• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

Let's discuss adding A/C to my 1st gen V8 truck that never had it to begin with..


Bird76Mojo

Well-Known Member
V8 Engine Swap
Joined
Jun 28, 2009
Messages
2,633
Reaction score
1,264
Points
113
Location
IL
Engine Type
V8
Well, now I've got at least 2 hours planned out for me tomorrow. A storm just rolled through and lightning struck a very tall Pin Oak tree in my fence-row. It blew the top of it apart and some very large limbs came down and split a Sassafras tree in half all the way to the ground. They're laying across my car trailer..

The silver lining is that I haven't got my carport put up yet, and those limbs all fell right where I was going to put it.
 


Uncle Gump

Token Old Guy
TRS Event Staff
TRS Forum Moderator
Supporting Member
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Sep 17, 2018
Messages
13,691
Reaction score
13,146
Points
113
Location
Ottawa IL
Vehicle Year
2006/1986
Make / Model
Ranger/BroncoII
Engine Size
4.0L SOHC/2.9L
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Lead follow or get out of my way
Divine intervention perhaps...

You got it worse down there I guess... unless I slept through the worst of it here.
 

Bird76Mojo

Well-Known Member
V8 Engine Swap
Joined
Jun 28, 2009
Messages
2,633
Reaction score
1,264
Points
113
Location
IL
Engine Type
V8
This was just a quick pop-up storm. Some high winds that kept switching directions, some lightning and thunder, and 6/10's of rain in about 45 minutes.
 

Bird76Mojo

Well-Known Member
V8 Engine Swap
Joined
Jun 28, 2009
Messages
2,633
Reaction score
1,264
Points
113
Location
IL
Engine Type
V8
Well, so much for progress this week. Tried to lift too large of a log today when dad's chainsaw bar got stuck and pinched a nerve in my back.
 

Bird76Mojo

Well-Known Member
V8 Engine Swap
Joined
Jun 28, 2009
Messages
2,633
Reaction score
1,264
Points
113
Location
IL
Engine Type
V8
Well, my back healed enough (after 7 visits to the chiropractor and nearly a month on the couch) to start work on my A/C project again, although I'm not operating at 100% and may never fully get back to normal. Time will tell. Anyway...

Today I got the lower radiator mounts rebuilt after cutting (hacking) them out of the truck for the 2nd time. So I welded in some new steel where they needed it, trimmed them up, ground them back to shape, welded them in the truck, and then wire brushed/cleaned with brake clean and painted it all.

I test fitted the radiator and mechanical fan after welding them in and everything fits wonderfully. The radiator hoses will still present a challenge as they always have.

It's definitely not my finest work but it's more than adequate.


thumbnail (29).jpg
 

Uncle Gump

Token Old Guy
TRS Event Staff
TRS Forum Moderator
Supporting Member
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Sep 17, 2018
Messages
13,691
Reaction score
13,146
Points
113
Location
Ottawa IL
Vehicle Year
2006/1986
Make / Model
Ranger/BroncoII
Engine Size
4.0L SOHC/2.9L
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Lead follow or get out of my way
Damn Bird... you aren't as young as once were. Glad you're feeling better... just take it slow man. It doesn't take much to re injure a bad back.

As a side note... and I was going to post this for you in this thread.... I got an email from Harbor Freight and they have their vacuum pumps on sale. I think the smaller single stage 2.5cfm pump is $75. The two stage 3cfm is $129.
 

Bird76Mojo

Well-Known Member
V8 Engine Swap
Joined
Jun 28, 2009
Messages
2,633
Reaction score
1,264
Points
113
Location
IL
Engine Type
V8
My back will be a lifetime thing now. It always has been but not on this level. This time I herniated a disc which put a lot of pressure on my sciatic nerve. Had my right leg and butt-ock (Forrest Gump voice) hurting and almost useless down to the knee. It was so weak it wouldn't support my weight.


Harbor Freight's monthly ad lists their single stage 2.5cfm pump at $94.99 and if I used a 20% off coupon it would be around $76.01 plus IL sales tax.

I've had this one added to my Amazon cart forever now. It was the best priced with the best reviews I could find online. Four and a half stars with 662 reviews, and free shipping: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N6IOBWF/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A15GHRNBV2ZRS2&psc=1

"Designed in USA" (made in a sweat shop by a 10 year old boy lol)
 

Uncle Gump

Token Old Guy
TRS Event Staff
TRS Forum Moderator
Supporting Member
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Sep 17, 2018
Messages
13,691
Reaction score
13,146
Points
113
Location
Ottawa IL
Vehicle Year
2006/1986
Make / Model
Ranger/BroncoII
Engine Size
4.0L SOHC/2.9L
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Lead follow or get out of my way
Well I got on their email list and with the coupon in the email... it's $75. neither here or there for a $1.

My thought is... if you buy it and use it... not happy with it after use... take it back. It might work good enough for as much as you will use it.

The one on Amazon... might be worth a try too. I have no experience with either.
 

Bird76Mojo

Well-Known Member
V8 Engine Swap
Joined
Jun 28, 2009
Messages
2,633
Reaction score
1,264
Points
113
Location
IL
Engine Type
V8
I'd still like to make my own pump from recycled materials, because that's just what I do. I LOVE making my own tools that end up working as good or better than stuff that is far too expensive. We do it a lot here on the farm.
 

