guys,

I have had my aircon re-conditioned but it still does not blow stron enough for the NZ summer. I really want to fit a modern one that has real power.

Has anyone experience or knowledge of such systems?

Cheers

 

Here in the USA there are some outfits specializing in custom air conditioning instllations for vintage cars, street rods, old musclecars, etc. Some of them make kits for the most popular applications....but nothing for an XJS that I'm aware of.

Some of the Jag vendors (XKs Unlimited in California, for one) sell complete a/c kits for E-types and Mk2s, so you might wanna contact them and ask if their vendor has an XJS kit....but I wouldn't get my hopes up too high.

Others will chime in with better info, hopefully.

Cheers
DD

 

Vintage Air, San Antonio TX, have many types of air con systems.

 

Aircon in my '88 XJ-S with R-134a is plenty strong to deal with the Florida heat in the dead of summer. I would suspect that you have one or more issues holding you back. My system is almost stock, except with R-134a and associated oil treatment meaning it is less efficient than stock, and puts out mid 50F at the vents in 95F ambient temperature for some comparison.

On HIGH you should be putting out a strong flow at the center vent and side vents with almost no air out the dash vent at the windshield. If you're putting out air onto the windshield, your vent controls are jammed up. If you're just not putting out much air period, one or both fans are jammed up. You can test the fans easily by putting it on HIGH, and pulling one, then the other fan fuses and ensuring you get a significant flow change.

A fairly cheap upgrade is also to replace the center vent with a vent from a later model. The later model vent controls will redirect all the air coming out the vent... the one on an '88 will only direct air from each outside quarter, meaning fully half the surface area is blowing air straight back into the perpetually empty rear passenger area.

Cheers,

- Will

 

awesome,

Got any thoughts on someone who might supply one?

Very cool,

D

 

Will said it. The stock system should be good enough to get the tiny XJS cabin freezing. My 92 XJS was better than my 00 XJR.

Go onto the Los Angeles craigslist site and search for "XJS" There is a guy in Sun Valley that breaks late model XJSes. There is at least one 96 car posted which has the double center vent

 

Yo Y'all, just got the A/C working on a 1991 Coupe. Problem is, now the AC will not shut off. Doesn't seem to respond to the thermostat on Auto or Manual. Any guesses what it might be. Controls worked (fresh air to heat) prior to getting AC working.

 

It's an XJ40 center vent look on eBay there was one for sale in Australia.

JAGUAR XJ40 CENTRE AIR VENT - SUIT HOT ROD, COBRA, ETC. | eBay

 

Great information.

Thanks to everyone. aircon is now ice-cold and i am ordering the vents from Australia.

Here's to the helpfulness of Jaaaaaag guys.


D

 

Hi Dean, what exactly did you do to effect this miraculous transformation.

Pete

 

Recommend you start a fresh thread with details on how it was responding before, what you did in the repair, and what is and isn't responding to controls now. It's an overly complicated system so difficult to diagnose without that info.

Cheers,

- Will

 

WTF, I thought my a/c was working correctly. I didn't know I was supposed to be able to actually "control" the heating and cooling.....it's on my list!

 

there was a loose wire under the dash that was supposed to be connected to the thermostat and with the tiny rubber seal it was hard to see.

its awesome now, these things make us all happy.

Summer driving here we come.

D

 

damn thing is on the blink again, has a mind of its own, sometimes blowing strong, then just coughing meek air at me. then it blows cold up top and warm below.

The investigation continues.

D

 

Could the thermostat or its wiring be iffy? That would confuse it as voltage drop varies e.g. Shaking a bit with ridges an potholes or plain luck.

 

I have a Vintage Air setup in my '86 coupe. Works great and takes up 1/3 the space of the stock evaporator and blowers.

When I bought the car someone had hacked into the evaporator and it would have cost me more to have the stock system repaired than to switch over to a new system. The new is newer (duh) smaller, more efficient, has electronically-operated blend doors, and tech support.

This also fit with my goal (considered blasphemous by some) to rip evrything made by Jaguar off or out of this coupe save the suspension and re-assemble the car (with new powertrain, wiring, gauges, seats, paint, wheels, etc) with newer or more easily-serviced components. It still has the Jaguar look and ride, with 21st century reliability.

 

Car builder solutions have a nifty unit. If and when I open the dash on the Interceptor or FF that is what goes in.

 

Cannot argue with any of that! Could you please post some details of how you installed the new aircon unit, if it had a heater in it as well, what you did about blowers and ducting, what had to change under the bonnet (hood) etc etc, maybe a pic or two?

Greg

 

I second that........ Start a new thread and post details would be very helpful as I was thinking about doing this but was unsure of whether one of these units would fit....

 

I will try to do that soon. So busy right now that I haven't touched the car in three weeks.

I will say this. The Gen II Compaq (my vintage air unit) plastic mockup unit that I ordered first to establish fitment made me think I could get by with no cutting. But nope, with the actual unit I had to cut into the passenger side support that runs up the right side of the evaporator.

Pics to come as soon as I can...