What's the latest on 308 A/C Upgrades?

The first step is to stay with R12. 134 is a step down for an older car.

 

I second that.... Stay with R12. it can be purchased on ebay, you can even take the EPA certification license online, which some require. I'm looking to create an add-on kit that plumbs an additional Evaporator coil and blower fan to the current system. Can't be to difficult, since the extra capacity would be greatly utilized. Could fit under the passenger foot plate.

 

i was thinking of upgrading the AC in the QV as well. i was thinking of replacing the stock compressor/condenser with a GM or Ford unit. maybe that will help?

 

If your car has the York Compressor, there is no cooling benefit by changing it. The York was used to cool the largest cars detroit ever made and it could literally run you out of the car cooling -wise. So, assuming it's working properly, the compressor is huge overkill. All the issues as far as poor cooling lie elsewhere.

 

Anyone consider getting rid of the engine mounted compressor, and installing a frame mounted electric-driven compressor in the front of the car? The hoses would be much shorter, which should improve efficiency, plus it would be so much easier to work on AC, and t-belts. You can also use rigid lines, because you don't have to accomidate engine movement. Rigid lines are much less prone to leaks. Battery connection is right in the front too. It would require some work, but I'd rather spend my time on a good design. This is especially true for 308. I hear 328 are a bit better.

This is the new standard on hybrid cars. Probably will be the new standard on all cars soon. New units are many thousands, but I gotta believe that there are a few prius's in junkyards by now.

 

+1 there. That York compressor was used on various Mercedes and even large semi trucks all the way through the 80s. I would not use R12 as there are several R12 substitutes that are more efficent and cheaper. Just make sure to not employ a flammable substitute. Surprisingly, R134 is more flammable then all of them but we don't seem to hear much about that.

 

AC systems are not that complex and in the 308 the issues seem to be 2 issues a hot cabin and very small Evaporator with poor fans. The York is plenty big enough as is the condenser, yet could add another electric fan to it. The system is way undersized to run R134 .

This is Auto AC in a nut shell the actual temperatures I use are not exact for simplicity of the concept.

Think of it like this:

The refrigerant R12 lets say its 100 degrees is compressed and gets very hot... hotter then the outside air temperature which is the key to this working. It is sent through the the condenser coils, where outside air blows through and reduces the temperature from say 200 degrees to 150 degrees, a loss of 50 degrees, but still to hot to cool the cabin.

The refrigerant is them passed through a valve (expansion valve) where it losses its pressure and in turn its temperature by a factor of 100 degrees... compressed 200 to uncompressed 100.

But this time R12 was cooled from the outside air to pull off 50 degrees, so the refrigerant is not 100 degrees but instead 50 degrees. So a 50 degree coil cools the air passing through it as well as the moisture in the air. Anyways that my way of looking at it

A note on refrigerants. I still think R12 is the best, there is Freeze12 not bad and some use propane, and other explosive gases. If R134 is to work properly then the system needs to be sized for it. R12 systems often put out 34 to 36 degrees at the vent, that's cold.

 

The York is fine if all else in the system is working properly.....the location on the 308 isn't great, lots of heat and sometimes the 'reed valves" or whatever quit working...

The modern conversion upgrades to a Sanden and it pulls less power off the motor...

Send all your old York units to me, I need the clutches!!

Moorespeed in Austin can walk you thru it, maybe even "kit up" all the parts and brackets you need.......

They would know about the R12 question also.....HTH

"Sanden + conversion" search should find some threads on it.

 

Coming in under the heading "Totally Useless Information Stuck In My Head", a couple years ago when I was searching for a new truck, I found out that the Toyota FJ Crusier guys who are real hard core off-roaders use these York compressors as truck mounted air compressors.

(I didn't get an FJ, there's a little known problem with them that the factory refuses to acknowledge, surprised it didn't come out in all the recent Toyota press.)

Not that that has anything to do with this thread, I'm just saying.
Phil

 

Nobody helped me, and all the 308GTBs rolled to a quiet stop...........

 

Just curious to the question.

I have the r12 and i get more than enough cold air in the a/c...enough so that i keep it low on hot days here in Toronto, and i am talking about humid , hazy hot days that go to 95...and it works more than fine...

im wondering, when you say its not cool or cold enough is it when you have it sitting in the heat (sun) it doesnt cool down ? or when you take it from the garage and drive around in hot weather its not cold enough ?

 

"I found out that the Toyota FJ Crusier guys who are real hard core off-roaders use these York compressors as truck mounted air compressors."

They are commonly used on boats for the same purpose. It's hard to get "junked" parts for them sometimes nowadays because they have become so popular for non-ac use that they get picked up at junkyards immediately - used to find them easily since they were used on air cond cars at least as early as 1959 through (as noted) the 80's. But once it was figured out that they make great air compressors...

 

I chabges my 308 over to the SD 7 Sandon when the seals on the old york gave up and did not notice any change in the vent temperature, When I changed out the origional Lucas radiator fans to slim line 12" units the vent temp dropped by 3-4 degrees, ie 34 degrees F.

This was my own personal situation, Bella is not going to Quebec and I still have 7 cans of R12 left over, if you would like it I will pass it on to you for what I paid for it plus postage.
$ 20.00 per can plus flat rate USPS about $14.00

trust this helps

 

Our compresseros are also used on the 911......look there.

Rebuilt ones are common, only the clutch (single groove pulley) is unique.

If you are not getting 'delta t" across the coil you have a flow problem, the reed valves, as I said or a plugged line (they are long) or an expansion valve (standard to many cars, just match one up)

The advantage of the Sanden is strictly operational drag off the motor, it won't solve any of the problems above if present. Keep looking.