hot humid summers.

But to answer your specific question research the Mercedes fan motor w/ someone of knowledge. It might do the trick for you.

Steve Cantera
Naples

 

is it possible for the mods to merge the two threads on Daytona A/C into one...please?

 

Yes, much easier than using the search for the same thing!