Well I must admit being a person from the North and never have done work on A/C systems, - I am at a loss.
I have the A/C system on my Jag empty, with only the 2 connections on the firewall left (hoses removed), a compressor, mounted in place on a GM serpentine belt system bracket and a condenser mounted in front of the radiator. I also have the Camaro TPI dual fans and shroud. No hoses connected to anything, no dryer, and now I could use some help / direction from someone with experience to point me in right direction. Best practice etc.

Any advice will be appreciated, especially if you are a fellow lumper and have done this before with Jag to GM system

Thanks in advance

 

What I do at this point is drive it to my great AC guys shop... he likes Hot Rods more than a boring day fixing Hondas.. He is the local "guru" and all the shops use him for their luxury car repairs as well as the economy cars. Usually several hot rods there being repaired.

My current '71 Jag has all Vintage Air stuff in the engine compartment, with a modern Sanden compressor. With all the conversion stuff I get very cold air at all the vents (car has dual center vents added by me) but the side vents are still there and working as well. On this car we used a Trinary valve to control things and it is shown in the picture of the front of the car.

During this period, my heater matrix/core started leaking... I did the R&R and it was welded up at a local radiator shop.. this is before I met Conrad... no new ones were available for the S1 Jags.... as you can see, getting to the small radiator type device is difficult. Jag laid it in the car and then wrapped the rest around the heater matrix.

Over the years he has told me so many stories of cars/trucks that come to him when others have failed and the sometimes very simple things that were not done that made all the difference in the outcome = cold air at the vents.

By letting him look at the system, he then decides which drier/location etc for the hoses to run. He makes the hoses custom fit in his shop. I do not have the equipment to evacuate or charge the system.

I had a SII Jag 383/700R with the Delanair system..the book for the AC was huge... after I got the fans and water flow working properly, I found Conrad and he made the converted AC work well with the old GM compressor.

He knows when the expansion valve is bad and how to properly change them (Series 1 that is hidden - I remove the dash and all needed for his easy access).

Together we sourced all the "best" stuff, new GM fans, late style expansion valve that was converted to fit a Series 1 that was designed to use R134. If you cannot find the correct valve the screw adjustment must be done to get the proper flow with the new style coolant for the best results. In So Cal we use AC 300+ days per year and it is "critical".. heat not so much.

Try to find that kind of guy in your locale... ask the other shops who "they use when they have problems". I have done this now four times with V8 conversions at the same point you are now at...

 

Rodger's advice is good but if you want to make it DIY then...

Visit coldhose.com

Get this compressor adapter.
https://coldhose.com/catalog/product...s/category/39/

Then get a standard #8 and #10 oring hose ends for the compressor side
https://coldhose.com/fittings/oring/female-oring.html

Buy some hose, ends for the car side and a crimp tool.

Use the Jag accumulator / drier setup that is in front of the radiator, I recall its a #6 oring fitting. It's a good design. Having it hung out in cool air is better then where GM puts their units because on the Jag it would be close to an exhaust manifold.

 

Well, my input is limited. My car's AC is not on line. All connected sans one. The wire to the clutch. No inadvertent firing up the compressor !!!


Two concepts:


1. Make it as close to GM as possible.
2. Keep almost all the Jaguar stuff.


In 2. that would be the GM compressor. In some early cases, not much changes. The GM big Harrison also used by Jaguar.


In my case, it is all Jaguar, except a hose and the LT1 much smaller compressor.


Mine was done more or less to the instructions with my Johnscar kit.


Reluctances:


1. I failed to flush the evaporater.
2. I don't know if the GM compressor has any residual oil.
3. I may have lost the teeny thimble filter.
4. Will my R12 system function decently on R134A
5. Should I jump to a propane based refrigerant. As LnrB's NIX enjoys.


I do have the means to evacuate the system and see if it will hold a vacuum.


I have an old "Standard Oil" tech manual on service for these older units. helpful


Procrastination? Guilty as charged.


But, the "hot' season is almost over, so...


Carl,

 

So what I am planning to do is:

Use the Jag Condenser / GM compressor / use the GM dual e-fan system / use a GM style dryer - mounted near Horn relay area, front of car - right side.

I will need the hoses:
from compressor to condenser
from condenser to dryer
from dryer to expansion valve (evaporator)
from evaporator to compressor

Other than the green/brown wire to the compressor clutch what other items do I have to take into consideration,.. AND are the thread size of the hose ends a standard size ? Or do I have to buy hoses with fittings for the Jag connections on one end and GM connections on the other - as in the hose from GM dryer to expansion valve and the hose from evaporator to GM compressor.

Funny,.. all my life I have never explored the A/C systems on cars..... engines , transmissions, all the various small stuff we encounter as owner/enthusiasts - yes ,...but A/c -no idea..might as well learn...

 

Alyn:


I'm with you or truly, at least a step behind.


1. Hoses. do you still have the AC hoses as Jaguar installed them? Good to compare thread needs. My GM compressor has a manifold joining two hoses at the compressor. A gasket and stud secures them there. No fun, to do as it is deep in the bowels. And, mine was missing the stud. Use a bolt? Not much chance to get one started w/o stripping out the compressor!!!! Really bad thing.


So, I made a stud. As quarters are cramped, double nutting or using s stud tool seemed tough, I slotted the bolt that I cut off. So a flat blade screw driver drove the stud home and no stripping of threads!!! Still a tussle. And, the caps for guage hoses and or cans to fill are deep and will take some juggling. In my case, moving the heater hoses to even hope to attach them. Why located there. I've never asked John!! The ones on my Jeep are so much easier to access.


I have the tools from HF. A vacuum pump, compressor operated. And a guage manifold. Each unused here. One issue just resolved it self in my mind. Three hoses, four tasks. aha, the valves!!!


You might visit the junk yard and get a set of used GM stuff. proably cheap. use as a model as to how to join the two Jaguar hose ports to the GM stuff. Might consider a GM condensor. Better? And sure to match.


Carl


2. Electrics. Yup, energize the GM compressor the same way that the Jaguar controls energized the big old Harrison. Except, fused. Pressure limit? Mine is unattached for compressor safety, but that feature unclear.


And, Mine has a provision to energize an efan when the compressor is on. The more I think about it, that isn't a best option. Not needed and detrimental at highway speed.

 

Slipped up, a bit. but two phases, gas and electrics.


Carl

 

I am beginning to realize that one of the reasons I have come to a grinding stop, with the A/C...is because of planning,, meaning,.. where to put what, and then once those decisions have been made,... get the correct A/C stuff.

I am planning to convert the headlamp electrical path through relays and as well,.. I want to put an aux power box up front . That means running a heavy cable from the driver's side firewall post to the front in the general area of the present headlights fuse box. Planning on using the wires that go to the headlights to instead, activate relays for the lights and will need heavy power from aux power box to the relays. Starting to get crowded with wires / hoses /cables.

I am stumped at one point and that is the pressure switch at the dryer on GM vs the Jaguar method, as they used with the Harrison compressor . I have a GM serpentine bracket system and it uses the small round compressor as found on Camaros / Caprices etc. and the dryer has the pressure switch ,, so I am just trying to figure it out and get them to all "play nice."

 

Alyn:


The planning thing. GM path or almost all Jaguar path. You might look at Andrew Weinberg's Jaguar-Specialties site. He goes GM. Nice work there.


Carl

 

Yes I will probably get a new GM (Camaro) condenser I already have the serpentine belt setup n the car so the location of the compressor /condenser /drier /hoses - all will match and work