im noticing now with the summer heat here in florida, my a/c isn't as cold as it is in the AM/at night, when its cooler out. someone suggested this, and i am also following this thread for suggestions on how to cool the engine compartment down some on top of that. you know anything about this to help with the a/c?

http://www.dieselsite.com/maxacassis...200373l-1.aspx

 

What you are looking at is similar to the Ranger heater bypass mod I mentioned. Without either on our trucks, the heat is circulated through the heater coil all the time. It makes the air entering the evaporation (or Cooling) coil hot before it gets there. The valve you are looking at shuts off nearly all of the flow. The Ranger mod bypasses nearly all of the flow to the return line. Ford lets a small amount of coolant through the valve so it does not stagnate in the core and corrode it.


The Ranger heater by pass valve is cut into both heater hoses (I did mine under the cowl on the passenger side. A bit harder to reach but I did not have to replace any hoses. The valve you are looking at installs in the heater hose near the passenger side inner fender. It is easier to install. Both valves require either a vacuum line ran to the group of vacuum lines behind and to the left of the glove box or an electric solenoid valve with a switch mounted in the cab. The bugger in either installation is getting the vacuum line or electrical wire through the cab.


I believe the Ranger mod was necessary on the 7.3l diesels to allow proper coolant circulation through the passenger side cylinder head., but not the newer ones. I was following a thread on Power Stroke Nation on that installation but I could have used the valve you linked.


Either mod will make the a/c noticeably cooler. I am very pleased with my installation. However, from what I've read, the valve you selected should have come standard on all Excursions, Crew Cabs after '03 and all trucks starting around late '04 or early 'O5.


So. you have one, replacing it will NOT make your a/c colder unless the valve is not working. First picture in this thread shows it circled in white. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ost-vents.html


The fans I mentioned are on the "someday" list so I cannot tell you how they work yet! I've read about 10 degrees colder air temp at the dash.

 

Thanks for the info! Would that valve be in the same spot on a 6.0L? I will look tomorrow, i do think i have one.

 

I think it would be pretty close to that location. My truck is an '01 V10 Super Cab so I didn't have one at all. I believe that picture was from a 6.0, but I'm not sure. You could always trace the hoses from the heater core back to the engine to verify there was no valve in either line.


If you have one, you should be able to check it with a vacuum pump or by attaching a vacuum line to it and trying to suck air through it. Most failures are a ruptured diaphragm so if you get air or it won't hold vacuum, it is bad. If the cam arm is visible you can also switch to and from 'a/c max' and see if the arm moves.


If you Google "heater hose shut off valve 2004 super duty" and click "images" you get lots of pictures....

 

+1 for simply adding an electric fan.

 

SDS, is this it?

 

A friend of mine has the twin turbo V6 in his 150 and complained of poor AC. He took the foam pipe insulation like you see at the hardware store, but for refrigeration systems and insulated all his AC lines. He said it made a marked difference. The refrigeration system insulation is slightly different than the insulation for your water lines, but I do not think it would make a difference which type you used as long as it was installed good.

 

I've actually heard of that before but forgot. Going to look into it, thanks for the idea!

 

I did that on my 94 F150 and it helped. You only nead to insulate the low pressure side/The cold side.

 

Right that's what I'm reading. That would be the lines that get cold and covered in condensation right?

 

Correct, the cold is from the refrigerant absorbing the heat, The less it soaks up from under the hood the more it cools in the cab.

 

A few companies make heat extractor hoods for the Super Duty. Here is one brand. I am not recommending it, just showing what is available.

Keystone Restyling

Another route is to put a larger air dam under the front bumper. This would create a negative pressure area under the engine, which would draw the hot air down and away, also causing more air to flow through the radiator area. The down side is that you'd sacrifice your ground clearance to do this.

 

Never thought about the air dam thing. Maybe that's why the newer trucks have larger air dams?

 

Sorry for the delayed response. I'm changing ISP in Gillette and was out of service.


That is the valve. It looks "factory" with that type vacuum line and the spring hose clamps.


It has the 'exposed cam arm' I mentioned. If you want to check operation, just start the truck and have someone turn the selector from "HEAT" to "MAX AC". You should see movement on that little arm directly opposite the vacuum line connection.


The line insulation looks like my kind of mod: simple, easy and cheap! I may actually jump all over that one. Only thing is I'm not sure I could stand to have the a/c much colder! But since I installed a solenoid valve I can turn the bypass off and on from the cab, that is not really an issue. The gain would be running the compressor less for better MPG's. At least in theory....

 

no worries on the delay!

yea the valve works, radiator looks clean and not covered with bugs/crap, i was told to check the evaporator near the firewall next. haven't done that yet, not exactly sure what i'm supposed to check/open/look at yet lol.

but i did run up to home depot and buy some of this, just not the 12" wide stuff. couldn't find what i bought on their site for some reason. I'm probably going to monitor the temps on the vent thermometer i got yesterday for another day or so, then start the insulation on the lines, and see if it helps. i'm sure it will, question is, how much will it help.

E/O 12 in. x 15 ft. Self-Stick Foam/Foil Duct Insulation-FV516 - The Home Depot

i wouldn't mind the a/c getting any colder, if it was ever too cold, i could just turn it to "a/c" (rather than "max a/c") or just turn the center temp **** slightly towards heat. but in all my years there are very few times that i do that, usually if i'm sick or something and my body keeps getting cold/hot, so i have to keep adjusting the air. but i can't do with NO air (other than for a few minutes if i'm freezing), or sometimes early in the AM when i just get up, sometimes im fine with cracking the window before it gets hot. i have my passenger vents closed, and my 2 drivers vents are positioned so they blow air directly in my face. idk if most people hate that, i can for sure say anytime my cousin gets in my car(s), he doesn't like the air blowing right at his face lol. points the vents directly down. i literally get hot, sometimes start to sweat, even if the a/c is on full blast, but not blowing directly at my face. idk why...i guess i just don't like heat at all. i live in the wrong state i guess dont I....lol (florida)....had i not been born/raised here, i'd probably move up north!