Small Car Performance, DIY Front A/C Installation

[ALIKA T3]

[ALIKA T3]

Ok, I read the thread, damn, it's dumb simple, it's just removing it and use a bolt as a plug for the hole it left in the plate.

Now that I think of it, I just remember Dave from OutWesty asked me if I had removed the valve when we met and talked conversions, but I had no idea what it was having never heard of it.

Full circle.
I'll buy a gasket set and tackle this, looks very easy.

Thanks all!
_________________
Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget

[Achilles3588]

Progress pics. Final mod to the oil filler tube:

Repinned the Ford electrical connector on the compressor to a VW one:

Installed the oil filler tube and the compressor and belts:

Everything clears nicely (including the oil fill cap near to the rear access door)

Installed the Go Westy parallel flow Condenser:

On this last, the hardware is a bit fiddly but when it's all installed it's snug and there's only a minimal gap between the radiator and the condenser. Since this is a diesel and has the larger 14" fan, I'm not planning any modifications there (such a secondary fan).
_________________
Larry V.~
'91 Syncro Doka 1.9L TDI 'AFN'

[ALIKA T3]

That filler is for a pick up truck, isn't it?
_________________
Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget

[Achilles3588]

[Achilles3588]

I have to ask because I don't want to take important things for granted.
The electric Heater Control Valve that SCP supplies replaces the stock cable-actuated heater valve P/N 171 819 809 E, correct? This valve is located under the floorboards adjacent to the base of the gear shift lever.

The SCP destructions sorta suggest that their valve is installed in the place where the two coolant hoses removed from the stock heater core were spliced together with their brass hose mender. This doesn't seem to make sense...but just checking.
_________________
Larry V.~
'91 Syncro Doka 1.9L TDI 'AFN'

[kingfridaysyncro]

[Achilles3588]

[Achilles3588]

First the recommended clean up, and some touch up painting...

Before:

After:

_________________
Larry V.~
'91 Syncro Doka 1.9L TDI 'AFN'

[cletus632]

I installed this system in 2019 on a 1990 Syncro Westy and the stage 3 fan would run whenever the a/c was on. I knew something was wrong even though Mao at Small Car told me that was the way it was designed. I have been living with it until 3 weeks ago.

I recently noticed Small Car has instructions online and saw they added another relay so the low speed fan turns on but the trinary switch triggers the 3rd speed fan (BK/Y). I reached out to a few Samba members who had issues with melting wires due to the prolonged high speed fan operation. I realized this was a pretty serious issue that I needed to address ASAP.

1986-1991 vans with A/C have the 450w fan. All Syncros have the fan as well.

On a factory Vanagon with A/C, when the A/C compressor turns on, the low speed fan works. The trinary switch engages the 2nd stage fan whenever certain pressures are met. The 3rd stage fan has absolutely nothing to do with A/C. When the coolant gets to a certain temperature, the 3rd speed fan kicks in and the A/C compressor is disconnected. The 3rd speed fan was never designed to operate for a prolonged period.

I spoke with Austin at SCP last week and he was completely unaware of the 450w 3 stage fan system in Vanagons. His initial response was that I had something custom/irregular. I was dumfounded. I told him about several customers on the Samba having issues with running the 3rd stage fan and frying their electrical system. His response was they have 100+ installs and have not had a single problem. I again informed him of several SCP customers experienciencing this on the Samba.

Once I heard him say that, I knew I was on my own. On the upside, I got some great input from fellow Samba members. I also studied the shit out of the Bentley to completely understand how the system was designed to operate. I now have a system that runs like it was originally designed using factory relays, wiring, resistors, etc.

It frustrates me to no end that Small Car is continuing to sell this system knowing customers are having so many serious issues and doing nothing to improve their less than desirable instructions.

