T3--Under dash aftermarket AC unit review//install

[Piledriver]

Haven't made much progress on this with the burn ban in effect (no welding either, so no AC bracket fab on car in backyard etc) plus it's been WAY too hot to do much outside after 10AM.

Did manage to swap in a Mk1 Golf wiper motor, ALMOST clears the AC under dash setup and would be workable, but I suspect a late T1 unit would work better and plug in the T3 column.

Still looking for a decent/clean front mount condenser installation setup, I'm still so not into the under the trans setup..

[helowrench]

Pile, I have a 69 bug wiper assy sitting on the shelf...

[Piledriver]

Pile, I have a 69 bug wiper assy sitting on the shelf...

OooooOoooooooOoooooh... PM me, I've been putting off ordering one off thesamba due to some less than stellar buying experiences.
(or call my cellif you still ahve it, i'm up all night.)

[helowrench]

Sorry, I went to bed.
(new puppy has the unfortunate tendency to wake up every three freaking hours to play/eat/poop. No freaking sleep to speak of this weekend)
I do have it, you can have it any time you are ready. Gratis.
Let me know, and I will throw on a pot of coffee. Also, you gotta come see da Buick..
Rob

[surfbeetle]

what was the link for where you bought the under dash unit? I tried action-air.com and all that came up was a freight trucking company, but action-ac does come up to a place in dallas. Is that it?

[Piledriver]

what was the link for where you bought the under dash unit? I tried action-air.com and all that came up was a freight trucking company, but action-ac does come up to a place in dallas. Is that it?

Action-ac in Dallas.(might be Irving, technically)

I actually have it level/~ mounted (hasn't fallen down ) , been busy with other stuff, need to take pics.
Fits like it was made to go there if you yank the late fresh air box.

[Piledriver]

Follow up as I'm actively working on the AC again before the heat arrives...

The under dash unit now sits ~level, this was allowed by using a bay bus wiper motor assy and drilling 3 new holes in the T3 wiper assy to get it indexed right, wiper motor lives up behind the clock, is a bear to get the assy in, but it works great, and I used it all winter to recirculate the hot air from the gas heater, which dumps under the dash.
(still need to figure out a defroster blower setup)

The AC compressor is looking to be a challenge as I went with a "modern" variable displacement compressor, which means serpentine belt.
I have modified a Ford PS pump pulley as an AC crank side pulley, it's a 6 rib, but it looks like I'll only be able to use a 4 or 5 rib belt due to offsets.

The other related issue is that the 07 HHR/Cobalt compressor belt sits back ~1/2" from the front face of the compressor, and the compressor clutch wants to be where the stock T4 oil cooler is.

Installed a T1 size oil cooler in place of the T4 unit as an experiment this weekend, leaves plenty of room for the AC/belt, works OK at idle and putting around but my max 70+MPH oil temps at 3600 RPM are ~30 degrees higher after climbing the biggest hill around here, which is not too surprising as it's ~30% smaller, and it simply won't cut it come summer when it can be 35-40F warmer around here, not even including the heat off the roadway when stuck in traffic... 240 degree oil temps at 70F OAT do not bode well for when it's ~120F++ sitting on the freeway.

Currently debating between external FF cooler/fan or just going drysump NOW, as the 2L intended to go in this RSN is planned to be DS and I have most of the bits, may make a custom tank for the T3 to hang out back. Going full flow on a T4 is less than trivial as it comes from the factory that way, a simple to make adapter for the oil filter mount to the block allows in/out lines, no messing around drilling holes etc. (although the case is already plugged and it would be no big deal)

As to the condensor, I'd like to cut a ~3" slot slightly below and behind the bumper (virtually invisible) for air inlet and keep it all in the nose AND keep the spare in place...
Going with a pair of ~12x12 condensers and 10" fans on the sides and some creative sheetmetal work, this MAY be doable, and leave room for a chargecooler radiator and oil cooler in the middle.

[560]

Thanks for the update.
What got me to reading this is I just got a 69 fastback (fuel injection issues) and in the trunk is a VW made in USA AC unit. Nothing else, just the under dash blower etc. Anyway, good to read up on this, also learning about the wiper motors being adaptable.

