TT2STConvert Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 So, my 240Z apparently had an air conditioning system (dealer add-on, as I'm sure they all were at the time). However, I believe I'm missing parts (I picked the car up from a guy who began an L28ET swap and never finished it) and was hoping people on here could shed some light on this. The original engine still has the AC compressor and bracket attached (I'll be swapping that over to the L28ET soon). The interior still has the knob under the dash. The drier is still in the engine bay (unattached at the moment, obviously), but I have no condenser and I don't see any lines that would go to a condenser. Surely it needs a condenser to function, right? I'm concerned that the last guy removed the lines and tossed them when he repainted the bay... if that's the case, any idea how much I should expect to spend on custom lines to a condenser (I've got a friend who has extra condensers lying around)? Any help is appreciated. And don't bother saying things like "real sports cars don't have AC" or "real men don't need AC" or "my AC is the windows down"... if you're thinking one of those, you simply don't understand my hatred of hot weather. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trippintl0 Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 I paid approx $60 to have 2 custom flexible hoses with flared ends on them, about 3 years ago, to run from the compressor to the condenser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetleaf Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Dude, you live in IL. We haven't even had any hot weather this year. It's been the coldest summer since forever. You really need to grow a pair. (Just playing.) Anyways., you can either make your own or go to a descent hydraulic shop and they'll fab a pair for you. Where in IL do you live? . I have quite a bit of extra parts if you're missing anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TT2STConvert Posted July 31, 2009 Author Share Posted July 31, 2009 The AC won't likely be ready this year... and I don't anticipate next summer being so cool. I'm from the southside (Oak Lawn to be exact) but I'll be away at grad school for the next year. The car is in Oak Lawn until it's running and safe enough for highway use. Thanks for the offer though... I'll let you know if I'm in need of anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zgeezer Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 So, my 240Z apparently had an air conditioning system (dealer add-on, as I'm sure they all were at the time). However, I believe I'm missing parts (I picked the car up from a guy who began an L28ET swap and never finished it) and was hoping people on here could shed some light on this. The original engine still has the AC compressor and bracket attached (I'll be swapping that over to the L28ET soon). The interior still has the knob under the dash. The drier is still in the engine bay (unattached at the moment, obviously), but I have no condenser and I don't see any lines that would go to a condenser. Surely it needs a condenser to function, right? I'm concerned that the last guy removed the lines and tossed them when he repainted the bay... if that's the case, any idea how much I should expect to spend on custom lines to a condenser (I've got a friend who has extra condensers lying around)? Any help is appreciated. And don't bother saying things like "real sports cars don't have AC" or "real men don't need AC" or "my AC is the windows down"... if you're thinking one of those, you simply don't understand my hatred of hot weather. lol My early 240z had a dealer installed ARA aftermarket unit with a York compressor. The condenser was very small [inadequate]. The compressor was mounted on the passenger side. A 280Z condenser will bolt in as if designed for your Z. The hoses will all be directed to the driver's side, as that is where the factory mounted their compressor. You need to shop hydraulic repair shops for your hoses. I was quoted $150 for a set of hoses to run from condenser to compressor; from compressor to dryer; dryer to firewall. I think that was the order. At any rate three hoses, six fittings, all hydraulically swaged. g Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TT2STConvert Posted August 1, 2009 Author Share Posted August 1, 2009 Thanks for all the help guys... I was concerned that this was going to be ridiculously expensive, but it doesn't seem like it'll be too bad. I'm actually thinking I might be best-off just installing the 280ZX compressor I have, since I suspect the other is a York compressor as well. And once I have the condenser in place, I'll find a hydraulic repair shop (thanks for that advice as well - I'd probably have overpaid at some AC repair shop). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexicoker Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 I paid about $90 for a place online to make me new hoses so I could use a 280ZX compressor with my '73 dealer add-on AC. It didn't work. I then replaced the expansion valve and drier, and paid $200 to have everything proffesionally flushed, a vacuum drawn on the system, and then charged with R-134... Its really pathetic. I would not recommend anyone else follow the same route I did. It is marginally better than having the windows down when its hot out, but just barely. Maybe it would work better if I replaced the condensor and evaporator, but I don't have the money or time to mess with that now, so I can't say if it would be any better. I'm just going to stay with what I've got until I can replace the entire system. Also, the service ports on the 280ZX compressor I used have weird shrader valves that don't work with any of the R-134 adapters I've tried. Here's where I got my lines made: http://www.rayeveritt.com/Parts/Hoses/Hoses.