A/C in a 1981 Vanagon

[concepts12]

ive got an A/C installed in my van. It looks like it's in backwards. Eny one ever see Enything like it?. They cut a hole in the tin, leaving a void were air can come through braking the seal on the engine bay. I'm thinking this is the reason my engine runs hot.

[AndyBees]

The AC System in my '83 Air-cool looks exactly the same.

I fabricated a means to plugged the hole around the tin.

The biggest issue I had with my AC compressor was belt size and adjustment. The long belt that goes behind the fan is too small. I later found a slightly larger pulley to go behind the fan which allowed a larger v-belt.

Note: Removing the Fan to change that belt can be a PITA.

That AC system worked great for years, even when I changed it over to R-134a.

Sorry, no pics as the Van has been moth-balled since 2005.
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'84 Vanagon Tin-top, ALH TDI. 1989 Tin-top
1983 Air-cool, 225k miles, 180k miles mine. Seven trips to Alaska from 1986 thru 2003.

[bluebus86]

if you do seal the gaps, make sure the sealing material cannot come loose, if it does it maybe sucked i to the fan with disasterous results!

that compressor is an old piston type. newer rotory vane type are often smaller for same capacity, and require less engine power to run. that may allow you to better fit it with less holes in the tin. but that is abig project. if this one works well, simply seal it off the best you can, securing the seal material well.
a loose piece of foam or rubber could totally block your cooling fan or head fins if sucked into the fan.

that elbow fitting sure looks like it lead a tough life!

stay cool.
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[AndyBees]

Although my 83 is 33 years old, the plastic "screen" to protect the fan from sucking in objects is still intact and functional. I guess that is a NLA part. But, as bluebus86 suggested, you sure don't want debris of any kind entering the fan!

Although not recommended by me, I use to periodically spray water into the fan with the engine running at fast idle to clean out accumulated dust, etc. I began spraying with the into the fan from a cold start. Never, ever do that with a hot engine!

As for the square compressor, yes, it is a piston version as well as those mounted on the WBXer engines... seems they have 5 pistons driven by a wobble plate.

Mounting a later model compressor similar to those that come on the WBXer engine is going to require some ingenious fabrication.

In an effort to "assist" the engine, I installed a manual rocker switch and relay to turn Off/On the compressor but leaving all other aspects of the system in the run mode. I usually used that switch if I was pulling out from a traffic light or stop sign and needed extra power for acceleration. I also installed a "green" LED light in the dash to indicate when the Compressor was kicked-in.
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'84 Vanagon Tin-top, ALH TDI. 1989 Tin-top
1983 Air-cool, 225k miles, 180k miles mine. Seven trips to Alaska from 1986 thru 2003.

[bluebus86]

[a1fa]

I love that hole. Where are all my samba friends when you need to debate Vanagon engine seal.
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[mightyart]

I'll bite, I bought my air cooled Westy in Texas and it came with an air conditioner that had ceased to function a long time ago, the engine had been replaced 1000 miles ago, they butched the seal and the tin when they put it in.
I ripped it all out, got the correct used piece of tin and a new engine seal.
an a/c on an Air cooled Vanagon isn't a great idea.
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