Does anyone have an A/C unit that blows COLD in an early Z?

[landmizzle]

Hi all,

I've been toying with sometime about putting an A/C unit in one of my Z's. I know the original dealer installed units were not very effecient nor that cold. I had one on my first Z and it was marginal at best. You cold feel cold air if you actually put your hand on the vent, but asking that unit to cool the cabin was a bit much.

I know MSA and others sell aftermarket kits with modern compressors that are more effecient (i.e. rob the engine of less horsepower and less likely to overheat the engine.). However, what I haven't seen addressed is, do these units actually blow COLD air and effectively cool the cabin.

I live in the central valley of California where 100+ degrees farenheit is the norm rather than the exception. Does anyone know of a unit that copes with such circumstances and can really cool the car?

I was speaking with my mechanic and he was doubious about any A/C in the early Z's. Not because the aftermarket units were bad but, because the blower in the Z just doesn't blow enough CFM to cool the cabin. He said it was akin to turning the A/C on in your house AFTER the inside temperature was up to 95 degrees. It just takes soooo long to bring the temperature down.

What has been your experience? Has anyone tried other units? Maybe from Classic Air or Vintage Air? If the bottle neck is indeed the blower, has anyone tried to "hot rod" the blower or install a different fan in the "squirrel cage"?

I can live with giving up a few ponies and draining my bank account for some COLD air ( a slight case of frost-bite would be just about right....)but not if what I'll get is just a finger tip cooler.

Comments, suggestions?

Best Regards,

Landmissle '71 and '72 240Z

[mushupork5]

i've got a 76 280 with an after market compressor that im getting refilled this week. I just got a new fitting and I'm re-routing the hose and then getting the system retrofitted with the new r134 (not sure on the number) freon. I'm going to have it completed by the end of the week and i can get back to you on how cold, how long it takes to cool the cabin and what type of compressor it is. I like in houston, tx and its not much cooler down here, especially with the black interior...

[landmizzle]

Hi all,

After doing a little more research. I've come accross an article that talks about swapping in the blower motor from an '88 Honda Civic. The article claims that the Honda unit blows quite a bit stronger than the stock Z unit and bolts in almost perfectly.

It appears that any late 80's Civic unit will work and one responder was using a 1990 unit.

This sounds really interesting. I wonder if anyone here has tried it?

Best Regards,

Landmizzle '71 and '72 240Z

[texasz]

landmizzle,

Please post a link to the information, it does sound interesting and many others may be interested in it (I know I may be).

[ZCCOR#109]

More insight

I have an aftermarket system installed in 1973. It was R12, I replaced everything except the under dash expansion kit with parts from Vintage Air. I engineered the system with parts from their catalog. It works well. I had to have "o" ring connectors brazed onto the evapo in the correct size. That was a challenge to find. I would be skeptical of using any parts from an R12 system with R134a gas. This is a good topic for argument, ask the Vintage Air folks their take on the topic.

Remember, you really need to control the heat entering the cabin. The modern insulation, available from several sources has reflective surface and is very effective for the weight required. Put it on the firewall, under the floor mats, inside the interior of doors, and rear area. Then put dark tint on the windows, and or shade on the hatch. I put a "Siddle Shade" inside my hatch, they are no longer available as they were a precurser of tinting.

Yes, a bigger blower would help the system.

ATTENTION. The first installation of my system was done by some retards. They DID NOT get the evapo kit attached properly so it did not fit tightly over the heater housing, thus allowing for air to be drawn into the vent system where the two kits match up. And thus the air was not being pulled through the evapo coils. I found they had not moved the large electrical cable that is attached to the body above the glove box. This large cable is held in place with metal "fingers" that wrap around it. The fingers must be opened, and the cable must be pushed aside to allow the evapo unit clearance to go up and match against the heater box. The matching area must be sealed well with something, not duct tape which will dry out. A good "rope" of sticky caulk works.

Additionally, the adjustment pully on the belt for the compressor would "bottom" out on the bracket not allowing proper tightning. After these issues were fixed, I had good air. Not great of course. It takes some time to bring the temp down. this is in 89-93 deg weather with lots of humidity. 100 plus a lot of sun is another story. I always used a cover in Texas, which greatly reduced the heat inside, and allowed for quicker cool downs.

I will try the honda blower motor someday as well.

Good luck

[landmizzle]

Hi all,

Here's one link you can use;

http://www.zcar.com/forums/read.php?f=1&i=294757&t=294740

You can also go to www.zcar.com and go to their early Z forum. From there do a search with the keywords honda civic blower and you'll get a bunch of hits to look through.

Best Regards,

Landmizzle '71 and '72 240Z

Originally posted by texasz

landmizzle,

Please post a link to the information, it does sound interesting and many others may be interested in it (I know I may be).

[mushupork5]

just got my system retrofitted today, its blows pretty cold but its is using a Sand (?) compressor, its is the one found in volvos, mazdas and some other cars. the blower fan in the z is absolute crap and im going on a hunt tomorrow for a 88 civic fan. i'll get back when my project is done

[MDyer]

The compressor is probably manufactured by Sanden, near Dallas. They're a big Tier 1 automotive supplier... Ford, Saturn, Mazda, Honda.

(They use a shitpot load of our CNC drilling and tapping machines.)

Just watching the thread, and had to chime in. I'm pulling for you Mushu! I need to do the same to my 4-wheeled convection oven.

[mushupork5]

Went and got my new blower motor today from a junkyard nearby. Pulled it from a 88 civic crx, cost me $25. Took it home and got to work. The easiest way to gain access to your blower motor is to remove the glovebox and the lower trim piece of the passenger side. The blower motor is fastened by 3 screws and the housing is fastened by 4 10mm hex/phillips screws, 2 are at the front of the cabin and 2 are above (they are pretty easy to find). The best way to change out the blower is to drop the housing and all, then remove the motor. AS it so happens the squirrel fan from the crx was a little too big for the housing, nothing a jig saw wouldn't fix quick. I had to take off a few mm around the hole. The fan fit in and and bolts were perfect. Even the power connector to the new motor was the same as the Datsun one! After putting everything back together (make sure the blower housing still fits up to the vents) and testing the system I was impressed. The Honda blower fan was much more powerful than the Datsun one. With the driver seat all the way back I could actually feel the air hitting me, before it was about 8 inches shy of that mark. So now I can say I have a A/C system that runs powerful, quiet, and cold!

[landmizzle]

Hi mushupork5,

Congratulations!!! Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I bet quite a few people are going to follow your example. I know I probably will.

Of course with all the junk yards getting inandated with civic blower motor request , the laws of "supply and demand" will take over and the price of those little beauties is going to go up!

Best Regards,

Landmizzle '71 and '72 240Z

Originally posted by mushupork5

So now I can say I have a A/C system that runs powerful, quiet, and cold!

[Victor Laury]

I predict a run on the maket for 88 civic blower motors. I know I'll be getting 1 within the week! I'm not A/C'd but I use the blower to keep me "somewhat" cooled. Thanks Mushpork5 for paving the way.

[mushupork5]

just keep in mind that you have to have that splice (a green wire for me) in with the power connector for the blower motor, that spliced wire connects to the air compressor and turns it on.

my z hasn't felt better inside since i got it! (but then again i have only had it for 6 months now)