Bird76Mojo

Well-Known Member
V8 Engine Swap
Joined
Jun 28, 2009
Messages
2,633
Reaction score
1,264
Points
113
Location
IL
Engine Type
V8
I removed the compressor today and poured about 2 to 3 oz of oil in it. I left it front seal facing down for about 30 minutes as the manufacturer recommends. I put the factory sealing plate back on the inlet/outlet so I could reinstall it in the truck. I'm going to try running a full 8oz bottle of oil in the system. The Ranger originally ran 10oz, and the Thunderbird ran 7oz. My hoses are a lot shorter than any of the original hoses, and the condenser is smaller as well. Fingers crossed.

I taped off the compressor manifold block that I had TIG welded, cleaned and painted it with high temp paint. I also removed the small 90 degree bracket I had to remake that stabilizes the other side of the compressor so I could clean and paint it too.

After that I got the smallest #6 hose and the appropriate hose ends measured out and put together, temporarily installed it in the truck, and it's ready for crimping now. This one doesn't have to be clocked any certain direction as it has one straight fitting on one end of it.

I'm going to let the bracket and manifold block dry overnight, and I hope to get them mounted up tomorrow so I can mock up the other two hoses. Then I'll take everything over to the shop 35 miles away and have it all crimped.

I'm doing my best to keep everything sealed up in the meantime. Any time I've removed sealing caps from a component, I try to reinstall them immediately after I'm done working on that section.


Progress is slow but I believe I'm at the crest of the hill now. What's left: getting hoses crimped and installed, pick up one heater hose, reinstall the intake, get the throttle cable bracket trimmed down to not hit the plenum, radiator reinstalled and filled, reinstall the belt, build my own electrical harness, reinstall mechanical fan, then figure out the radiator hose situation.. Then vacuum down and fill.
 

Uncle Gump

Token Old Guy
TRS Event Staff
TRS Forum Moderator
Supporting Member
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Sep 17, 2018
Messages
13,691
Reaction score
13,146
Points
113
Location
Ottawa IL
Vehicle Year
2006/1986
Make / Model
Ranger/BroncoII
Engine Size
4.0L SOHC/2.9L
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Lead follow or get out of my way
You are really close now...
 

Bird76Mojo

Well-Known Member
V8 Engine Swap
Joined
Jun 28, 2009
Messages
2,633
Reaction score
1,264
Points
113
Location
IL
Engine Type
V8
Well, I learned a new lesson the hard way. Always ask your A/C shop over the phone what style and type of fittings/hoses they can actually crimp. My local shop failed to mention on the phone that they only crimp Gates brand fittings. Mine are almost all ATCO brand which is supposed to be a direct replacement (part numbers cross reference each other, and some of mine even came in a Gates bag but the mechanic swore if they didn't have "Gates" etched or stamped in to the fitting they wouldn't seal on his machine) but the mechanic on duty swore up and down that the hoses would leak if he crimped them for me. I should've demanded to have a look at their crimping machine, since I had just made a 35 mile trip there, but I didn't think of it at the time. Since I know what the dies for my beadlock fittings should look like. "Bubble crimper"

So I spent another hour in the truck looking up local busineses/truck stops/shops that might have a crimper and asking for recommendations on who might have one. NO LUCK.

Came home and found this page: https://www.tubesnhoses.com/system-locations

Apparently, their machine will crimp any style of hoses/fittings known to man, but the nearest location to me is 70 miles away. Figure in a full tank of fuel in my black Ranger, around $5 per crimp +/- and I'm getting close to the cost of a crimping tool of my own..

So, I'll probably be buying an A/C hose crimping tool. I may put up an ad on a few sites offering crimping services in the future..
 

Uncle Gump

Token Old Guy
TRS Event Staff
TRS Forum Moderator
Supporting Member
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Sep 17, 2018
Messages
13,691
Reaction score
13,146
Points
113
Location
Ottawa IL
Vehicle Year
2006/1986
Make / Model
Ranger/BroncoII
Engine Size
4.0L SOHC/2.9L
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Lead follow or get out of my way
I wonder if this was a case of... bringing your own eggs and bacon to the café and asking them to cook it for you?

When I had my shop people would show up with parts they bought mail order for a little cheaper then I would have sold it to them. I always worked with their parts they bought because I had bills to pay... but only after I explained I was charging more for my time then if they would have bought the parts from me and that there was no warranty.
 

Bird76Mojo

Well-Known Member
V8 Engine Swap
Joined
Jun 28, 2009
Messages
2,633
Reaction score
1,264
Points
113
Location
IL
Engine Type
V8
This shop freely tells anyone that they crimp A/C hoses for anyone that needs them, so I doubt it.. They're still making $5 per crimp so..
 

bodyman46

New Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2019
Messages
9
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
Temple Texas
Vehicle Year
1992
Make / Model
Ranger XLT
Transmission
Automatic
Gonna chime in even tho I'm not an expert. I have a 92 with factory air. Had to convert it from r12 to r134. Of course now it has lost some efficiency. What the experts say is to go with the variable orifice and use as large a condenser as possible. Also use the electric fan. So you are on the right track about the aftermarket condensor
 

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Members online

No members online now.

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Truck of The Month


Kirby N.
March Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Top