Should I forget about an AC?
 

Hi all. I have been working o this XJS a while now. 1990 XJS Convertible, v12. I have lots more to do but will be most satisfied when I can upholster her and get the interior close to right. Yup, a ways to go. I will finally have the floor welded in, it's bolted in now, for a couple hundred bucks, maybe this week. Fingers crossed. Carpet from Paul's- been saving my pennies!

I have been driving her around. Happy. PLEASED. Top down once,,, don't say it!!! lol. I don't care what no one says, she runs nicely, although listening for "sounds" is something to be heard. Nothing too bad or strange... But damn. The floor gets hot. Hot from engine. Hot from exhaust. I can feel it thru the UNinsulated LH/DS floor. Wondering what summer will be like!

So, the question: Should I even think about chasing the air conditioning? I've never had it on. I know the system is empty from when I took everything in the V out to rebuild the fuel rail, beat on the injectors and stuff...

Is it a horrible thing,,, the XJS AC system? Is there any option beyond R12? A kit? Is it best left completely alone and forgotten about? What MIGHT I find and run into if I do dig in? Where to start? She sat for like 10yrs remember

Open to one sentence answers or a detailed reports.

And, as usual, deep bows and much gratitude. Peace :)

I can't offer that much practical advice, but I also need to fix my a/c, so have done some research. Unless you never intend to drive the car with the top up in summer, you'll definitely need it. Probably even if you have the top down....

If the system's empty and you've never had it on, the logical first step is to fill the system and turn it on--hey, you might be in luck. (Forgive my raucous laughter....)

Your car is post-1987, so you should have the Delanair Mark 3 aircon. This is a good site to start chasing down any faults:
Jaguar Air Con KWE

Don't forget the XJS Bible, penned by the Prophet Palm.

Our own Warjon has a wonderfully detailed explanation with loads of photos, HERE. I'm sure he'll chime in soon.

There's some more details on the heater matrix specifically at GoFlyRC's site.

And of course quite a few threads in these very forums.

I think it’s worth a shot. It might be worth $150+a refrigerant charge to have someone diagnose it properly. This way you’ll at least know what you’re up against and then you can reassess the situation and figure out if it’s worth it or not.

For me, it would have to be a four digit number to think about not repairing it. I said think, by the way, because I’d figure out a way to get it up and running again. That’s just me though. I live in DC and ac is required. Born and raised in Jackson Heights, Queens, so I believe ac is necessary in your neck of the woods too.

Back in the early 90's I was a professional wrench and I was a crack at A/C so I would say yes. Get the proper tools, a set of manifolds and a good vacuum pump and the rest is a piece of cake. Besides I can't personally stand having anything in my cars not working.

The upside is that the *refrigeration* side of the a/c system is plain as mud; nothing exotic. Compressor, hoses, condenser, etc. are just like any other car.

The potential downside is that the *control* side of the system can sometimes be tricky to diagnose and repair, if needed. if the control side isn't working right you won't get cold air even if the refrigeration side is perfect.

Have the system charged up and see what happens from there.

Worth fixing, IMO

Cheers
DD

Hey! Thank you someday, and all!

So, I hear the warnings about heat... I hear ya.
Then, slowwwwly, the A.C. chase is on. I was looking at this compressor replacement. I wrote the seller and they say it's a r134 system https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F13 2562230813
Is converting to r134 as simple as a compressor change (is that a dumb question, lol)? Of not, what else. The difference in cost for a try and fail between r12 and 134 out of the gate is almost the cost of the compressor, so I'm thinking I should just start going in that direction now. What's involved in the conversion?
Also, is switch g o the a.c. as simple as moving that indicator/lever switch/dial at the base of the dash system "on"? And, even though the the clutch and compressor will not turn on without refrigerant, will or should I get power at the plug at the compressor? How can I test to see if I'm getting juice at the compressor w/o refrigerant? Or can I?

Yes,,, it frustrates me as well when something isn't working in the car - it's why I'm always near bat shit crazy, lol...

Thanks to you all one MO time :)

Pressure test the system with nitrogen is the first step, and check if you are holding pressure.
Should be cheaper than filling the system with refridgerant.