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mutantZ Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 Dragging up a semi-old post, I came across these kits when I did a google search for after market AC. Seems like you still have to reuse the old blower motor with these. Anyone here use them? Here it is for the 240z http://www.nostalgicairparts.com/air-conditioning/datsun-240-1971-1974-indash-ac-system-402.php And for the 260-280z http://www.nostalgicairparts.com/air-conditioning/datsun-260z-280z-1974-1978-indash-ac-system-403.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zmanco Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 I had the dealer-installed AC in my 73 and even when refilled with R12 it was nothing like a modern car. It was barely adequate at highway speeds, but pretty much useless in stop/go driving. I have not tried the Nostalgic Air, but I have a friend who put a Vintage Air http://www.vintageair.com/ into his 73 and says it blows ice cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted July 3, 2010 Share Posted July 3, 2010 (edited) I can say if you know what you are doing, and have a properly charged and sealed ARA or Frigiking system, at 110mph, driving across Iowa in 103 degree heat, and 85% Relative Humidity in a light blue 260Z with hatch lovures and a GOOD FAN (not a stock 240 fan, a 280Z fan and motor minimum) the car will be maintained at 70F. If you have a stock 240Z fan, you won't have air exchange. If you don't have a PERFECT seal between the evaporator housing and the fan housing on the HVAC unit you will get MISERABLE performance. The #1 issue I see with people who complain about their 240 system being weak is they have a HUGE leak where the evaporator seals to the fan housing under the dash. I took an all-R12 system and did a straight conversion to R134, and had to still turn the thermostatic housing down or it would freeze the evaporator into a solid block of ice! With it adjusted properly, and SEALED with a decent fan to put out some air I would easily maintain 37 degrees center register temperature. The system depends on the car recirculating ever colder air. It will hold the condenser at 37 degrees, and the initial air passing over it will be hot---say 100 ambient within the passenger's compartment. If ALL the air passing through the fan goes over the condenser it will come out the center register somewhere around 70F. There should be a 30 degree drop under even the worst ambient conditions. After that first air exchange in the cabin, the temperature will be down to 40F, and soon the compressor will begin to cycel on and off as it maintains this temperature. But if you have a weak original 240Z fan, there won't be very much air exchange, and it will take longer to get a cabin through that condenser---meaning it's getting hotter as it sits in the cabin. If you got a leak between the evaporator housing and the fan pickup---then you have air getting sucked in at ambient---and since it's easier to draw through that leak instead of across the condenser, the performance quickly goes to shite. I can't count how many units I have seen where the guy has turned the temperature down to the point where the evaporator is a solid block of ice and still it won't go below 85 or 90 degrees on a 100F day. All because there wasn't a gasket between the evaporator housing and the fan housing! A leak there---ANY leak---is a total performance killer. Now with in-dash air, you will notice that they PUSH the air THROUGH the evaporator... Notice that a VW or Corvair PUSH the air THROUGH the engine cooling fins.... The reason being when you draw air through something, ANY leak is an easier path for air to travel, so it draws from there instead of across the cooling medium (evaporator or cylinder head!) In short the reason 240 ARA and Frigi-King coolers 'suck' is because they 'suck'! The key to getting it working right is to make sure there are not any leaks on the upstream side that will let air bypass the evaporator (that black goopy strip around the condenser to make it all pass through instead of bypass around the outside...) or suck air from the cabin (the gasket on top of the housing and at the bottom of the air uptake for the under-dash fan). Stop that, and the thing will cool just fine. Get the larger fan in there (Honda Civic, 280Z, or like me 180watt 280ZX!) for some decent air exchange and you will be fine. But in Illinois? It doesn't get hot there. Heck, that's nice humidity, I can leave my windows down there, keeps your skin all nice and silky soft. Now, try it in SoCal through the desert---sure you never sweat, but a 160F blast-furnace in your face gets old after a while. If I can get those ARA and Frigi-Kings working---getting them to work in IL will be a piece of cake. Make sure the condensate tube drains properly also....I digress... Edited July 3, 2010 by Tony D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zmanco Posted July 3, 2010 Share Posted July 3, 2010 Get the larger fan in there (Honda Civic, 280Z, or like me 180watt 280ZX!) for some decent air exchange and you will be fine. Tony, I've already done the Honda Civic fan upgrade and it was a significant upgrade in my '73, but your comment has me wondering about the 180W 280ZX. I've never heard that mentioned for a swap into early Zs. Does it move more air than the Civic fan? Are there any modifications required to make it fit? In other words, would it be worth doing even if I've already got the Civic fan? I don't run AC anymore, but any extra air flow in the cabin would be great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted July 3, 2010 Share Posted July 3, 2010 Don't know about a Civic Fan never installed one. I had ZX's coming out my butt some years ago, and was determined to make what I had fit---so I did. The fan is a large part of the A/C equation. As long as it's not hte 240 fan, you will get better airflow and that is what matters. If you don't want to cut your fan housing, forget about the 280ZX fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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