Planning to be a repeat owner w question for group

[bwilderom]

Hi Everyone, I'm a previous owner of a 72 240z and 76 280z. Now that I'm 25years older, wiser and wishin that I never sold my 72 240z, I'm looking at buying another. I'm looking for a little advice on my potential purchase.

The attached picture is the engine bay of the car I am looking at. It's a 72 240Z with A/C. The area I am concerend about is the right strut tower with the circle around it. When I looked at the car, I noticed that the black "cylinder" (that I have highlighted in the blue circle) was rubbing on the engine plate. I thought that was odd so I've been looking at a lot of pictures trying to see if this is stock. So far, I have not found a single picture that has this same configuraiton. I'm hoping that someone can give me some advise on this part. Is it original and in the right place in the engine?

Thanks so much.

Edited January 30, 2009 by bwilderom
added attachment

[hls30.com]

Hi, and welcome to the club!

That is the AC receiver/Dryer, they are typially mounted close, but not there. Moving it will only be an issue if the attatched hoses do not have enough slack. It also looks like you have a York/British Leyland piston type compressor mounted where the smog pump was, and that is probably the reason that location was attractive for the receiver/dryer. Most '72s and late that I have seen had the ac compressor mounted on the ds of the engine down low, instead of the ps up high as yours is. A/C was a dealer installed option, and not one installed at the factory. Dealers sold and used what they had, so it is possible that it is as it was sold new-though I have not seen one installed like that before.

Will

Edited January 30, 2009 by hls30.com

[MikeW]

Welcome. It's not stock because AC was not stock at all in 1972. At best it would have been added by the dealer. They're simply not consistent because they're not from the factory. Since you're in Dallas I sure hope it still works.

[bwilderom]

Hi Will and Mike, Thanks so much for the replies. Makes perfect sense about inconsistent installations at the dealer. With that as the explanation and given that Will has not seen an installation up high, would this be of concern to you guys as a buyer in my shoes? Engine number matches, no leaks, everything else looks good.

[sblake01]

I've seen them mounted just about anyway you could imagine. Technically they were not 'dealer installed' but dealer authorized. They basically contracted out the AC shop that was local to the dealer and had them installed by the shop. That accounts for the lack of consistency in mounting styles. Yours likely doesn't work since I don't see a belt on the compressor. At best, those systems were mediocre. Inefficient compressor and a heating/ventilation system not really designed for AC. They can be made to work better with a compressor, condenser, and blower motor change but will never be as good a system with a center mounted evaporator

[Carl Beck]

Hi, and welcome to the club!

Most '72s and late that I have seen had the ac compressor mounted on the ds of the engine down low, instead of the ps up high as yours is. A/C was a dealer installed option, and not one installed at the factory. Dealers sold and used what they had, so it is possible that it is as it was sold new-though I have not seen one installed like that before.

Will

Hi Will:

I'm surprised to hear you say that you had not seem many of the York compressors mounted over the fuel pump, on the passenger side of the engine. My experience is the exact opposite.

I've only seen a couple of the York compressors, replacing the Air Pumps. Although it is common to see the newer rotary compressors replace both the old York's and be mounted replacing the Air Pump, but that wasn't done by Datsun Dealers.

A/C was actually a "Factory Authorized Accessory". Nissan Motors Ltd. extended the full Factory Warranty to cover the A/C when installed by an Authorized Datsun Dealer. Personally, I'd never seen a Dealer send that work out of their own shops. The A/C Kits were quite easy to install.

The mechanics were paid 6 hours to install the system, and most of them could do it easily in 2 hour of less - after their first time.

There were two manufacturers that supplied the A/C Kits to Nissan Motors USA, Frigid-king (Spl?) and ARA. Both supplied a huge bracket that allowed the York compressor to be mounted over the mechanical fuel pump. No Dealer would have removed the Air Pump - as that would have resulted in fines exceeding $100,000.00 if they were caught removing or modifying any emissions related systems on the cars.

Bottom line Bedri - that looks like a Factory Authorized, Factory Warranted, Dealer Installed A/C system to me. Of course I'd have to see the rest of the system to be certain. One type had the temp. control knob mounted to the bottom of the dash, the other type had it mounted to the side of the center console.

FWIW,

Carl B.

[rdefabri]

I have one of the center console mounted units - I believe it was made by "Frigid-King" or "Frigi-King". It's an eyesore that I am in process of removing.

Here's a view of the "ARA" unit / evaporator (much better as it's dash mounted):

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-ARA-DATSUN-240Z-DASH-AC-AIR-CONDITIONER-EVAPORATOR_W0QQitemZ310119084889QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090129?IMSfp=TL0901291210009r33806

[hls30.com]

bwilderom,

It would'nt worry me in the least, remove and remount where it suits you-as pointed out, everyone is sure it was in there, but no one but the installer can say exactly where!

