Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2014 08:53:22 -0400
Reply-To: Steven Shelton <shelton4@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Steven Shelton <shelton4@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: AC Removal
In-Reply-To: <53AE0275.2050800@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
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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