air conditioning : missing compressor

[bavareze]

Hello!

My new Westy is missing the A/C compressor. This is what I see in the engine bay is this:

www.b66ama.com/misc/eng_bay.jpg

questions:

1. I believe my van has an after market a/c system. The glove box has a weird shape (looks like it has been cut to fit some piping). How can I tell for sure if OEM or aftermarket?

2. Based on that picture, what do you think I should buy: just the A/C compressor or also some sort of mount/bracket?

All other buttons / piping seems to be present.

Thanks
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- www.b66ama.com - 29.000 miles in South America -

[Sir Sam]

I don't see any AC related equipment there.

Why don't you post a picture of your dash?

I'm guessing you really don't have any AC installed, and that something else is going on here.
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'91 Carat Westy

87' Syncro + '87 Westy conversion coming soon

[motelvw]

I see one ac hose in the upper left of the picture. No bracket, though.

[funagon]

The vanagon A/C compressor needs a mount, which I don't see in your photo. It mounts on the left side of the engine, on the cylinder head, sort of above the water pump (toward the rear of the van). You can buy a good rebuilt compressor from van-cafe.com. You can also ask them if they have a bracket, or look on the samba classifieds, craigslist, etc. for a bracket.

I see one A/C line with it's open end near the green fuel injector plugs. There should be two.

Because the system is open and not working, you should also expect to buy a new reciever/dryer.

If you have aftermarket A/C behind the dash then I don't know what else you might need. Not many vanagon owners have that setup.

EDIT: your '83 van has an odd coolant junction and coolant hoses that is unlike the late model vanagons I've owned. It looks like those components might interfere with mounting an A/C compressor. But if the van has A/C installed then there must have been a compressor somewhere, right? I'll wait now for someone else with the same A/C system to chime in.
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1990 GL 7-passenger
2.2 liter WBX

[bavareze]

[MarkWard]

I am pretty sure that is a factory offered aftermarket dash air. The center vents are fitted where the radio should be. I don't see why you could not resurect the evaportor as long as it does not leak and the blower is still good. I am installing an aftermarket system from parts that I purchased made by Vintage Air. I would also suggest you look at this link. Aside from answering some questions about his install, he documented it with tons of pictures. http://sites.google.com/site/blakeheinlein/blake/air-conditioning-project

[bavareze]

what do you mean by resurrecting the evaporator?
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- www.b66ama.com - 29.000 miles in South America -

[Bercilak]

[bavareze]

I was suspecting I needed 2 brackets, I will wait to see how they actually look like.

The compressor is standard on all vanagons?

After I buy compressor can I install right away or there are other prerequisites?

Thanks!
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- www.b66ama.com - 29.000 miles in South America -

[86syncrowesty]

Question, related, I have the bracket, overhead a/c unit in the rear but none in the front, P/O said he pulled the compressor because he didnt want to spend the cash at the time to fix/replace it. Should there be anything I should look for in case he was lying about the compressor being the bad piece of the chain?

On another note, anyone swapped in the Subi compressor when doing swap, any issues?
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1986 Vanagon -- Syncro, Westy
2.5L Subaru

[DLJ]

You have the aftermarket "Behr Air" unit . The compressor was most likely removed due to failure and PO didnt want repair expense. As to compressor mounts you may need to determine the proper compressor for the mount that you have. You should prepare yourself for some expense ! Also you have a 1.9 engine with automatic. Working air conditioning will be at the cost of performance

[Microbusdeluxe]

My '81 aircooled had a very similiar looking dash mounted air con unit. I've removed the whole thing. Have no idea it works, heck I can state with confidence it probably does NOT work. But if you want to buy it, send me a pm.
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'69 Squareback RIP
'65 21 window deluxe sold before the price spike, damn it.
'70 rhd bay now a taxi in South Sudan
'81 Westy sold
'89 hightop Westy Joker syncro 16" now with Bostig!

[McVanagon]

You should hook up with irgsmoore4.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4995095#4995095
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'69 Mike
'85 GL
'87 Wolfsburg Hardtop