Air Conditioning Question

[Bri87swb]

I recently purchased an 87 swb 4x4. The previous owner had removed the original FI 305 and replaced it with a SB 350. The evaporator and accumulator are still in the engine compartment although it appears that he used some type of sealer around the evaporator enclosure. Besides the compressor, hoses, and fitting is there anything else I need to complete the sytem? I rarely use ac, so I don't actually need it. Is there some type of cover or plug for the firewall if I take the remaining ac items out of the engine compartment to clean it up?

Also the heater isn't working. The blower works, but as I move the temp. selector from cold to hot the air flow lessens and no hot air comes out. The truck is heating up fine, but the neither the hose from the water pump going to the heater-core or the return hose are warm. The heater-core might be plugged, but can you think of anything else it might be?

Thanks,

Brian

[Turbo85GMC]

You can check for flow by disconnecting the two lines to the heater core and connecting them together with a union. Then run the engine and the hoses should be warm. If they are, your problem is in the heater core. If they are cold, the problem is in one of the hoses or in the connection to the water pump or the connection to the radiator.

[Slonaker]

You would need a condensor to complete the setup if it has been removed. You would also need a new acumulator as well. You would need to make sure you have both the missing soft lines abd the hard lines that go to the accumulator and the evaporator. You would also need an orifice tube, but those are just only about $3 or so. Assuming that everything is still intact inside the dash, I can't think of anything else.

You might consider going with a new compressor instead of a rebuild. Most folks I have talked to have said that they only get about 1 year out of a rebuilt R4 compressor. I was able to buy a brand new Delphi for about the cost of 2 rebuilt ones. You might even consider going with a Sanden compressor and an Alan Grove bracket with custom made lines. The Sandens are supposed to be a lot more efficient and use less horsepower.

If you choose to remove it, you should talk to Swervin Ervin here on the board. I think he made a plate for his that alowed him to remove the evaporator and keep the heater core/blower motor.

Slonaker

[Bri87swb]

Thanks for the advise. I'll try joining the two hoses together this weekend. Hopefully the heater will be a simple fix. I don't want to spend a ton of moneyon the ac, but I'd prefer to have it working rather than tearing the remaing items out.

Thanks,

Brian