Ned to replace my condenser - I'm told the plate-type condenser is 'way better for an R134 conversion than the OEM style - any recommendations as to which type is best, and where the pric e is good? Truck is a '78 with 300 six engine. Thanks.
(I did a similar post on the A/C forum)

 

Call Classic Auto Air. They make a specific condenser for our trucks that work much better with 134. I bought their fill kit with compressor, condenser, lines, etc but haven't installed it yet.

 

I tried Classic - they do indeed have the parallel plate condensers, but not in OEM style, just a universal-type mount. Unfortunately that means I would also have to get another dryer and a hose kit... so that improved condenser is now a $320 investment. OEM style I can get at Rock for $65ish.... for that kind of price delta, I am going to live with OEM. Thanks anyway!

 

The OEM-style does not have enough capacity to work well with R134a at idle speeds. R134a needs about 50% more condenser capacity than R12. You can improve it's performance by putting an electric fan on it that comes on with the a/c compressor.

Your other option is to buy one from RockAuto for a later R134a truck (94-up) and adapt it.

 

The one you're getting from RockAuto is from APDI and is parallel-flow construction instead of tube/fin, so you're getting what you want/need. I confirmed that with our APDI rep yesterday (my company does a lot of business with APDI). Way too expensive to make tube/fin condensers anymore due to materials cost, and it's cheaper to just tool them for PF. I'll be buying one myself in the spring for my '74 XLT. If you look at the part image from their ecat you'll see it uses flat tubes instead of the round ones our OE units have.

Automotive Aftermarket Catalog - MyCarParts

 

outfreakin'standing.....

 

i purchased one of those condensers from rockauto.. they are indeed parallel flow, and they are a decent price as well.. I haven't installed it yet, because I need the hoses "rebuilt"...I can't find new stock style A/C hoses anywhere...the discharge line from the compressor is dry rotted/cracked and would probably blow if i tried to charge the a/c system...

 

I get my retrofit hoses made by a local outfit. You probably have one in your town, too.

 

Many NAPA stores can do that.

R.

 

Rhythim - not necessarily so, I bought the APDI condenser and got the standard old-style instead of the parallel-plate job.

Now it turns out I have a buggered thread on a hose nut... boy, the fun just keeps going. By the time the AC works well it will be winter (which in Houston means 'you only run your AC in the day')

 

Hmmm, must have been some old stock. Good to know, though.

 

for all those who recommend going to NAPA for hoses - went yesterday and was told that a whole lot of NAPA stores are independently owned and have whatever equipment they want... the corporate stores can do hydraulic lines but not AC lines. Here in Houston, the majority are all corporate-owned, so unless it's an AC line they stock (right - for a '78?) you are SOL.

 

Local place charges $45 "and up" to rebuild your hose using the existing fittings - since the nut on mine is buggered up, it was looking like the price would skyrocket. However, Ron at Classic Auto Air says they MAKE that weird race-track looking fitting which connects to the condenser and a new hose will cost me $80. That may be a little more than local, but for a 100% new hose with all new fittings it's worth it. Once I have this thing together and working, I don't ever want to have to mess with the AC again....