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In a message dated 9/3/02 1:57:25 PM Central Daylight Time,
uluafish@attbi.com writes:
<< Subj: [T3] Modern a/c
Date: 9/3/02 1:57:25 PM Central Daylight Time
From: uluafish@attbi.com (Jason Albert)
Sender: type3@vwtype3.org
Reply-to: type3@vwtype3.org
To: type3@vwtype3.org
Hello all,
This is my first time chatting with you all although I occasionally
drop in to read the messages (sorry I missed Parma this year, I'll be there
next year!). I have a '69 Square that I have been completely restoring for
the last two years. I have been researching ways to get an efficient modern
a/c system into one of these cars. Now I know the difficulty in
accomplishing this but I think I can do it. Many of you will probably jump
in and say that a/c is too hard on the cars and will kill the motor,
overheat it, etc. I've looked into the original setups and I know how crappy
those old York compresors were. Compared to those old Yorks, a modern Sanden
505 uses very little power and I think it will work very well in there. I
have one of the early small diameter, heavy bolt-on pulleys that should do
the job driving the compressor. I think I've figured out a good way to seal
around the belt holes with a light flexible rubber that fits snug around the
belt coming through the engine tin. Also, Honda a/c equipment is very
plentiful and cheap due to all the "racers" out there who tear them out to
make there cookie-cutter, econo-box, wonder bread, store bought
monstrosities a little bit quicker. The Civic condenser and fan fit in the
spare tire well perfectly and should do a good job cooling down the system.
As for the evaporator, I have an original under-dash unit from a Type 3 with
a more powerful retrofitted Honda blower motor and fan. Now, this project
has not been easy so far but it is finally coming together and I really
think it is possible to drive in comfort without destroying the engine. Has
anyone else here been playing with the idea of a/c? I would love to hear any
feedback from the group!
Long live the Type 3!!!
Jason Albert
Grand Junction, CO
'69 Squareback
'71 Squareback
'62 Chevy Stepside Pickup
I have a modern a/c of a Type 34. It uses about the equivalent of 1 hp of
engine power. What I ran into was the belt system for the a/c. The first one
I used was one
long continuous belt. That didn't work out, as the belts lasted only about 50
miles. I finally got a two belt system by using a special adapter made for
the Type 3 engine. The adapter fits of the crankshaft of a Type 3 engine. It
amounts to an extension of the crankshaft, allowing one to install a second
pulley and belt. Abyone who knows his Type 3 engines will know what I am
talking about.
With the two belt system, one can rest easy, if the belt breaks. It breaks
fail-safe. One belt operates the engine-generator and works just like the
original system. If that belt breaks, one knows that the cooling system is
gonna fail, if he continues to run
the engine. The second belt operates the compressor only. If the latter
breaks, the a/c just quits working. With the long, single belt, if the belt
breaks, the cooling system is gonna fail, and that's bad. The generator will
stop genning, and that's how you tell that the a/c has failed. Unfortunately,
it may be after frying the engine.
So, be sure and use the two-belt system. Those adapters are still out there.
Just keep looking until you find one. The next thing to look out for is the
a/c condenser. It
has to be mounted horizontally on a Type 3. It's right where a weevil
mechanic who thinks he knows everything about everything that;s worthwhile
knowing about, will typically use a floor jack to lift a wheel off the
ground. If the weevil lifts a front wheel off the ground, he may ruin the
condenser. That unfortunate occurrence was a costly
$750 mistake for me. Be sure that you tell mechanics that your Type 3 has an
a/c so that you don't repeat the mistake. Make sure that only the VW
prescribed method of
raising a wheel off the ground is used (using the adapter in the rear of the
car and the car's original jack).
Don Garies
dgaries808@aol.com
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