If that is the worst issue the car has, count your blessings!

Hi Will:

I'm surprised to hear you say that you had not seem many of the York compressors mounted over the fuel pump, on the passenger side of the engine. My experience is the exact opposite.

I've only seen a couple of the York compressors, replacing the Air Pumps. Although it is common to see the newer rotary compressors replace both the old York's and be mounted replacing the Air Pump, but that wasn't done by Datsun Dealers.

A/C was actually a "Factory Authorized Accessory". Nissan Motors Ltd. extended the full Factory Warranty to cover the A/C when installed by an Authorized Datsun Dealer. Personally, I'd never seen a Dealer send that work out of their own shops. The A/C Kits were quite easy to install.

The mechanics were paid 6 hours to install the system, and most of them could do it easily in 2 hour of less - after their first time.

There were two manufacturers that supplied the A/C Kits to Nissan Motors USA, Frigid-king (Spl?) and ARA. Both supplied a huge bracket that allowed the York compressor to be mounted over the mechanical fuel pump. No Dealer would have removed the Air Pump - as that would have resulted in fines exceeding $100,000.00 if they were caught removing or modifying any emissions related systems on the cars.

Bottom line Bedri - that looks like a Factory Authorized, Factory Warranted, Dealer Installed A/C system to me. Of course I'd have to see the rest of the system to be certain. One type had the temp. control knob mounted to the bottom of the dash, the other type had it mounted to the side of the center console.

FWIW,

Carl B.

Carl,

All of the earlier cars I have seen are mounted as you describe-most of the the '72 and '73s I have found out and about(unrestored chance encounters of "stored" cars) have been as I noted-at the times, I found it odd too, given AJ pointed out exactly what you said about installation time/allowance and bracketry(with a comment about proper pulley attatchment thrown in as well!)...It is very cool to have a genuine Nissan mechanic/early adopter enthusiast with you when you comes across an old Z where it was left.

Will

[MikeW]

All of the earlier cars I have seen are mounted as you describe-most of the the '72 and '73s I have found out and about(unrestored chance encounters of "stored" cars) have been as I noted-at the times, I found it odd too, given AJ pointed out exactly what you said about installation time/allowance and bracketry(with a comment about proper pulley attatchment thrown in as well!)...It is very cool to have a genuine Nissan mechanic/early adopter enthusiast with you when you comes across an old Z where it was left.

Will

My 72 had the York compressor installed over the fuel pump with the heavy bracket. Speaking of AJ, in 1985 he inspected my car and gave me a prioritized list of corrections needed. I wish I still had the list as I'm quite sure some of the minor items have still not been done. I know that the transmission and differential have not been opened up in all that time.

[Walter Moore]

The picture exactly matches the way that the air conditioner was mounted in my car when I bought it.

One of my sons was interested in the 240Z right up to the point where I cut those hoses with loping shears, unbolted the compressor, and pitched it in the trash. After that point, he lost all interest. Personally, I know how poorly those compressors worked because we had a similar unit in my wife's 1967 Mustang. It had to be recharged every spring and would almost cool the car, but only if you ran constantly at highway speeds. I shutter to think how badly it would likely work on a 240Z at idle...

[sblake01]

Here's a view of the "ARA" unit / evaporator (much better as it's dash mounted)

I know what the ad says but that is more likely a late 260Z-280Z aftermarket unit. It's the same one that's in my car and I don't see it fitting under a 240Z dash.

[Carl Beck]

Hi Stephen:

If that is the same one you have in your 78 280Z - then you have the old after-market 240-Z unit. With the evaporator hanging down under the dash, the passenger foot well.

Factory Installed, Port Installed or Dealer Installed, the evaporator unit in the 260/280's sat directly in front of the heater core, on top of the transmission tunnel. It was directly behind the two center vents.

To put the evaporator there - the 260/280 Dash is about four inches deeper, than the 240 dash was. One way of putting the newer Factory Air unit in a 240 body - is to change to the 280 dash..

The main reason that the "Factory Air" was so much better than the previous Dealer Installed 240 units - was because the fan blew air through the evaporator coils, where the old 240 units had to suck air though the evaporator, then blow it though the heater core and dash.

The quickest way to tell the Factory Installed or Port Installed units from the after-market units is by the number of speeds on the fan selector switch. As I recall the factory units had 5 speed fans - and the after market units used the original 4 speed fan selector switch.

FWIW,

Carl B.