Date: Sun, 17 Jul 2005 13:37:29 -0400
Reply-To: Christopher Gronski <gronski@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Christopher Gronski <gronski@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: AC converted to 134 - now what?
In-Reply-To: <52f6cee7c1982993f651d5ee5324a4bc@comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Your 84 is equipped with the lower capacity "twin fin" condensor. You
can see the difference if you look at the condensor on your syncro...
the one on your syncro is on piece wheras the one on your "84 has no
fins where the sheet metal is that separates the lower and upper
grills. If you"re going to do any more upgrades to the AC I would
start there. Take a look at this old post of mine:
On 7/12/05, Christopher Gronski <gronski@gmail.com> wrote:
> I spent a bit of time investigating this.
>
> VW changed the AC in our vans around 1986 or 1987. From what I can
> tell '86 2WD do not have the change, but '86 syncros have a partial
> upgrade (fan, condesnor, compressor), '87 and newer had even more
> (this coincided with the switch to the grey interior).
>
> In terms of the condensor, with the '86 syncro they moved from
> 255272413A that has two sections of fins (with none behind the
> separation of lower and upper grilles) to 253260403 that basically
> covers the whole rad.
>
> Compressors were upgraded around '86 as well some got the SD510 and
> some the SD709. Both were an improvement over the SD508. The first
> number refers to pistons, the second to total displacement. In this
> case the SD510 is about 11% more powerful than the SD709 but the SD709
> is aparently much quieter and saps less power (and it is13% more
> powerful than the SD508).
>
> Both are available from Busdepot. I had the more powerful SD510 in my
> syncro but its dead now and in the interest of future availability
> (Sanden is no longer producing the SD510 - pity it is 25% more
> powerful than the SD508 of earlier vans) I will be replacing it with
> an SD709. The procedure is detailed in Bentley 87.16 and requires two
> specialized refrigerant lines: 253260708E and 253260716A and two each
> of these o-rings: 803260749B & 431260749.
>
> Also around '86 fans were also upgraded from 251959455G to the more
> powerful 251959455M.
>
> The '87 and up grey interior vans got the extended AC ducting off the
> rear AC as well as a larger evaporator and more powerful evaporator
> fans.
>
> So, it is possible that the other vanaagon owners who are reporting
> 50F at the vents have newer vans with the VW AC upgrades noted above.
> I was lucky enough to already have the upgraded condensor and fan. I
> am changing out the compressor and plumbing in a BEHR aftermarket AC
> unit that has a second evaporator and fans up front. I am hoping to
> catch a cold this summer...
>
> Chris
On 7/17/05, Keith Ovregaard <kovregaard@comcast.net> wrote:
> Hi fellow Vanagonites,
>
> I finally got around to joining the list and this is my first post.
> What a great resource for Vanagon-addicted volks like me!
>
> Speaking of the AC challenges of Vanagons, I recently switched from R12
> to 134A on my 84 Westy and put in a new compressor, AC drier, expansion
> valve and retrofit kit. What a waste of money! It works OK (not great)
> up to about 90 degrees and then the high-speed fan kicks in and shuts
> off the compressor until the temp goes down a bit. So the hotter it
> gets, the less AC cooling there is for the sweaty people inside. I can
> understand the logic of giving the engine cooling priority, but it is a
> drag that the system can't handle proper AC cooling at high temps.
> Every time I go up a hill the temp goes up a bit and the interior
> starts cooking. Also, the new (not rebuilt) compressor makes just as
> much noise as the old one! My 1990 Syncro also has a noisy (R12)
> compressor. Should have ripped the whole thing out and saved a lot of
> money. But now that I am into this so deep, I would like to make it
> work as best as possible. Does Duracool really help that much? Or is
> this as good as it gets?
>
> Keith O
> 84 Westy "Brownie"
> 90 Westy Syncro (no name for the pastel white box yet)
>
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