Great thoughts but try this......
1. DYNAMAT the interior floors and side kick panel areas.
Its expensive BUT your interior will drop by a lot of degrees and noise levels.
Try adding the refrigerant but remember if the core is leaking, THE ENTIRE DASH HAS TO COME OUT OF THE CAR.......Very ugly.
Take a shot, but dynamat will solve many many issues, Ive had them all.
GTJOEY1314

If you have a 1990 car, that's the Delanair Mark 3, and NO the dash does NOT need to come out to replace the heater core.

I bought this one:
FEN AIR INTERNATIONAL Ltd for Car AirCon Parts - Jaguar V12 Air Con Upgrade R134a Sanden Conversion


Yes, it is expensive, but in Czech republic it is not possible to use (and buy) R12 and I must made conversion to R134. And A/C is working w/o problems.

Ok. Great... So, if I convert to an r134 compressor, what else we need to be changed?

I'd definitely start by seeing what KWE recommend. But that's if you can't get it recharged normally.

Yes. Definitely.... I will do what people are suggesting... Yes, yes yes. But my question is IF I do go in the direction of making the r134 conversion,,, beyond the compressor, what else will need changing??? My piggy bank demands to know, lol

For a normal conversion you replace all of the o-rings you can access with green nitrile o-rings, the receiver dryer (technically you replace this each time you suspect the system has been open) and all of the original mineral oil with esther oil. So a good flush of the original system to get oil out is needed.

NICE! So it's none of the major components? Everything you just mentioned, considering the age of the car and how long it's been at "rest" - well I should be doing those things anyways.

If that is the extent of things, (Orings and reciever) I will be ordering the new compressor,,, for $150,,, its not the worst idea and doing a little more research. Thank you Time Pilot...

BTW all. As I move my "HIGH, MEDIUM, LOW" Control Dial on the climate control face, all of my inner flaps "SEEM" to be functioning. Air, moving from one set of vents to the other seems ok and I can hear changes,,, feel air moving in different areas.... As I NEVER sat in a new or restored XJS I am not aware or clear on what "proper" function looks like. Unlike cars I'm more familiar with there is not a clear indication as to what dial setting sends air and where. The defrost is pretty self explanatory but the H,M, LOW settings not so much... Is High face vents,,,, MEDIUM foot and face,,,, and LOW foot?

It's fantastic that you're replacing the compressor since you can order one with esther oil already in it, or if it has mineral oil it's a lot easier to flush on the bench.

Nothing, the kit is complete. Only medium R134.
BUT.
If You want to order this kit, write please to Mr. Pat Foster, Fenair, that You have LHD car !!! The hose from compressor to fuel cooler MUST be other than for RHD.


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...d8697a6554.jpg
#1 Hose for RHD, bad

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...cd30260eda.jpg
#2 Hose for LHD, good

Good morning all! Thanks gfor all of the GREAT info. As usual, you folks help me sleep better at night!

So,,, last night I went home, started her up, turned AC to "ON", turned fans/blowers to high, grabbed my meter and probed around the large plug at the front of the compressor. ZERO juice! Should there be with system empty??? Since my interior under-dash is still apart I began checking fuses and could find nothing blown or amiss. Googled, read of an "inline" fuse on the RH side under dash, found two (2) which were fine. One when removed clearly shut down the blowers! Are there others?. I traced one (or two, they were wrapped) of the AC compressor power wires as far as I could to the fire wall where it tied into another bundle of wires (was running out of day light) which I will go back to.... Walked away feeling a little defeated. No power to the unit!

VEE - Hope you are still around. Plain and simple (maybe I shouldn't be) but I am a little intimidated by the expansion valve replacement. I looked around last night and couldn't find the damn thing. Some reports looks SCARY! On a 1990, where an I looking. Sometimes pictures (thing I find on line) are so close UP that I cannot get a reference point. How important is it?

I ordered the new receiver dryer.
Holding off for now on the compressor until I figure a few things out. Like the following question:

Many sources of info say that r12 is a "more effective refrigerant". More expensive, yes, but considering the amount of heat the v12 generates and the way I can already feel the cabin heats up while driving, maybe sticking with r12 is the way to stay??? What say you?

What needs to happen to get power to the TANK of the AC compressor?

AC problem
 

I had problems with my air con for a couple of years. Got it recharged and it appeared to stop working very soon after. Finally it evolved that there was a simple part that was leaking. it was about $70 for the part from Welsh in the UK.

The faulty part was not noticed.....

Maybe worth checking that.


A/C Compressor LowPressure Cut Off Switch (JLM1260)