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Adding A/C to a truck


HIPCHIP

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2008
Messages
77
Age
69
City
Woodland, Ca
Vehicle Year
1990
Transmission
Automatic
I have a 90 Ranger XLT 4X4, standard cab with the V-6 and auto trans. It didn't come with air conditioning as it was my father in laws truck and when he bought it he lived in an area where a hot day was 70 degrees. Unfortunately, the area I live in gets well into the 100's during the summer.

My father in law took good care of his truck, but it does have 102K miles on it (had to rebuild the trans about 2K miles a go). Am trying to figure out if I can add A/C to the truck and if it's worth it as I don't want to spend $2K or something to install A/C on a truck that's only worth about $2K.

Also, if I can get A/C installed for not too much money, is this a good truck to keep and SLOWLY restore? I've heard the V-6 is a nice torquey motor and gets OK MPG, so trying to figure out if I should just keep this truck and upgrade stuff when the time comes (or drop in a small V-8?) or if I'm better off getting a newer Ranger or similar?

I originally got the truck to do off roading with it, but I have a bad back from too many years of MX, so even time on a fire road is too much on my back, so don't really need a 4X4.

If installing A/C is not too bad, any ideas of companies I should check with? I live in the Sacramento, Ca. area.

Thanks in advance.
 
If you want the A/C and have the cash to do it, I say do it. The 4.0 is a nice torquey motor and can handle the extra load. It is worth it to restore the truck. Just buy a newer Ranger for your DD so you can fix the older one up. These are nice trucks. You will appreciate it more when you start tearing into it and rebuilding it back up.
 
Not sure how different the a/c box is for trucks that came without a/c, you might just need to install the evaporator, lines and compressor and wiring and have it work. More likely, you'll have to replace the complete air box in the engine bay, and possibly the one under the dash. You might also need a new engine bracket to install the compressor.

Your best bet for the air box and condenser is a junkyard or the parts for sale forum here.

The compressor, a/c lines and dryer should be bought new, or at least refurbished on the compressor. The a/c lines shouldnt be too expensive, and the dryer has to be replaced with a new one every time the system is opened anyway.
 
You'll need the heater box and evaporator, dash controls, wiring harness, and pressure switches. (buying used is fine)
-You'll also need all lines/hoses, (you can buy used but hoses leak with age, you might be best off with new ones),
-condenser (you can buy used IF you can confirm the compressor never seized up, otherwise go new),
-accumulator and orifice tube (go brand new ONLY),
-compressor (go used or brand new, NOT remanufactured)
 
I'm going to install the heater and ac from a 92 Explorer into a 88 Ranger that didn't have A/C, it is a plug and play deal, you don't have to cut the fire wall or anything, you can look at the pictures of the two fire walls here

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95330

this is my build thread, the red and black fire wall is the Ranger, the green is the Explorer, if it looks like the Ranger has more holes, it does, they are rust holes that I have to fix :)

I'm also changing the dash too.



Robert
 

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