GRRR! I've got black death!

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Since you're already replacing the condenser, did you order a tube and fin style? If you did, might as well drop R134A in with a VOV and enjoy icy air.

Please bear in mind that the more I read about A/C, the less I seem to know.

This quoted statement put me to wondering.

My 1985 F-350 with well over half-a-million miles still has the original compressor, evaporater, AND condensor.

The "drier" has been replaced a few times.

About 20-years ago, it was "converted" from R-12 to R134a; I don't believe the condensor was changed and, so far as I know, is still factory original.

Is this original R-12 condensor NOT a tube-and-fin ??


Someday, when times get better and money allows, I intend to completely refurbish the A/C system; which affordable condensor would be a good fit and good choice for my 1985 truck with R134a ??

Thanks.

 

[FORDF250HDXLT]

wrap up your entire heater box like this with some reflective heat barrier.
i just did this a few days ago and i was floored by the difference.
before i had hot air coming in from my outside vents so i knew i had to do this.it got worse once i installed the turbo.
so ripped the old crap off that they put on just the side a bit,and wrapped it all.
not only do i get nice cool air from outside now,but when driving down the road and you drive into a cool place down in a valley in the shade you can feel the temp drop as you drive through it!
then i charged my a/c after,and that will just freeze me lol.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Just exactly what is that shiny stuff ??

It looks like that foil-backed bubble-wrap stuff.

I did cover the side of my evaporator closest to the turbo with some expensive outer-space million-degree heat-proof sticky-backed asbestos-looking stuff that I got from Summit.

It was decent stuff for the first few months; it is all fuzzed-up and coming apart now.

My eventual plan is to insulate the box with that same stuff that you used, and then make a nice-looking diamond-plate cover.

 

[itsacrazyasian]

Please bear in mind that the more I read about A/C, the less I seem to know.

This quoted statement put me to wondering.

My 1985 F-350 with well over half-a-million miles still has the original compressor, evaporater, AND condensor.

The "drier" has been replaced a few times.

About 20-years ago, it was "converted" from R-12 to R134a; I don't believe the condensor was changed and, so far as I know, is still factory original.

Is this original R-12 condensor NOT a tube-and-fin ??


Someday, when times get better and money allows, I intend to completely refurbish the A/C system; which affordable condensor would be a good fit and good choice for my 1985 truck with R134a ??

Thanks.

The origional R12 condenser is acutally just a little bit smaller than the R134A condenser. Factory designed and installed condeners were tube and fin. They were pretty darn efficient.

Back in the day, Ford sold retrofit kits which included a larger capacity condenser for R134A use. The evaporator stayed the same.. Size wise anyway. Serpentine construction was aimed to give more surface area for heat transfer to occur. The problem is the tubes are much too small and they tend to clog easily.

The later model OBS trucks that came from the factory with R134A got parallel flow condensers. Thats basicially where the refrigerant enters one side of the condenser and passes through the condenser in one pass vs having to loop with tube and fin. Tube and fin condensers seem to work better IMHO. Since i did my engine swap, i used a v belt compressor (still factory!) and i had to step backwards since none of the newer hoses would mix with the old parts. Ford changed the threads on the R134A trucks, you can tell this by the driers. The older R12 trucks had the suction line out the bottom. So since i had to ditch my factory parallel flow condenser, i made sure i went with a quality tube and fin condenser. I enjoy icy cold air in my truck without the evap box lined with anything other than stock. I could adapt a newer condesner to my truck but in the end i didn't think it was worth having anything custom made. I like the idea of being able to go into a parts store and buying anything i need. If you look back a bit, i told daytonabill that he got shafted on his condenser.

if you intend to buy a condenser for your truck. You should have an option for a serpentine construction or tube and fin. Opt for the tube and fin. Also buy visteon/hcc/motorcraft. The offshore condensers are CRAP.

 

[HondaCowboy82]

No thats black death. Its coupled by insufficienct lubrication and in your case.

This happens alot in prison.

 

[FORDF250HDXLT]

Just exactly what is that shiny stuff ??

It looks like that foil-backed bubble-wrap stuff.

I did cover the side of my evaporator closest to the turbo with some expensive outer-space million-degree heat-proof sticky-backed asbestos-looking stuff that I got from Summit.

It was decent stuff for the first few months; it is all fuzzed-up and coming apart now.

My eventual plan is to insulate the box with that same stuff that you used, and then make a nice-looking diamond-plate cover.

http://www.lobucrod.com/