Making it Colder - A/C Hop-Up

[The Bandit]

Its not hot or anything, it just takes it a minute to get reeaaallly cold. It probably does need a recharge.

Besides that, I'm going to get some header tape and wrap the primary tubes. Stick some dynamat on the A/C box, firewall directly behind the engine block, and insulate the accumulator and the tubes before the evaporator.

I still feel like there is so much stagnant heat under the hood that its sinking into everything. I figure that pulling the insulation under the hood would probably make it worse, as instead of absorbing it, it'd just bounce back off the steel and make it worse. Thought about taking a holesaw and cutting a hole in each inner fender, and arranging something on it so that water/dirt from the road could not find its way in.

Anyone got any tips on how to reduce heat under the hood?

 

[The Bandit]

I got to looking at the Explorer I'm parting out today and realized that it has insulation/heat sheilding on the whole assembly, and the fan motor. So I robbed it and stuck it on mine with double-sided tape. My girlfriend immedietly noticed that it was noticably colder than before.

I'm going to wrap the headers next, and see if that makes any difference, then dynomat the firewall right behind the engine block. Then I'm going to check/recharge the system and then see how cold it gets.

 

[The Bandit]

I bought one of those cheap diagnostic A/C thermometers you stick in the vents. Main center vent blows 40* exactly going down the road.

 

[4x4junkie]

Sounds like it's working then. Insulating things could still help boost the system's efficiency to some degree however.

Another thing that can help when driving around in traffic is to seal all around between the condenser and the radiator using some strips of foam rubber. This will help the fan suck more air through it when you're stopped or not going fast. Replacement of a worn fan clutch will help as well.

Hope that helps.