putting air on a 83

[ELIHMAN]

I have a early 83 6.9 (factory air was not available at the time the truck was ordered) with a Lone Star add on air with a york compressor. I have a chance to buy a complete factory system from the compressor back for $50. Can I use the york compressor (it's already mounted) or should I locate the mounts and compressor for a factory set up. The original owner stated the add on unit never cooled like it should. Any one got any tips or suggestions. Thanks Eason

 

[Michael Fowler]

When I added air to mine (its been 8 or more years), I took everything from a Bronco with the 6 banger. I fabricated my own brackets. Never a problem with insufficient cooling.
I would be more suspicious of the condenser than the compressor. If you can make the plumbing work, I say stick with the York.

 

[NJKen]

The York compressor is a fine and tough unit. It is better than the FS6 facory installed in the same time period. If you do the factory air conversion the best thing you can do is ditch the factory condensor. Retrofit a parallel flow unit from a 97 F250. It will physically fit in the proper location but requires custom liquid line to be made. Any good AC shop can ake the line up for you for about the same price as buying the stock one. I created a similar setup in my 90 and even with R143a in it the air was COLD.
I can tell you most anything you need to know about AC
Ken

 

[RLDSL]

The only problem I might see on a york is they usually come with a large pulley . THey're great compressors, but they might turn a bit slow on one of these things.
I bet it would still work fine.

Hey, NJ Ken
Was '97 the first year on those parallel flow condensers? You wouldn't happen to know the whole range of years that would fit in the hole? I may have to grab one of those. I've got my front end torn off and engine out right now anyway and a shelf full of bulk AC hose and fittings

-----Robert

 

[NJKen]

The only problem I might see on a york is they usually come with a large pulley . THey're great compressors, but they might turn a bit slow on one of these things.
I bet it would still work fine.

Hey, NJ Ken
Was '97 the first year on those parallel flow condensers? You wouldn't happen to know the whole range of years that would fit in the hole? I may have to grab one of those. I've got my front end torn off and engine out right now anyway and a shelf full of bulk AC hose and fittings

-----Robert

The York truns slower but has larger displacement than the FS6 so its a wash in the end.

I am not sure if it was 95 96 or 97 that had the parallel flow for sure. It is probably all the above. You can have your parts house check to see if those years are the same. Any of them will fit with very little modification with the exception of the hoses. You must have a good shop that can make hoses. The factory liquid line is that crappy plastic stuff any way The parallel flow condensor gives the freon much more time to give up its heat by allowing slower flow. It alone makes a huge difference.
Enjoy

Ken

 

[RLDSL]

The York truns slower but has larger displacement than the FS6 so its a wash in the end.

I am not sure if it was 95 96 or 97 that had the parallel flow for sure. It is probably all the above. You can have your parts house check to see if those years are the same. Any of them will fit with very little modification with the exception of the hoses. You must have a good shop that can make hoses. The factory liquid line is that crappy plastic stuff any way The parallel flow condensor gives the freon much more time to give up its heat by allowing slower flow. It alone makes a huge difference.
Enjoy

Ken

I forgot to take into account the displacement on the york. You're right, shouldn't hurt a bit turning slow. I had a york on an old Kenworth years ago that would freeze you out.

I can make my own hoses up, I do a lot of custom AC work on European cars. I've got all the goodies and plenty of hose( I had to put new hose on the main assembly a few months ago, it was cracked ). I've even been toying with the idea of rigging an extra evaporator/blower assembly in the back seat of my crew cab to keep the kids nice and chilly, but quite frankly didn't think the stock condenser was up to it, even with the electric pusher fan, It blows nice and cold, but it's at it's limits. I'm going to look into one of those late model jobs.

 

[RLDSL]

It looks like 97-99 has the parallel flow condenser.

 

[NJKen]

If they are diferent part numbers. The super duty will NOT work. If you have serious AC skills, graft 2 parallel flow condensors (plumbed in parallel, not series) together one on top of the other for some REAL cold AC. I had to do that for one of those big E350 bus vans once. It worked out good.

Ken

 

[ELIHMAN]

Guys thanks for the help. Ken I might have to call on you!!

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

I dont understand a single word you're saying Ken, but Im gonna be talking to you sometime this spring or summer when Im rebuilding the AC's in a few of our trucks.

 

[RLDSL]

If you want to get an edumacation on automotive AC, checkout this site for a little light reading Everything you ever wanted to know about the things and then some

-------Robert

 

[Michael Fowler]

NJKen,
Do you work on old ( 1982 era W126) Mercedes AC?
Where in central NJ are you located?

 

[NJKen]

Guys thanks for the help. Ken I might have to call on you!!

Anyone on this site fell free to contact me. If its summer, you better PM me so I get the e-mail and I know to come post.

Ken

 

[NJKen]

NJKen,
Do you work on old ( 1982 era W126) Mercedes AC?
Where in central NJ are you located?

I have. Those era cars do not have the most reliable system in the world. They also have some of the highest presures of any automotive AC system. The High side spec on that car is "under 600 psi" or something crazy like that if I remember. Again, feel free to start a post in the Merceds section and let me know about it through PM.
I live in East Windsor NJ and that is literaly rite smack in the middle of the state
Ken

 

[NJKen]

Aircondition.com is a great source of information. I used to post there frequently under the same name. They have undergone several server and software changes and somewhere I was lost in the shuffle. The member Nacho is a tremendous source of information and probably has over 10K posts there through all the various software.
BTW, sorry for 3 in a row posting but I dont have the patience to cut, paste and quote 3 posts into one
Enjoy
Ken