Aircon retrofit.

Stewart (oily!) · Post by **Stewart (oily!)** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 6:55 pm

Entirely possible, you just need a long extension lead

Stewart

Post by **docchevron** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 7:09 pm

You can actually buy mini aircon units that plug into the fag lighter, my mate in work has one in his MkII Escort! it's not brilliant but if you leave it on full blast for an hour or so it keeps things more comfortable.

Cheers
Chris G

tom · Post by **tom** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 10:24 am

Mulley, You have come to the right answer. I wouldn't put anybody off trying but be aware of the realities. I had to aircon my BX for the sake of WBM's health but it was a large job and I would have considered buying a Xant instead (In fact records show that I did!). Phil Chidlow has an aircon car for sale, a GTI and I would assert that the extra cost in fuel over a couple of years would balance out the cost of fitting aircon to a diesel. It would also be easier to fit a Diesel powertrain to a GTI that had aircon fitted in the first place- just a thought.
Vanny, give me a call if you get stuck.

Ian_Fearn · Post by **Ian_Fearn** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 11:22 am

Tom, you make an excellent point there.

Imagine, Phil's BX GTi in its stunning condition with a Turbo Diesel lump, autobox AND aircon? Is this the ultimate BX?

Guess that depends whether your an autobox lover but the BX auto is very nice.

tom · Post by **tom** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 11:28 am

Not quite, Ian. The ultimate would have to be an Estate!
Glad you agree that the idea is an attractive one though.

Ian_Fearn · Post by **Ian_Fearn** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 11:36 am

As much as i hate to say it..... You've just completed my ideal car....

Turbo diesel auto, aircon, estate.

Post by **docchevron** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 12:07 pm

You would of course have to find an appropriate autobox to suit the TD engine, the GTi box would not give you much top speed, and I suspect unless it was re-conned, the torque of the TD would destroy the input bearing and hence the oil pump. Been there, done that.
The ultimate autobox would be a very late xanty diesel auto with suitable one-off diff, torque converter and flexi-plate. If you give ZF enough money and tell them exactley what you want done they will make it for you, however, expect to wait 3 months to get it and and the cost is prohibitive unless you're really anal about getting it right. Been there, done that!!!

I'm gona fit air-con in my TD next spring, the shell isn't an air-con shell, but it's easy enough to cut some holes in it, especially since my valver has an air-con shell so I can use it as a pattern. I reckon I can install all the hardware in a weekend, it's the wiring that confuses me, however many times I look at the diagrams, I cant equate that to the looms I have with the air-con kit.....

Cheers
Chris G

Ian_Fearn · Post by **Ian_Fearn** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 12:10 pm

This ofcourse begs the question???

How would you tell if you've got an aircon shell?

Post by **docchevron** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 12:24 pm

Thats easy matey, lift the bonnet and have a look at the bulkhead/scuttle where the blower fan sits. In each corner of the car there will be a rectangular plate secured by a 10mm bolt (the plate is removed and the recirculators fit there when aircon is in).

If there are no covers, you aint got an aircon shell!
If you're careful though, cutting the apropriate holes in the car is not difficult.

Cheers
Chris G

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 12:32 pm

Also isn`t there two black `blower` units in the bulkhead/suttle area, one for the normal in car fan and one for the aircon?

Post by **docchevron** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 12:37 pm

Yeah, cars with aircon have twin blower fans, and you need them! Hence the two holes in the bulkhead. The recirculators fit directly onto the blower motors where the gauze (anti-leaf) covers are on the blowers.

Cheers
Chris G

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 12:47 pm

Whoo and quite literally hoo! That`s two technical things I`ve known this year, I`m getting good at this!

I do (or did) have the aircon blower thing kicking about here somewhere Ian if any use?
If we can persuade our scouse chum to get his sorry ass down to mine sometime I`ll pass it over to him if you like? I did also have the in car `slider` control unit too, though I think one of the `normal` heater dial controls has broken. Can you make one good one out of two?

Ian_Fearn · Post by **Ian_Fearn** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 12:52 pm

I'm sure i'll be able to make use of that stuff Billy.

Have you still got that dash unit for me??

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 1:19 pm

Yes indeedee I do mate. I could do with Vanny nipping down one day if he gets 5 minutes as I want to get him to look at something on the GTi (for which I`ll pay you by the way Vanny!). If I do break the aircon car I have Ian I`ll give you a shout. It`s a rough Mk2 Mondeo whose fate is yet undecided.

Ian_Fearn · Post by **Ian_Fearn** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 1:41 pm

Whats up with the GTi?