Mike

[Piledriver]

After a long hiatus, took a few days off to get things done outside as it is actually cool enough to do so most of the time.

The under-dash AC bit has worked well and has not fallen off, etc, and has provided excellent service as a heat blower recirculating hot air from the BN4 around the cabin.

Finally got an AC compressor mounted, this one is a automatic variable displacement V7 Harrison//Delphi unit off a `2010 HHR with <10K miles. Centerline was setup ~same as the York compressor setup, fan housing is vanagon, used only the to-fanhousing plate of the factory Vanagon compressor mount.

This compressor is actually much smaller in the significant dimensions that the Sanden I have off an 05 Neon, and you can get a Vbelt pulley setup for it, as well as a reverse direction clutch (still need that---the compressor doesn't care about spin direction, but the clutch apparently does)

The only real issue I have run into is the saggy old Vanagon outer motor mounts, going to do a tiny bit of clearancing for the belt around the crank pulley (modified from a Dorman steel PS pump pulley for a Ford) serp belt worked out to be a std unit stocked at my local FLAPS.

(plus the modded PS pump crank pulley is significantly larger than the factory v-belt unit)

EDIT: Looks like they will work for now, also did a bit of grinding/sanding on the oil cooler side fan housing bosses and mating bosses on the fan housing to ensure belt clearance.
Looked at putting the original oil cooler in... It's so close...

Belt is a 4N438, could bet away with a 5 rib but might have to fiddle with the pulley offset.

I'm going to have to box the air channel in the body a bit for clearance for the AC lines, but not too bad.
It's almost in the realm of a couple whacks with a hammer, depending on the line setup.

I'll add a picture of the compressor mount by itself later, currently adding ~3/8" spacers (AKA nuts) under the T4 inner mounts to raise the compressor pulley to a safer height off the crossbar--- tubular framehorns are planned RSN, but this will work for now.

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[Piledriver]

As promised, bracket for the Delphi v7 compressor.

Cool thing about this setup is there is enough wiggle room to R&R the compressor etc w/o altering the belt tension--- no idler at the moment, may not even be needed.

The jackscrew LOOKs like it it would be bending something, but if you install/tighten up the top bolts it hangs free just about 10mm out at the bottom. The belt was also chosen based on that dimension, it's snug there. (this is the OG mount back plate that bolted to the fan housing, with all the York compressor bits cut off)

[Ravivos]

Hi Pile,
That looks like a very nice bracket, do you have a picture of it sitting on the fan shroud (or mounted).
was working on my bracket yesterday and was thinking of using the shroud's top bolt and the breather box's bolts...
here is a cardboard mock-up.
thanks.
Ravivos.

[Ravivos]

Oh, Sorry... now i see your pics...
Why did you decided to mount the bracket/compressor like that? what where the considerations for this decision?
am trying to find the best way to do it...

[Piledriver]

Mine's that way as that's where the compressor goes on a T4...
I have a T4 in my squareback, there is a place behind the fan for a pulley//belt, and the base of my mount is a factory AC bracket.

Your setup looks far more challenging on a T3 motor, as AC wasn't considered in the design.
One neat setup I recall had a small compressor in place of the generator, then relocate the generator w/RX7 alternator about where you are putting the compressor. Vbelts are quite forgiving of pulley alignment.

Modern compressors are a lot smaller though, I went with the Delphi V7 as it appears to be the smallest effective diameter I could find, it's also a variable displacement unit and auto regulating, the clutch doesn't have to cycle constantly, it maintains a set output pressure to keep the evaporator just above freezing.

[Ravivos]

Hi Pile, that sure is a nice setup.
i had no idea that there is a self regulating compressor such as the Delphi V7, maybe i'll look into it,thanks.
meanwhile, manage to get the compressor mount done, sure took a lot of fabrication, measurements and re-installation (about a million times...).
now i need to clean up the mount and paint it

[Piledriver]

That looks beautiful!

Are you going to go to the RX7 alternator mod for the additional electrical load?
(fits in std generator location, more or less)