bdrummonds (Brandon) and I just just did the DIY vacuum actuated AC mod on our trucks today and the title of this thread says it all...WOW!
I bought a cheesy meat thermometer from Harbor Frieght a few weeks ago and the lowest temp I saw on MAX AC before we did the mod was 60 degrees. The family and I went out this evening and I noticed 10-15 degree drop in temps. My wife made me turn it down!!!!!!!!!! She has never made me turn the AC down!!!!!!!
We tapped into the white vacuum line so that the heater core is only bypassed on MAX AC. If anyone is on the fence about doing this mod, DO IT! It's well worth the $25.
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- Chris -
Mine - 2002 7.3L F-350 Dually, Lariat, Crew Cab,
Long Bed, 4X4 and 60+ mods
Hers - 2004 6.0L Excursion Limited, 4X4 and a few mods
My wife made me turn it down!!!!!!!!!! She has never made me turn the AC down!!!!!!!
Similar thing happened to me just this weekend. My GF has never asked me to turn the AC down in the truck...but she did the other day on our way to her family renunion...and it was about 94 degress outside. I put the Dieselsite kit in last fall, so this summer is the first chance I've really had a chance to see how well it works.
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Jeremy See My Webshots for pics.
As Chris said we did this mod today, it is too simple not to do it.
$18 for a heater core bypass valve for a ranger with the 4.0L
$3 for some hose clamps
$2.50 for some vac line
$1.50 T fitting for vac line
15 minutes and you're done.
I looked at the valve for the Excursion ($12) but liked the one for the ranger better.
after we had done one truck, which we were overly cautious on, the second truck was done in 10 mins.
While Chris was running the vac line trough the firewall, I was up top cutting and clamping in the valve. A piece of coat hanger bent with a small hook on the end was the ticket for pulling down the vac line from the ultra tight space between the fender liner and the firewall. A piece of string to fish it up to the valve was also very handy.
It aint hard, and other than the worm gear clamps, it looks factory.
__________________ Brandon PAA MEMBER # 7.3, 99.5 CC,4X4,SB, leveled,live tuned by Jody,1.15 van turbo w ATS housing,6.0 IC,AFE big boost filter, Petes Armour, FASS/DFA fuel system,fuel bowl delete,black MBRP stacks, 02 headlights,F650 dash, and a bunch other stuff that wont fit in my sig. 293K and counting.
well just finished mine and everything works...unfortunately what I mean is it works just like stock no change WTF.? will a vacuum leak cause it not to work right? If you look at the first page neill shows the vacuum leads splice after the connector I did them before is this the problem?
well just finished mine and everything works...unfortunately what I mean is it works just like stock no change WTF.? will a vacuum leak cause it not to work right? If you look at the first page neill shows the vacuum leads splice after the connector I did them before is this the problem?
Just did mine today too
I spliced into the white vacuum line, so it only works on max ac.
One way to check to make sure everything is working properly is look at the valve to see where the arm is. If the arm if fully extended then it's letting coolant flow into the heat exchanger...if the arm is in the it cutting off the flow of coolant to the heat exchanger.
So In my case (using the white vacuum line) when I'm in normal a/c the arm is out and when I'm in max a/c the arm is in.
If no matter what you do, the arm stays out, then you have either a vacuum leak somewhere or a faulty valve.
nothing happens, I tried everything, oh well gonna take a break from it for a few days. Now I dont have the fron vents only top vents and floors......oh well
nothing happens, I tried everything, oh well gonna take a break from it for a few days. Now I dont have the fron vents only top vents and floors......oh well
I know you already know this but you have a vac. leak. think about what happens when your ESOF wont work, and the air blows out the defrost. The default position for the diverter valve is to blow to defrost. go back and check vac lines and splices for a leak.
__________________ Brandon PAA MEMBER # 7.3, 99.5 CC,4X4,SB, leveled,live tuned by Jody,1.15 van turbo w ATS housing,6.0 IC,AFE big boost filter, Petes Armour, FASS/DFA fuel system,fuel bowl delete,black MBRP stacks, 02 headlights,F650 dash, and a bunch other stuff that wont fit in my sig. 293K and counting.
well all leaks are fixed and.....everything works. I did the red line Left of off no heat at all even vent was comfortable (89*). right of off and everyhting has heat not bad at all. The problem is there is no WOW factor when the AC is running I think I need to recharge it!
If anyone reading this thread would like to do the cheap, easy, manual cut off valve method, the NAPA part # for the valve is 660-1414, clamps part # is 505-1212. I spent a total of $14.77 + tax for the valve and two 5/8" stainless steel worm gear clamps. I installed it on my 2000 F250 4x4 7.3 powerstroke next to the oil filler cap. It worked great today with outside temp. at 105 and heat index of 115. For anyone who may not know which heater hose to install it in, it is the one that carries hot water intothe heater core, it will be the one coming from the engine and going toward the firewall, not the one which connects to the water pump. I mounted mine at this location for veryeasy access by just reaching in over the passenger side fender.It took a total of five minutes to do. When installing make sure your clamps etc. are not touching any other metal so you won't have any rattles or abrasion.This is for the guys like myself who just want an inexpensive easy fix. Thanks to all on this thread!
Mr. Roland,
Interesting that you instruct hooking the valve to the heater hose between the engine and the firewall because the DieseSite Kit Instructions specifically instruct hooking the vacuum operated shut-off to the heater hose between the firewall and the water pump. Why do you think that is or does it not matter?
The one between the engine and firewall is the one that carries water to the heater core, either way though, you cut off the water supply. I chose that one because heat rises, therefore heat going through that hose could transfer into the heater core, but if you cut it off before it gets a chance to get to the heater core, then problem solved. Either way will stop the flow, period, but I was thinking about cutting off the "heat rising theory". The only heat rise effect I will get is from a small section of hose from my oil filler neck to the heater core. If you choose to mount closer to the firewall that would probably be better but by a minimal amount. I chose the area just in front of the oil filler neck for convenience. It's easy to reach with no stretching, stools, steps etc. Some heat is going to transfer through the valve anyway, but at this point we are just "splitting hairs". Either way should improve your a.c. I chose this one only for the above reason because the hoses on my 2000 7.3 lie close together most of the distance anyway. I could have hooked into the other one just as easy. Hope this helps you decide. You may get several other opinions on this thread, but...... "thats my story and I'm stickin to it"! LOL
mshostek: If you want to cut off all heat rise as much as possible then do both hoses....you'll be out about $30. Mine is kinda "low tech redneck"! LOL
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