Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2014 07:55:06 -0700
Reply-To: Zeitgeist <gruengeist@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Zeitgeist <gruengeist@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: AC Removal
In-Reply-To: <CACK29c=GF9Qp7u-CMTchXOy66FzQfVqH1KWqmdQjGNVG9QGSLw@mail.gmail.com>
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A little piece of me dies every time I hear of someone removing the AC from their T3. It really works great in a well sorted system running R12 or some equivalent. In sunnier climes, try a good 3M UV window tint as a means of mitigating heat soak during brief stops
Sent from my iPad
> On Jun 28, 2014, at 5:53 AM, Steven Shelton <shelton4@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
> Thanks for your help, Kieth. At some point VW changed the way they hung
> the AC from what's described in Bentley. All bolts and screws on mine came
> out from below the rear bed board. It's a pretty easy one man job that way
> and it's not heavy so it can be held with one arm while the last bolts are
> removed. I did put a sawhorse under it, though, to keep it from possibly
> crashing down.
>
> I'm in Georgia and, yes, there have been times over the years when the heat
> without AC was almost unbearable. Those are the times when I dream of
> driving down the road with a electric generator in the luggage rack running
> a portable AC in the cab.
>
> I think I'll leave the space open. After 29 years of driving my Westfalia,
> I'd like to be able to see something in the rear view mirror besides
> tailgaters. Trimming it out will be a challenge, though, especially since i
> want to make everything reversible. Of course, with all that stuff I had
> to pull out, this is a good time to add extra lighting. And I can put some
> better speakers back there, too. Oh well, it's too damn hot and humid to
> go camping, anyway.
>
>
>> On Fri, Jun 27, 2014 at 7:47 PM, JRodgers <jrodgers113@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Works in cooler or drier climes - but in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi
>> and North Florida - in the summertime by the time you got to your
>> destination you would be parboiled!
>>
>> John
>>
>>
>>> On 6/27/2014 3:38 PM, Michael Magnani wrote:
>>>
>>> I permanently removed my entire A/C system from my 90 Westy for the
>>> same reason: it always leaked refrigerant and even when it was properly
>>> serviced, never worked all that well. Removing the compressor has made
>>> working on the engine a lot easier and I turned the space where the
>>> evaporator lived into a nice additional storage cabinet.
>>> Mike M
>>>
>>>
>>> On Friday, June 27, 2014 5:48 AM, Steven Shelton <shelton4@GMAIL.COM>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I don't plan on reinstalling the AC. When I bought the camper new, the AC
>>> was only slightly better than open windows. Years ago, when the freon
>>> leaked out and the technician said the leak must be somewhere in the
>>> cabinetry, I just did without. My rationale was that an enclosed, air
>>> conditioned environment just separates you from the travel experience.
>>> The
>>> windshield becomes a TV screen for a travelogue. Of course, when we were
>>> in west Texas last month traveling into the afternoon sun with the
>>> temperature at 102 (103 inside the cab), my rationale seemed pretty
>>> irrational.
>>>
>>>
>>> On Thu, Jun 26, 2014 at 9:39 PM, Keith Hughes <keithahughes@yahoo.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Steven,
>>>>
>>>> You're right. You have to drop it down, then tilt it down towards the
>>>> passenger side. You have to first reach inside and either disconnect the
>>>> condensate lines from both sides of the drip pan (I don't recommend that)
>>>> or pull both tubes up and into the evap housing cabinet. Then while
>>>> supporting the evaporator and fan housing, remove the cabinet. This is a
>>>> PITA alone, but doable (i've used a bar stool and hydraulic jack sitting
>>>> on
>>>> the engine cover to prop up the cabinet). Much easier with another pair
>>>> of
>>>> hands. The evap/fan housing is very brittle, and loves to crack, so you
>>>> need to be careful. You can't support it from the support brackets
>>>> because
>>>> the evap fan makes it super front-heavy. I've just used the bar stool
>>>> and
>>>> boxes stacked to the right height to support it while disconnecting the
>>>> AC
>>>> lines.
>>>>
>>>> Last year I made a number of mods to my A/C system, including a new A/C
>>>> cabinet, but one thing I did that you may consider is to fully enclose
>>>> the
>>>> Evap housing (bottom), reinforcing with aluminum angle on the perimeter,
>>>> and adding a front bracket for the housing. Now it's self-supporting,
>>>> and
>>>> the cabinet can be pulled without disturbing the evap housing. pmail if
>>>> you want pics of the mod I did - wasn't that difficult.
>>>>
>>>> Keith Hughes
>>>> '86 Westy Tiico (Marvin)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2014 18:15:24 -0400
>>>> From: Steven Shelton <shelton4@GMAIL.COM>
>>>> Subject: AC Removal
>>>>
>>>> I need to remove the closet of my 1985 Westfalia for some
>>>> rear corner
>>>> bodywork. Of course, I have to remove the air
>>>> conditioner cabinet to get
>>>> the closet out. I've started removing the AC cabinet
>>>> but it looks like the
>>>> evaporator, evaporator housing, and fan will all come out
>>>> with the cabinet.
>>>> But I can't get to the refrigerant hoses to disconnect them
>>>> before the
>>>> cabinet comes down. Bentley isn't clear on this, and
>>>> what they describe is
>>>> different from what I have anyway. What do I need to
>>>> do to keep everything
>>>> from crashing down at once?
>>>
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