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bavareze Samba Member

Joined: January 03, 2010 Posts: 81 Location: los angeles, ca
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Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 2:01 am Post subject: air conditioning : missing compressor |
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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 _________________ - www.b66ama.com - 29.000 miles in South America - |
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Sir Sam Samba Member

Joined: July 19, 2009 Posts: 1724 Location: Fort Collins Colorado!
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Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 2:05 am Post subject: |
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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. _________________ '91 Carat Westy
87' Syncro + '87 Westy conversion coming soon |
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motelvw Samba Member

Joined: July 19, 2005 Posts: 465
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Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 3:40 am Post subject: |
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I see one ac hose in the upper left of the picture. No bracket, though. |
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funagon Samba Member

Joined: March 09, 2006 Posts: 1308 Location: SLC, UT
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Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 8:37 am Post subject: |
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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. _________________ 1990 GL 7-passenger
2.2 liter WBX |
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bavareze Samba Member

Joined: January 03, 2010 Posts: 81 Location: los angeles, ca
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Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 1:44 am Post subject: |
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Sir Sam wrote: |
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. |
someone advised me to remove completely the system and install aftermarket, as the system is prone to leaks.... what do you think about that?
and this is the picture of my dash. is this OEM?
_________________ - www.b66ama.com - 29.000 miles in South America - |
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MarkWard Samba Member

Joined: February 09, 2005 Posts: 18723 Location: Retired South Florida
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Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 8:16 am Post subject: |
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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 |
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bavareze Samba Member

Joined: January 03, 2010 Posts: 81 Location: los angeles, ca
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Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 2:02 am Post subject: |
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what do you mean by resurrecting the evaporator? _________________ - www.b66ama.com - 29.000 miles in South America - |
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Bercilak Samba Member
Joined: August 17, 2009 Posts: 391
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Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 2:48 am Post subject: |
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funagon wrote: |
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. |
No, he'll be OK if he has the right bracket. This is the same set up as my 85,which has the rear A/C. There are two brackets really. One is a big block that sits on top of the thermostat. If you look carefully at his picture, you'll see one of the mounting holes hiding just to the left of the distributor and the upper coolant return.
Another semi-circle bracket hangs off that block over the area to the left of the thermostat, and that is the adjusting area for the A/C mount.
here's what it looks like in place (if you have a severely rusty engine!)
http://picasaweb.google.com/lathropMA/Desktop#5537407828474983378
If you look, you can see the bracket here, with the semi-circle part removed, sitting just under that same hose.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lathropMA/Desktop#5537407842711437650
I'll get some pix tomorrow of the brackets so you can see what they look like.
B. |
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bavareze Samba Member

Joined: January 03, 2010 Posts: 81 Location: los angeles, ca
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Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 12:28 pm Post subject: ok |
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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! _________________ - www.b66ama.com - 29.000 miles in South America - |
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86syncrowesty Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2010 Posts: 115 Location: Colorado Front Range
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Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 2:19 pm Post subject: |
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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? _________________ 1986 Vanagon -- Syncro, Westy
2.5L Subaru |
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DLJ Samba Member
Joined: August 05, 2008 Posts: 561 Location: North California
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Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 2:48 pm Post subject: air conditioner |
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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 |
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Microbusdeluxe  Samba Member

Joined: July 26, 2003 Posts: 1003 Location: Bellingham, WA
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Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 2:48 pm Post subject: |
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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. _________________ '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! |
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McVanagon Samba Member

Joined: February 19, 2007 Posts: 1684 Location: Northern part of the Virginia
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