Easy A/C compressor replacement

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jrlegacy23

jrlegacy23

68 Barracuda
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I have a 70 Dart that has a 318 Auto with A/C in it. I am going to put in a 340 that is all rebuilt and want to keep the A/C, but think the factory A/C unit is going to make everything a bit ugly. Are there any aftermarket compressors that are a pretty easy or direct swap with the factory compressor?
 
Search for "Sanden" here. There are several after-market bracket kits for it, maybe $150. You will need to change or adapt the hoses. You won't need the metal suction bottle.

Re refrigerant, best approach is to keep using Freon. Before changing to R-134A, (difficult and works poorly), read up on HC mixtures that work even better than Freon. Many people scream they are unsafe, but most haven't used them nor intelligently read the available info. According to the EPA, the only "legal" way to use HC is to first convert to R-134A (flush & change all oil), then convert to HC (which was happy with the original mineral oil). Thus, no shop will touch it. But you can do at home, just put R-134A type charge ports on your new hoses. GhostBusters was right that the EPA is out of control.
 
BillGrissom said:
Many people scream they are unsafe,
Click to expand...

Some people "think" Freon is "safer" because Propane based refrigerants "explode."

The fact is that any R-12/22 based "Freon" product has it's own dangers. First of course, is that any system contains circulating flammable oil. And that burns just fine, thank you very much.

The second thing is that Freon based refrigerants, when exposed to a fire in progress, generate deadly phosgene gas.

So what is "safe?"
 
Oh man, so ugly. :roll:

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Depends on what the OP is going for, there is hand's down better technology now a days. Most want to take advantage of it. Parts are 200 at the local junkyard.

Put your white tights back in the 2nd drawer.

Just voicing an option.
 
Some people "think" Freon is "safer" because Propane based refrigerants "explode."
Those same people never consider the implications carrying around 25 gallons of high octane GASOLINE in your trunk! :)

Duracool (Google it) is available mail order. It works VERY well as an R-12 replacement!
 
I'm planning to use the Magnum serpentine system. Course it's already there on the Magnum engine I'll be using :)

Haven't figured out how to tie it in to the car's AC parts but assume it should not be that hard. Speaking of going to modern components, I hope to find modern controls for the dash. Could be interesting trying to tie those in to the under dash box.
 
Idaho, what are you doing for the alternator regulator? I just picked up a 1998 Dakota 3.9L V6 and I am going to pull all of the accessories off for the serpentine belt system. The magnums use the computer to regulate the voltage. Are you using the computer or switching over to carb and using an older alternator?
 
I never can remember for certain, but I'm fairly certain the late alternators have two field connections just like the 70/ later Mopar alternators, so you should be able to use the 70/ later regulator.

Actually, you could also ground either field connector and use a 69/ earlier regulator.
 
For the op, what type of brackets do you have? All my original brackets came off an '88 Gran Fury w/318. I fabbed up an adaptor piece that allowed me to set a small Sanden compressor in that space. It looks good, I hope to get the plumbing done in the next couple of weeks.
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I ended up buying a Sanden SD510 compressor. I just need to clean the engine bay up a bit when I install and it should be all set.
 
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