Researching AC Install

[ZSK]

With a move from Michigan to Florida planned in the near future I've decided that the Ranger needs AC installed, I can't bear the thought of Florida without AC. I've been trying to find any interchanging parts. What will work from an Explorer on my '96 Ranger? I found a '95 Explorer that was wrecked and was wondering what will or won't work? I'd like to get parts used just to try and save on cost. I'm assuming that a 95 or 96 would already be R134?

 

[MAKG]

Quite likely, but it will say for sure on the evaporator housing.

All the parts should work, if you have the same engine (4.0L). If you don't, you're going to have some joyful experiences trying to get the compressor to mount to the engine and condenser/accumulator at the same time. There may be issues I'm not aware of with the evap housing and suction/discharge line routing. Those moved around quite a bit.

Honestly, don't expect this to be cheap. You need shop labor to charge properly, and you simply should never reuse a junked accumulator or orifice tube. You will also need a shop to evacuate the donor (and if it's completely discharged, it's useless). Yanking out the orifice tube may expose significant problems.

An alternative is to get all the A/C parts from a full service junkyard with a Section 609 certification. Then you can get the same year, engine, model, etc., and know the system needed discharge.

 

[RobbieD]

The Ranger changed to R134a in the 1994 models. Not sure about the Explorer, whether Ford changed it that year, too or waited until the major revision in '95. So I would think that a '95 Ex would be R134a; and there should be a sticker under the hood identifying the refrigerant.

 

[ZSK]

My Ranger is a 4.0/auto as is the Ex. What would be damaged if the old system wasn't evacuated properly?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

They make stand alone A/C systems for older cars, you might check into one of them, I don't see retrofitting an entire stock system being very fun.

 

[ZSK]

I have seen retrofits done for less than $500. Most of the stand alone systems are twice that, but that is also an option.

For a stand alone system....Is it just a generice compressor and bracket to the engine or is it an electrically operated compressor?

 

[RobbieD]

My Ranger is a 4.0/auto as is the Ex. What would be damaged if the old system wasn't evacuated properly?

Open exposure to the atmosphere cruds the insides of everything, especially the evaporator and condensor. An AC system has to be completely free from contaminates in order for it to work properly.

 

[RobbieD]

I have seen retrofits done for less than $500. Most of the stand alone systems are twice that, but that is also an option.

For a stand alone system....Is it just a generice compressor and bracket to the engine or is it an electrically operated compressor?

An add-on kit is a mount and drive to fit the compressor to a particular engine, the needed refrigerant hoses, a condensor, and either an under-dash evaporator and blower assembly, or an evaporator that is mounted within the existing HVAC system ductwork. The later involves adapting the existing HVAC controls to the added AC.

 

[MAKG]

I don't see retrofitting an entire stock system being very fun.

Having done it, it's not that bad. RBVs use the same under-dash ductwork for both cases, so the only thing you have to change inside is the control head. The hardest part is getting the blower/evap housing swapped, just because some of the nuts and bolts are not easy to get at when there is both an evaporator and a V-6 in the vehicle.

 

[RobbieD]

Has anybody here retrofitted OEM air into a '95 and later? I don't consider '94 and earlier RBV's as being that difficult, but '95 and up it looks like there's more systems integration (as in the GEM being added, for one), and there's air bags to work around. I'm not sure how, or even if, the HVAC control head is tied to other systems in the OBDII trucks. In the older stuff, it's pretty straightforward, but still a rather big job.

Hey Michael- we really could use your "Air Conditioning 101" article back. That was a great guide.

 

[MAKG]

That article is in the magazine if you know where to look for it (June 2004). I'll make a sticky again. It's really all about the OBD-I and earlier systems, though. Your GEM issue is an interesting one I really should have thought of....

It's certainly not a trivial retrofit, but for the earlier models, the work is only slightly more than an aftermarket add-on. The only real PITAs are the evap housing, and to a much lesser extent, the control head. All the other installations are easy (well, you do have to drain and remove the radiator, but that's fairly straightforward).

 

[RobbieD]

Good deal; thanks for placing the sticky, MAKG.

 

[exbass94]

The Ranger changed to R134a in the 1994 models. Not sure about the Explorer, whether Ford changed it that year, too or waited until the major revision in '95. So I would think that a '95 Ex would be R134a; and there should be a sticker under the hood identifying the refrigerant.

My 1994 Explorer originally came with R134a. '93 was the last year for R12.