Ok guys. Not butting heads but, I have worked in a dealer for 8 years. Yes I checked airflow. I have no obstructions in front of the condensor. I looked up the fan, its a Flex-a-lite electric kit that is rated for 3300 cfm, which I think is far more than the factory mechanical fan would do. The ambient temps here have been around 100* every day with humidity anywhere from 30%-100% on average. The charge I put in as far as ounces (I use Kgs because out machine only reads pounds or Kg, not ounces) 35oz, the sticker says it requires 47oz. I had the same feeling about the compressor as well, but seeing as I'm using 134 in a 12 system, I'm not completely sure how it would react. I checked it on a cooler morning about 80* with a big swamp cooler fan in front of the car and it was able to pull down to about 62* discharge temp with low side at 42psi and high side at 230 psi.
Most likely if anything I need a bigger condensor and possibly the compressor, but I just don't want to put too much money into it right now since I plan on doing a big teardown on the car in the next year once I save up some more. I also heard about those Sanden compressors but doesn't sound like many people, here at least, like them all as much. May just stick to factory there. Really I was just curious if anyone had tried going back and forth. I do appreciate all the tips and tricks though.
If so, installing an electric fan to run with the A/C on will help your cooling, as would a larger condenser. If not, I'd look at there being a problem in the system. Too much refrigerant, or not enough will affect the low side pressures, which are what flow through the evaporator.
Our low pressure cutout switches also are adjustable. r134 will cutout at a temperature 3 degrees higher than r12. If you adjusted the cutoff to be 3psi lower, the cutout would be at the same refrigerant temperature. I'd guess your problem isn't the system being 3 degrees different though - something wasn't installed right. For the best cooling, run a refrigerant level that stays just above the cutout switch pressure level on the hot days. I'd say shoot for 40psi low side at 1500rpms on a 100F day for a good dummy-proof system (45F evaporator temperature). Most cars today limit the cooling potential to around 60F anyway, so it would be nothing different than what people are used to.
Did you just have refrigerant added by a certain weight, or were gauges used to get the proper charge amount?
It cools ok to well on the highway. I do have an electric fan, pretty big one too. Not sure of the cfm rating but it flows. Problem is most if not all of my driving is city bumper to bumper. At first I put in the 1.33 kgs it said for R12, but obviously that was way too much. I did some reading about what some people have done and they put in about 80% of the R12 charge, so I put in 1 kg. Still too much I think. My high side pressures are 315 psi and low side 60 psi. Tomorrow if I get the time I'm going to pull a long 30-45 min vacuum and put a little less in. I usually shoot for low side in the 30s. Most of the customers cars I deal with I still get pressures around 175 high side and 30 low side with vent discharge temps in the low 50s-high 40s. Although that's on newer cars.
I work at a dealer so I have all the equipment and it's easy. I was just curious if anyone had gone backwards. I will someday try the cobra condenser and flush the system out real good again, but that's when I get a good teardown and rebuild on the car. Can't afford that right now, haha.
Here's a question, anyone ever convert to R-134 then back to R12? When I converted mine I put in the new acspoogeulator, orifice, and condenser, and it just plain sucks here. Texas 105* summer heat and 50-70% humidity on a daily basis in July.... Call me a wimp if you want, I like it COLD! I'm thinking of going through it all again, replacing the acspoogeulator and condenser, and flushing the out of it again. Just didn't know if anyone had tried that and it worked. I'd rather get the R134 working right, and I hadn't tried the bigger condenser yet. I have a huge electric fan too, so I know that's not a problem.
That is what I wanted to do, and now I have my question answered. I had not see anyone try this before or mention it so this is why I asked, but we can put it to rest now, I have my question answered. Thanks.
Actually, it will bolt up. As I stated in my last post, that is my current setup. The problem I have is that it's like 1.5 inches narrower each side, so I'm using staggered wheels with an offset to compensate. However I'm wanting to go with the same size for all 4 wheels. If I stay 4 lug I may just use wheel spacers but if 5 lug I may do what tbirdsports did.
I was just asking a question, why the attitude.....
I get what you're saying, I just wanted to know if someone had done it because I didn't have all that info and while searching didn't see it at first. I do appreciate the extra help you both have given me.
Anyways, I've actually already swapped a Fox Mustang axle, but want the right width for everything since I have staggered wheels. So, if there was 3/4" narrower each side for the housing which the backing plate bolts to, which is what I meant with , then possibly a spacer could be fabbed up to make it work. Less work than all the other conversions needed for rear disc. I hate making brake lines. I know I could always use wheel spacers, but just wanted to have it right.
It's an 88. Base model with 5.0. But 10" drums. And yes I was thinking if staying 4 lug with some mustang turbine wheels but I've toyed with the idea of 5 lug. I read the whole saga on tbirdsports and I think that was a lot of good info. However I thought the TC had the same width axle as the 7.5. Although I don't think the overall width will matter as long as the backing plates bolt up and the drums fit properly over everything. I just wasn't sure if anyone had actually tried this yet.
I know this subject gets beaten to death with TC axle swaps but I didn't see this question.
Has anyone done a turbo coupe axle swap but left their drums instead of converting to disc brakes? I have factory 10" drums and after my 11" mark 7 caliper front brake swap I'm pretty satisfied with the ability and don't honestly feel like redoing all my brakes just for some small non vented rear discs. And parts are getting hard to come by. It should all be a straight bolt up considering all Fords pretty much share the same style to bolt brakes to but I just wanted to know if anyone has done this.
