Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 13:56:24 -0400
Reply-To: Joe Romas <jromas@COLUMBUS.RR.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Joe Romas <jromas@COLUMBUS.RR.COM>
Subject: Re: Texas A/C Questions
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
Jason
I have a 84 with a bad compressor also. However I live in Ohio and it does not get as hot here. What I have decided to do is get the same brand of compressor off a newer jetta or golf (85-92) and reuse the very end part where the hoses attatch because they are different sizes and convert it to r134. (I don't want to replace all the hoses) I've already converted it and it works but the compressor is noisey. If I were you and were unable to do it myself, I would find a AC shop and have then do the job using the newer compressor with all new hoses and a new dryer. The newer hoses have a liner inside that keeps the r134 in better. At that point I think it would be as good as your 79 Scirocco but I have no experience as I got mine last fall. I do know it will cool the air 30 degrees f at the ceiling unit even with a bad compressor using r134. The newer units have a switch in the line that won't let the compressor run with low freon pressure and that may be why our compressors failed. Using the pipes off the newer compressor would be a good idea except they are too long and are curved. A AC shop that I'm sure you have in Texas would be a better place to take it then a general mechanic shop as they have the knowledge and equiptment to do the plumbing correctly.
Joe
----- Original Message -----
From: Jason Stevenson
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Sent: Saturday, May 26, 2001 10:39 AM
Subject: Texas A/C Questions
Alright...here goes. I have a 1984 Vanagon. It has the a/c unit that is mounted just behind the driver and front seat passenger, and passes overhead. It currently does not work because the compressor is bad. I got an estimate from my local VW mechanic to fix it, and it was by no means cheap. But I was about to have him do it anyway, when he then added that if it were his bus, he wouldn't bother. He went on to elaborate that in his opinion I probably wouldn't be happy with the results of the system when it was operational. He didn't think it would cool adequately, but what almost concerned me even more is when he said that in a few years, I would probably just have to replace the compressor again. Since the repair was so expensive, this was not an attractive proposition. So I passed on it. This mechanic is an excellent one, and I normally trust his opinion explicitly, but I'd like to get some list-member feedback from people operating this a/c configuration in hot areas (preferably hot, humid areas, as I'm in North Texas). It would be really nice to get some cooling in this vehicle for those hot summer days other than that provided by simply opening my windows.
I'd like to know:
1) Does the system do a decent job of cooling down the van. I know not to expect it to freeze me out like the a/c in my wife's 98 Cabrio. But would it at least function as well as, say, the 1979 Scirocco I used to own? That is certainly adequate for me.
2) Have you had to replace the compressor or other expensive components of this system on a regular or frequent basis?
Thanks in advance. I really need some advice on this topic.
-Jason Stevenson
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