AC Advice Needed

[mikester]

What are you all using for the small low pressure line?

I had to find a low pressure line at the junkyard. Got it off a Cutlass. You can see how it fits in this picture. You can also see how the vacuum lines run from the ball. The line off the compressor is from a Camaro. Dont remember the year but the info is in one of the threads on this site. The one hose had to be shortened. Again, I think all the info is in the same thread. Do a search on AC serpentine conversions.

 

[383_StealthRam]

What are you all using for the small low pressure line?

I assume you're referring to the line from the condenser outlet to the evaporator inlet (orifice tube) fitting? That's actually a high pressure liquid line. While the original is a pre-formed thick wall aluminum tube, you should be able to have a local hydraulic hose shop make that for you with the appropriate ends. I don't remember if they are actually metric o-ring fittings (16mm, or 18mm) or just 6AN, or 8AN) . I would agree with previous post to try and source a used tube from wreck or parts car that would be easiest by far.

Other option might be to contact Vintage Air, they have tubing kits that are not too pricey that might work or they can help you get what you need if you call them.

Hose Kits and Fittings - Vintage Air

www.vintageair.com

Tell them you need to the condenser to evaporator liquid line for a G-Body, again I'm pretty sure the fittings are 16mm Metric O-Ring style but can't remember 100%.

HTH

 

[tngbody]

I had to find a low pressure line at the junkyard. Got it off a Cutlass. You can see how it fits in this picture. You can also see how the vacuum lines run from the ball. The line off the compressor is from a Camaro. Dont remember the year but the info is in one of the threads on this site. The one hose had to be shortened. Again, I think all the info is in the same thread. Do a search on AC serpentine conversions.

View attachment 204885

That is one clean engine bad my friend. I like the relocated positive battery terminal. I see the purple line going to the ball, what is that grey line going to up near the heater core hoses?

 

[383_StealthRam]

That is one clean engine bad my friend. I like the relocated positive battery terminal. I see the purple line going to the ball, what is that grey line going to up near the heater core hoses?

That is the heater control valve which is for turning off the coolant flow through the heater core when you have the A/C turned on.

 

[mikester]

That is one clean engine bad my friend. I like the relocated positive battery terminal. I see the purple line going to the ball, what is that grey line going to up near the heater core hoses?

Thanks and 383 StealthRam is correct. The gray line and purple line come out under the AC box and go into the heater/AC controls in the dash. Gray controls the hot water/coolent flow. The purple line goes to the vacuum ball thats fed by manifold vacuum.
FYI, those plastic lines are usually VERY brittle from age and heat. Mine broke about an inch out of the box and theyre encased in the rubber plug that goes indo the box. Good news is those lines are also under the dash. I went through a bunch of G bodies at the local yard. Found some soft pliable hoses. Cut them to the plug on the inside and spliced them to the stubs outside with thin clear fuel line from a weedwacker. Dont remember the exact size but it was the same ID as the vacuum line OD. Used a little super glue on both ends after they were together. Cant see them from the top so it worked out very well.
That little battery box is an OEM GM part. I also put one in my coupe in case I want to add something down the road. I bought it at the local speed shop. Pretty sure it was around $15.

 

[gnvair]

I am running a combination of 91-93 Caprice V8 and 88-92 V8 F body serpentine items. The 2 Caprice pieces off hand that were different were the water pump pulley (which is smaller) and the fan and clutch (F bodies ran electric fans on the cars with the serpentine set ups)
I used the F body compressor hoses as they do not have the ugly muffler that many of the V8 Oldsmobiles had. I used the F body liquid line (from the evaporator to the condenser) as it had the high side charging port in it. The condenser is an aftermarket one for a G body with the Buick V6 or Oldsmobile V8 as they have the lines on the passenger side. The evaporator and drier are originals for the car (78 Malibu). My car still uses the original thermostatic cycling switch that has the bulb attached to the evaporator as opposed to the pressure switch attached to the drier. I am running R12 in mine.

 

[tngbody]

So I removed the top of the AC box or whatever it is called I am replacing the heater core and evaporator. There is a black gasket that literally broke into dust so I assume I can just replace this with some silicone. There is a vacuum actuated door behind where the blower motor sits, the rubber portion of mine looks to be in bad shape. Are you all replacing this with something or just leave as is? Also the pink and grey vacuum hoses on mine seem to still be in usable shape however the heater control valve is missing so looks like I need to source one of those.

 

[mikester]

So I removed the top of the AC box or whatever it is called I am replacing the heater core and evaporator. There is a black gasket that literally broke into dust so I assume I can just replace this with some silicone. There is a vacuum actuated door behind where the blower motor sits, the rubber portion of mine looks to be in bad shape. Are you all replacing this with something or just leave as is? Also the pink and grey vacuum hoses on mine seem to still be in usable shape however the heater control valve is missing so looks like I need to source one of those.

You can buy a seal kit from Mikes Montes. Not too expensive and includes all the gaskets for heat/ac boxes.

 

[gnvair]

So I removed the top of the AC box or whatever it is called I am replacing the heater core and evaporator. There is a black gasket that literally broke into dust so I assume I can just replace this with some silicone. There is a vacuum actuated door behind where the blower motor sits, the rubber portion of mine looks to be in bad shape. Are you all replacing this with something or just leave as is? Also the pink and grey vacuum hoses on mine seem to still be in usable shape however the heater control valve is missing so looks like I need to source one of those.

I would use 3M strip caulk as it is similar to what GM used. I always keep some around. Great stuff that never hardens. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PEZ1L4/?tag=gbody-20

 

[565bbchevy]

I used 3M strip caulk to seal the case but made my own foam pieces to seal the heater etc. I would have probably bought a foam kit, but I was on time crunch.