| Is your Vanagon AC working or not? |
| Oh Yes its really cold ! Burrrrr! |
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22% |
[ 32 ] |
| Yes, but it wont cool the interior on hot days... |
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13% |
[ 19 ] |
| My bus did not come with AC from the factory. |
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10% |
[ 15 ] |
| AC died and ripped it all out... |
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10% |
[ 15 ] |
| AC still in there, but doesn't blow cold at all... |
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43% |
[ 63 ] |
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| Total Votes : 144 |
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pete000
Samba Member
Joined: July 29, 2004
Posts: 642
Location: Ocala FL
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 Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 6:29 pm Post subject: POLL: Your Vanagon AC working or not? |
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I am curious how many Vanagons AC are still alive and kicking...
_________________
1990 Vanagon RS 2.1
1967 Deluxe 21 window
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Koni Shocks
H & R Red Springs
Addco Sway Bars Front-Rear
18 X 7.5 and 18 X 8 OEM Porsche Wheels
Recaro Power-Heated seats |
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McVanagon
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1684
Location: Northern part of the Virginia
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| Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 6:39 pm Post subject: |
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I'll answer after I go charge it...
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'69 Mike
'85 GL
'87 Wolfsburg Hardtop |
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sbclayton
Samba Member
Joined: October 14, 2003
Posts: 483
Location: A place where owning a VW and enjoying life are synonymous
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| Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 6:39 pm Post subject: |
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Installed a rebuilt compressor from Ken Wilford (http://www.vanagain.com) 3 years ago, along with expansion valve and drier, then charged it up with R-134 - it blew nicely cold! But...what I should have done was change out all the O-rings at the same time. System leaks (no news!) and maybe I'll change out the rings before Summer. Or maybe not...
_________________
Steve - Tampa Bay Area
Original Owner (12/1990) of
NavDog, a 91 Carat
Enlightenment came when I realized that any time in my life I was having fun, it was somehow connected with owning a Volkswagen. |
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SteveVanB
Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2008
Posts: 1645
Location: This side of Daytona
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| Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 6:42 pm Post subject: |
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The absolute first thing I did when I got the van home was remove the A/C and all it's components 
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91 CARAT |
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Williamtaylor33
Samba Member
Joined: September 07, 2007
Posts: 1545
Location: Arkansas
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| Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 6:46 pm Post subject: |
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The van i just sold had excellent a/c. My new one has no a/c. Its all been ripped out.  Thats gonna be one heck of a project.
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89 Bostig powered syncro westy |
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kamzcab86
Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008
Posts: 7917
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 6:56 pm Post subject: |
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It's got A/C; it works well, but it's not frigid. I've got receipts from the two POs that add up to thousands for that A/C system!  If/when the A/C ever quits working again, I'm just ripping it out.
_________________
~Kamz 
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
 1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子 |
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Beygon
Samba Member
Joined: March 16, 2009
Posts: 100
Location: Dana Point Ca..
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| Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 7:10 pm Post subject: |
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| I bought this 89 in Phoenix last summer, the air worked great but since I got the Subaru in it I haven't wanted to spend the money to hook it up yet. Summers is coming so maybe in the next month or so. |
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neilwaukee
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2009
Posts: 51
Location: seattle
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| Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 7:23 pm Post subject: |
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ripped mine out
now i can see out the back window and drive |
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syncrodoka
Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005
Posts: 12005
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 7:25 pm Post subject: |
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Dunno, I have never turned it on 
Haven't used A/C in my new car either though  |
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Alaric.H
Samba Member
Joined: March 28, 2009
Posts: 2529
Location: Sandy Springs GA
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| Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 7:36 pm Post subject: |
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| McVanagon wrote: |
| I'll answer after I go charge it... |
Hey McVanagon if you do not mind I would like to experiment on vanagon AC systems. |
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purplepeopleeater
Samba Member
Joined: July 23, 2005
Posts: 3117
Location: E. Washington
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| Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 9:16 pm Post subject: |
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| kamzcab86 wrote: |
| It's got A/C; it works well, but it's not frigid. I've got receipts from the two POs that add up to thousands for that A/C system! If/when the A/C ever quits working again, I'm just ripping it out. |
When you rip it out....hit me up, I'm ratholing a/v parts for another project.
but when I first got my carat the a/c was the first thing I worked on...cooold a/c makes ppe a happy boy. |
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Terry Kay
Banned
Joined: June 22, 2003
Posts: 13331
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| Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 10:14 pm Post subject: |
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Getting your AC to function--and blow cold air isn't all that difficult.
The biggest expenditure is your time to get it done properly, and don't short cut the job.
The new tools required can be expensive, but can be found every once in awhile used for a resonable price.
Once you have all the right stuff--it's all a pretty simple task.
The biggest problem folks demand immediate gratification, and get frustrated because they don't understand the theory of operation or the components that makes the system tick.
This is where some real simple reading time can save you a bunch of aggravation, and get the system up & operatting pretty fast.
I sure wouldn't rip the AC outa any vehicle.
