VANAGON archives -- January 2003, week 5 (#44)

Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2003 11:20:31 -0600 Reply-To: Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM> Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com> From: Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM> Subject: Re: Heater Box Question and Front Air Conditioning Revisited Comments: To: fourwdvw@YAHOO.COM Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

These are pictures of an existing behind the dash system. (Sold it, but it fit well) True that the fresh air ducts were blocked off on the system but the fresh air system in my 83 Westy Air Cooled never put enough fresh air into the cabin when I needed it, in rain storms, fog, 100+ degree days. This unit also works on Wassserboxers since the stock system remains at the original location. It also blocks off the fresh air ducts because it uses the dash vents for cold air distribution. Simple slider valves (knife type) could re-enable the fresh air ducts. I have an extra complete Air Cooled air distribution box and I've removed both Wasserboxer and Air Cooled Air Distribution boxes and they are both very similar in size and function. That is a fairly complex plastic injected molded part / s and you don't have much leeway on modifications. If you're going to be working towards something for Wasserboxers you need to secure one of these complete units for evaluation before you start spending other funds on your project. You may want to search the Vanagon Archives and find ideas that you can discard before you start. Effective functioning A/C is a favorite Vanagon List topic and you will find a wealth of information there.

Stan Wilder

On Wed, 29 Jan 2003 08:30:07 -0800 Tom Forhan <fourwdvw@YAHOO.COM> writes: > After my first post I've gotten a couple of pmails on > this, and think there may be interest in a joint > project. > > First, I am aiming this primarily at Westie owners > with the existing stock a/c in the rear. Regular > Vanagon owners with air have the central ductwork and > I'm presuming those systems (when functioning > properly) are adequate and so most of those folks > would not be so interested. > > Here are some bits and pieces of what I have learned > in the last day, please feel free to chime in if I > have any of this wrong: > > The airbox is about 26"w x 9.5"d x 14"h. This is not > radically different from some of the aftermarket units > available. > > The stock airbox runs only in fresh air in mode, no > recirculation. > > One option is to figure out how to get an a/c coil > system into the existing airbox. > > The second option is to install a complete aftermarket > unit with heat, defrost and a/c. > > Most -but not all- of the aftermarket units run only > in a recirculation mode and do not include a provision > for fresh air intake. > > One unit that does have fresh air and is about the > size of the stock unit is the 62-5002 from Hotrod Air. > I have not gotten a price from them yet, but my guess > is that this a $300-$400 unit. > http://www.hotrodair.com/freshair.htm > > R134a conversion, which one most likely would do a the > same time if you have not done it already, are much > more efficient if you increase the size of the > condensor by about 20% over the stock condensor. > > The SD709 compressor, stock in some 1987 vanagons and > all later years, is more than adequate for a dual > evaporator system. This seven cylinder, 9 cu in unit > (709 -get it?) is also very smooth. > > Earlier vanagons used five cylinder SD508 or SD510 > units, which are not as smooth as the SD709. > > In any case, replacement with a slightly larger > capacity two cylinder US made units (the squarish > ones) should not be considered as an upgrade. > > Some Eurovans were/are available with dual evaporator > units. > > That is what I have so far... > > > __________________________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. > http://mailplus.yahoo.com > >

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