heya i just picked up a 76 kombi that has A/C fitted to the cab roof, does anyone know much about them?

I have looked over it all and everythings there but i cant figure how to get the bastard working, when i got the van they said it worked and just need to be conected to the battery. cant find the wiring .to be honest cant see where it goes at all, have some running down from the roof unit to the condenser underneath the body and there is two flexi pipes running to the back with what looks like gas bottle fittings and one of them has what looks like a solinoid thats got no wires runnign to it...


I'll post some pics if it help anyone figure it out.

thanks

steff.......................

Sorry,
but it sounds suspect to me...
Can You see an Air Con Compressor on the engine..
they usually have a seperate belt...
They would also be a receiver dryer which is a block round thing the size of an oil filter with a pipe going to it and from it, and it will have a small glass piece on the top to view whether there are any bubbles in the system...

Best of Luck

Lee Noonan

http://community.webshots.com/user/vw68autobug 

mmm pretty sure there is no receiver dryer, i'll have a look on monday as the vans at the work shop.... not really had a close look in the engine bay as i opened the inspection hatch i the back and could see through where the crank and smashed the case.

heres hoping its all there

steff........

the receiver drier should be mounted in the passenger side front wheel well. I have a system for my Twin Cab that I removed from a wrecked camper - I took photos before and during the removal ... I'll see if I can find them....

What appears to be the problem with your system? Is is that there is no power to the roof mounted section (ie the fans don't run), is it that the compressor clutch doesn't cut in, or is is something else?

R

...just re-read what you posted - from memory the power to the system runs from the standard fuse box, under the floor mats, up the passenger side B-pillar to the power/fan speed switch in the overhead console, then from there it goes to the blower fans (in the console) and back down the b-pillar to the compressor clutch and the condenser fans via the thermostat in the overhead console...

Does this sound right?

If it's a DPD unit the reciever/dryer is under the car next to the condensor.There will be a large red power wire (how original....) that powers the whole unit from the top and it should be connected to the fuse box under the dash.There will be a wire from the thermatic switch to the compressor which normally runs with the hoses to the underside of the car and back to the engine compartment.The compressor will either be mounted to the rear of the car and driven by the smog pump drive,which is prone to breaking or it could also be mounted to the passenger side of the motor underneath below the fan casting near the oil cooler....the belt runs between the fan housing and off the cooling fan which has an extra pulley on it.These units have a weak,thin belt which is also prone to breakage. Good luck!!

If You have a belt problem,,,,
there are cheap belts and there are good belts and then there are SPZ belts which I found to be perfect...
I've never had one break...

I can't remember much about them, but i was having problems with the narrow belts in a Mitsubishi L300 years ago with a Japanese imported engine...

Best to go to a Belt place and get the best belt.. like an SPZ....
Ride on Lawn mower belts are usually the best belts made.
they have cords running round the belt which stop them from stretching....
[I'm not saying all mowers use these belts]

Lee

Hi Lee. The belt used in the "factory" location.behind the fan is VERY thin.We've used SPZ's and gold line belts.which have steel inside instead of the fibre,they still break or "fail" after some time as they are very thin...a lot thinner than an L300 belt. When i say fail it means the belt as such is kinda still there (the mental bit anyway) but the rubber is gone.They usually failed after the aircon was serviced as most places filled them with gas untill the compressor was loaded then let gas out till it sounds right.The compressors load up a fair bit and the belts just aren't physically big enough to get good milage out of. The aircons work great though.........

Michael

HeHe...would definetly depend on who fitted it! I was just going by the instructions.These systems are old so many things have changed or been moved over the years. Woteva works isn't broken!:beer

...actually, having had a bit more time to wonder about it, my system was originally fitted to a camper which had a large water tank fitted under the floor, beside the condenser - perhaps they chose to move it (the receiver/dryer) to the wheel well due to a lack of space under the van .... or not...? Who knows ... but as you say "Woteva works isn't broken!"

Hey DubCrazy, any luck with your system yet?

R

heya all, thanks for all the replys, i have not had chance tolook yet, last week at work and everyone wants there cars back before xmas i mena how dare they crash them and how dare we be buzy!! hehe will try to look tomorrow and see what is going on...

steff.....................

*##*@*#*#*@*!*!@#*!!!!!!!!!!


all there but the compresser, the two pipes runnign to the back are there but the compresser has gone!!!!! bugger bugger!!!


steff..........

Where was it mounted??? Is the mount gone as well??

Biggest problem with those systems was the crappy old york compressor. Given it is missing anyway, & If you got the time, mount a nice compact rotary unit on it. Will run heaps better.

And the old mount will help. If you're replacing the compressor make sure the replacement unit will flow what it needs to...talk to a pro (not the corner variety..)