Your cutting yourself short in the long run.
_________________
T.K.
Last edited by Terry Kay on Fri Apr 16, 2010 6:19 am; edited 2 times in total |
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McVanagon
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1684
Location: Northern part of the Virginia
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| Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 2:12 am Post subject: |
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| Alaric.H wrote: |
| McVanagon wrote: |
| I'll answer after I go charge it... |
Hey McVanagon if you do not mind I would like to experiment on vanagon AC systems. |
I need to replace the high side hose coming off the compressor. When I do that, I'll (like you) put a high side service port on it so I don't have to keep taking off that c-pillar cover to access it.
_________________
'69 Mike
'85 GL
'87 Wolfsburg Hardtop |
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Alaric.H
Samba Member
Joined: March 28, 2009
Posts: 2529
Location: Sandy Springs GA
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| Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 3:45 am Post subject: |
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| McVanagon wrote: |
| Alaric.H wrote: |
| McVanagon wrote: |
| I'll answer after I go charge it... |
Hey McVanagon if you do not mind I would like to experiment on vanagon AC systems. |
I need to replace the high side hose coming off the compressor. When I do that, I'll (like you) put a high side service port on it so I don't have to keep taking off that c-pillar cover to access it. |
Well I can make hoses here just just get the connectors and hose and we can crimp them up.Be kinda careful when ordering a port tell them you want a high side port or they may send a service port (Low side) |
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GBA 88West LA
Samba Member
Joined: September 04, 2008
Posts: 1279
Location: New Hampshire
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| Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 6:03 am Post subject: |
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had my van since 1991 and she blew cold for the first year, fixed it twice then let it go south, shes all there maybe someday ill fix her but its not needed much up north here, thank god for hot foot though on those chilly fall days
_________________
88 Westy GL Vanaru 07 2.5 EJ25/AA Trans/oiling plates, 1.14 3rd-.77-4th..solar powered cabin |
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hecbom
Samba Member
Joined: May 17, 2006
Posts: 47
Location: Whittier,Ca.
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| Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 8:11 am Post subject: My A/C has always worked |
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| Since I live in Southern California, La Habra to be exact, it gets hot in the summer as anyone from this area can attest. I replaced my old hoses with the newer type (134a) approved 3 years ago and I charged my system using Duracool 12a. This gas is so effective that I barely feel the compressor is on. It also cools way better than R-12 (grill temp -38F from ambient). The temperature in my van during testing was 80F so I was getting about 41F reading at the grill. We took a trip last August to Joshua Tree with the scouts and I had a total of 4 people in my van plus equipment. The temperature inside according to my digital thermometer was 76F while the outside temperature was 100F. I can't complaint. My sources for hoses is California Auto Refrigeration in Orange and they will do custome hoses for the vanagon. Duracool, is sold up north by Shamrock Consultanst in Fresno. |
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RCB
Samba Member
Joined: September 05, 2005
Posts: 4143
Location: San Francisco-Bay Area
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| Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 8:30 am Post subject: |
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Tossed out the AC stuff from my 1982 Westy and got a new piece of tin to fill the gap.
All thats left is the two hoses that run through the engine compartment and those are just zip-tied and outa the way. |
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Brad4
Samba Member
Joined: March 21, 2004
Posts: 60
Location: Long Island NY
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| Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 8:50 am Post subject: |
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Converted to R-143a a few years back. Have to partially recharge every spring. Works OK when the temp is under 85. when the temp is above that, It's pretty much useless ............. except to raise my engine temp 
_________________
91 Vanaru westy
07 GTI Fahrenheit
14 GSR Beetle
66 single cab
64 Herbie Beetle |
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pete000
Samba Member
Joined: July 29, 2004
Posts: 642
Location: Ocala FL
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| Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 11:36 am Post subject: Re: My A/C has always worked |
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| hecbom wrote: |
| My sources for hoses is California Auto Refrigeration in Orange and they will do custome hoses for the vanagon. Duracool, is sold up north by Shamrock Consultanst in Fresno. |
This is good to know I might be giving them a call to get a new set of hoses. So far I have replaced drier, seals, expansion valve, compressor, vacuumed tested it and it held for 48 hours, but over the winter the pressure has dropped down again. I figure eventually I will have replaced the entire system one part at a time...
_________________
1990 Vanagon RS 2.1
1967 Deluxe 21 window
--------------------
Koni Shocks
H & R Red Springs
Addco Sway Bars Front-Rear
18 X 7.5 and 18 X 8 OEM Porsche Wheels
Recaro Power-Heated seats |
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| Back to top |
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deprivation
Samba Member
Joined: September 14, 2006
Posts: 1220
Location: Austin, Texas
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| Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 1:00 pm Post subject: |
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Ugh - the AC has been the one major area of my van that i have not done the work myself and it has eaten the most money AND the ac still doesn't fucking work!
My goal this summer is to learn how to fix my AC once and for all.
_________________
1986 Westy 2WD auto a.k.a. "The Old Girl"
www.kittenfart.com |
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