[dougnlina]

Yes the advice from SmallCar is poor. I too fried my wires hooking it up the way it was suggested. It would be interesting to see their new wiring diagram.
My system currently works without the Small Car system connected to the cooling fan. I do not live in a particularly hot climate, but after disconnecting the above mentioned fried wire designed to trigger the second stage fan, I fully intended to do a complete re-engineer of the fan connection. But I have noticed that it works fine as is. If it is a warm day the first stage fan comes on as usual aiding both the coolant and the A/C, usually just when the van is stopped. If I am in the desert doing 4wd, the 3rd stage fan occasionally kicks in and turbo cools things down, for usually less than a minute, then it kicks off.
My thoughts/theory on it all, is that the evaporator in this system is really pretty small, (thus the lame cooling only the front seat area performance) and the condenser I have on the front of the radiator is relatively large. I think the VW engineers had the three stage fan set up matched for the gigantic evaporator that they hung on the stock A/C, and in the era before the modern efficient parallel flow condensers.
One caveat, my cooling system is fairly new with a new radiator and lines, This is also with a 1.8T conversion which has never had cooling issues, the gauge stays pegged just below the LED.
I'm not suggesting this is the "correct" way to set up your system, but it seems to be working fine for me, and unless I start to have some other issue I am unlikely to muck around with any more fan wiring.
_________________
"Olive" a '60 Ragtop Beetle
"Grover" a '87 Syncro Poptop 1.8T

[ALIKA T3]

The factory AC system runs off relay 53, speed 2, not low speed (speed 1).
Speed 3, high speed is when shit hits the fan as far as temperature.

Both speed 1 and 3 are triggered by the thermoswitch, the speed 2 turns on automatically with AC on, and doesn't cycle.
I wired my SCP AC off speed 2, the trinary switch makes it cycle, much better electrically.
Speed 1 and 2 are regulated in RPM by the resistor behind the driver side headlight.
_________________
Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget

[Achilles3588]

[Achilles3588]

[ALIKA T3]

Run them the way you want and switch them under the van then.
_________________
Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget

[Achilles3588]

[Achilles3588]

Based on the input of folks on this thread on how to better wire a 450/500W radiator fan, the Bentley and the SCP 'wiring diagrams':
_________________
Larry V.~
'91 Syncro Doka 1.9L TDI 'AFN'

[16CVs]

So I am #3 for the new improved Vintage air SCS modified Gen 5 system. Hard to tell what's new. I've spent time on line trying to understand the improvements. But my homebrew system sucks so this has got to be better.

We took off on a trip and I was able to get the Blend door unstuck before I left. It was doing Ok in the 100Plus weather with my shower curtain up.

2 days into the trip and no more cold, tried to get it re charged but was told the pump is DOA.

I've been looking at Pumps and you can buy a Rebuilt but if you look at Vintage Air they offer new Pumps.

Does anyone have any advise for the correct pump that will fit my 2.2 1990 Subaru engine.

My current dead pump is a Calsonic Harrison 73011 1AA30. I would rather spend the money for a ne pump VS a Rebuilt or used. If the consensus is that a Rebuilt is good I may accept that as well.
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia Triple knob (bastard)
1989 Syncro Tristar Triple knob "Swedish"
2013 Jetta Hybrid a true "Zwitter"
Samba member # 14980
Call anytime number 650 722 4914 .
Keep Your van running and upkept tastefully for the love of the hobby.
Don't let your van end up in an "abortions" thread.

[airshipper]

I'm now going this route because I fried the fan motor in my '84 Wolfsburg Westy AC while recharging it and I don't want to put any more energy into the old setup.

I'm also considering upgrading to the BMW E-30 brake booster. Can you fit both the bigger brake booster and the in-dash AC? I'm really hoping they are compatible with each other.
_________________
'84 Bostig Westy Wolfsburg Auto

[Howesight]

Hey Airshipper:

I suggest that you do yourself a big favour and use the later 450W VW fan on your rig and, obviously, upgrade the associated wiring to handle that current.

Our rig is a Syncro, and as such, despite having no factory AC, it had the 450W radiator fan.

FWIW, when I fabricated my own DIY front AC system, I wired the trinary switch so that when the AC is switched on, the rad fan comes on a speed #1, the lowest of the three speeds, and when the refrigerant high-pressure switch portion in the trinary switch closes, rad fan speed #2 is engaged. Rad fan speed #3 is still switched on only by the rad fan switch in the radiator itself.

I found that this approach has worked quite well and only on very hot days (over 90F) will the AC system cause the fan speed #2 to come on. The exception, of course, is when the van is "greenhouse heated" on warm days, and then the fan speed #2 may come on to cool down the interior for a few minutes.
_________________
'86 Syncro Westy SVX