Fitting Air Conditioning.

[David]

Hi again, I realise i have not updated this thread or a while, so time for a quick update. I have nearly got the AC system sorted, But have another small question before I can progress further.

I found a wiring diagram on the bx project site, but realised it would not be compatiable with my car, so eventually drew my own using the original as a reference. It is now all wired up and (almost) fully operational, but which way do the wires go on the pressure sensor? If my diagram is correct, it shows position 2 & 4 being negative, 1 being for the compressor & 3 being for the high speed fans, so could someone confirm if this is correct?

I eventually bypassed the black box because I could not get it to work & used a non locking toggle switch on the heater flaps because I was concerned constant power would fry the motors.

As for the flywheel issue, I eventually got a flywheel from a Peugeot 205 1.6 GTi, had the second hole put in to it for the rev counter pickup and it just bolted straight on, fitting around the sump & using the smaller clutch.

If everything goes to plan, I am hoping to get it filled with gas & oil next week.

[mat_fenwick]

Terminals 2 and 4 are earth, yes. Terminals 1 and 2 are linked when there is sufficient pressure in the system to allow the compressor clutch to engage. Terminals 3 and 4 are linked when the pressure is too high, which should operate the radiator fans at full speed.

You say you have bypassed the black box, i.e. controller but I'm now puzzled. On my system and all the information I've seen, this has no link to the recirculation flaps. Without the controller there will be no feedback to keep the evaporator at a constant temperature and prevent it from freezing up.

[David]

I had the system gassed up a few weeks ago, and it worked very well, after I put the wires the right way on the pressure switch (it turns out 3 if for the compressor & 1 is for the fans).
However after a while it stopped working. It turned out I had a hole in the condenser, so I have had that welded up & I checked it all with a UV torch & found that the compressor front input shaft seals were also leaking. I have put some new seals in it, and am now waiting for a new bearing for the pulley before reassembling it. I just hope the new seals actually stop it leaking.

Thanks for the input matt, The black box has nothing to do with the flaps, it is just the factory fitted switch that allows power to them constantly which was worrying me, from what I understand, it would fry the motors, so I put a switch on that doesn't send power to them ether way unless it is pressed & held.

The black box issue is simply that I can not get it to work; it doesn't do anything when I put power to it. I have seen on the diagram that it needs a live, negative and it has a live out, which goes to the AC relay. So I have just put another switch on that sends power directly to the AC relay. I know it is not original, but I couldn't do anything else with it.

I just hope that the welded radiator holds out, as the man that welded it said it looks old and weak.

[MULLEY]

My a/c system will be up for sale soon, so if you're interested?

[Dragon Man]

a lot of this i am going to have to go through with the changing of seals and swapping of compressor oil.. thankfully i have manifold gauges and a 2 stage vacuum pump that pulls to 30 inches of Mercury. (after the vacuum is held for a few hours or maybe a day or so just to make sure i could "refill" it using a halfords refill bottle haha i've done it before this way and its worked great.)

i just need to figure out how to flush the compressor.. then the system.. redo the seals and that should be good..

kinda a bit of the way off first though.. i still have the engine in bits... out of the car..