Adding AC
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New User
Joined: Nov 2018
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Adding AC
I have a 78 E-150 with I6 300 that has been in the family since new and has great sentiment to me. After 20 years of barn life, she’s coming out to enjoy the road again. I need to add AC to the van. It was manufactured with heat only. I’m capable of doing the work, just need to know what the best route is. Do I go with universal aftermarket contraptions or is it worth the effort to make a full conversion with original parts?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 487
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From: Chicago
Have you looked for a donor truck or called anyone like Classic Auto Air to see if they can help you? It would give you an idea as to what it would cost as either a new universal system or if they could go through the original parts from a donor truck and make them R134a compatible. Don’t forget an original system is going to be R12 if the truck is that old.
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Thanks for the reply! I’ve found some aftermarket complete systems that look really nice. However, they are for trucks not vans. I’m thinking these systems would have to be designed specifically for the E series in order to fit. I will check out the company you suggested also, maybe they will have something better.
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 4,980
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From: Maryville
An AC guy once told me, mount it high in the van and the pump low, so the oil runs back, they'll last longer, Chevy had a nice unit that mounted in the rear up at the ceiling, had one in my 83 Suburban.
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
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From: Simi Valley, CA
There was factory installed integral A/C that was combined with the heater or dealer installed A/C that was not combined with the heater.
You cannot use your present heater with factory A/C but you can with dealer installed A/C which will be a lot easier to install...if you can find one.
These two A/C's were pretty much the same 1975/91.
The E350 Cut-Away's used with Class C motorhome bodies usually have dealer installed A/C, but most have 351W's or 460's
You cannot use your present heater with factory A/C but you can with dealer installed A/C which will be a lot easier to install...if you can find one.
These two A/C's were pretty much the same 1975/91.
The E350 Cut-Away's used with Class C motorhome bodies usually have dealer installed A/C, but most have 351W's or 460's
Cross-Country
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 56
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From: minnesota
added ac to my 78 e150 with the 300 I6 think it was about 1990 found a donor van at a u-pull it yard had to find one with the same color dash because the padded dash part and all the dash panels had to be changed for ac vent ones and all the under dash tubing to connect everything. along with the heat/ac controls the separate wiring harness the heat/ac box with the fan all hoses the condenser and dryer in front of the radiator . it started raining as i left the u-pull it yard and i went to pay told them what i had (they did not come out to look) and they only charged me $50.00 for the trunk and back seat of my car full of parts i laughed on the way home.
i had to cut the hole through the firewall larger to fit the heater/ac box but it was not to bad to do i took my time installing it a couple days then had my friend evacuate and charge it up. i blew the compressor in 97 but installed a new one and it has worked great and have only had to add some more r12 three times and it still works now.
the add on ones i looked at had a evaporator box with a lot of hoses for output vents and took up a lot o room under the dash also were very expensive to have installed. i only had a little over $100.00 in my install plus $100.00 for a 20lb cylinder of r12 i still have.
i had to cut the hole through the firewall larger to fit the heater/ac box but it was not to bad to do i took my time installing it a couple days then had my friend evacuate and charge it up. i blew the compressor in 97 but installed a new one and it has worked great and have only had to add some more r12 three times and it still works now.
the add on ones i looked at had a evaporator box with a lot of hoses for output vents and took up a lot o room under the dash also were very expensive to have installed. i only had a little over $100.00 in my install plus $100.00 for a 20lb cylinder of r12 i still have.
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 4,980
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From: Maryville
Would be far cheaper to just add a rear unit than replace the front system, and the rear would be more than enough to cool it down.
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