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I believe Dave is correct in that, the little black hose dives down into the AC stuff before the firewall as shown…
on that note… the AC has never worked since I originally got the truck in 92ish and I am pretty sure I threw the compressor away about 25 years ago… or the smog pump… or both. What kind of bear am I trying to wrestle if I attempt to get it working?
and how the %#€# do I get this thing off!?! I can’t pull it off, can’t get pliers on it, a little flat head won’t slip under it…
The AC on my 89 went out back about 20 years ago but I didn't try to get it working again until I retired in 2019. It was fairly easy cuz I just swapped out all the parts and converted to R134. It is the coldest AC in our family fleet of 6 vehicles... Got the parts from Rock Auto mainly since they were the least expensive of anyone I could find then.
The AC on my 89 went out back about 20 years ago but I didn't try to get it working again until I retired in 2019. It was fairly easy cuz I just swapped out all the parts and converted to R134. It is the coldest AC in our family fleet of 6 vehicles... Got the parts from Rock Auto mainly since they were the least expensive of anyone I could find then.
well that sounds promising… when you swapped out all the parts, do you mean in a kit of some sort that replaces everything or just bought new parts “part for part” and just swapped them as you went?
Why do you need to take that off?
I have never seen the need to remove it and I had my whole HVAC system apart for my rebuild and swap ac to this truck.
I did part for part but I got a cross breed system.
81 HVAC box and controls
84 or 85 compressor with van PS pump and brackets
And a mix of factory hoses to get it hooked up.
The evap, dryer and condenser are all for a 81 truck.
It was not hard to get it working but hard for me to keep it charged as I kept getting leaks because of me mostly
Dave ----
That is one of those speed clip retainer things. You will have to get a small screwdriver and work under it, and then a bigger one. You will end up mangling it and breaking the clip to get it off.
well that sounds promising… when you swapped out all the parts, do you mean in a kit of some sort that replaces everything or just bought new parts “part for part” and just swapped them as you went?
Sorta both. There was a 4 Seasons kit with a good bit of components ... had to buy the hoses and condenser separate I believe. But I did the job all at once. Looking at Rock Auto https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...=17507&jsn=466 for your model, there don't seem to be a lot of hoses available so you may can find other sources or do what Dave did and mix and match from other years to get it all together.
If you have a local shop that can replace the rubber parts of your current AC hoses (or ones that you may can get at a JY) that could simplify trying to find some too. Also your evaporator and condenser may can be flushed and reused but I didn't have a good way of doing that so I just replaced them.
The great thing about r134a it is cheap (was cheap, it's going up and up). So you can try things out and fix the things that are broken. First thing I would do is get things all hooked up and then momentarily pull the plug off the low pressure switch, and with the A/C controls on and the engine running, jump the low pressure switch plug terminals and see if the compressor will turn. If it does, you can throw a conversion kit on it and see what happens. You do need a gauge set and a vacuum pump. You can get these from harbor freight. When you look at what the shop is going to charge you to work on this system, the harbor freight parts are cheap.
Yep I used the HF gauges and pump on my truck a few times and I think I got it right this time LOL
My son has used the gauges & pump on his cars AC I know of at least 1 time many 2 times?
I also lent the gauges & pump out to a local member so he could fix the AC on his wife's car.
Just for me it has paid for its self
When I first got my system together I installed a new condenser, hoses but 1 as I had to reuse it, flushed out the evap coil, new dryer and a jusk yard 85 compressor. I think the compressor was bad from the get go as it made noise from the start.
I had a leaking O-ring so loss charge, Then forgot to tighten some other fittings. loss charge again and thing there was 1 other time?
This last time I replaced all the O-rings again, new dryer (was only 2 years old), new evap coil and flushed the condenser and hoses.
I added a little less oil this time and the AC blows cold knock on wood.
Dave ----
This one isn’t terribly important I’m guessing, but I keep finding connectors around this truck that are not connected, but clearly have a purpose… I noticed it when I was changing the drive side floor light and pushing the main wire run back into the holder…
There is a little tan/light brown connector, it sits behind the dash against the firewall/side basically behind the far left air vent from what I can tell… any ideas?
The trucks will have a bunch of unused plugs this is normal.
It is for options your truck dose not have.
Look behind the brake booster you will find 1 or 2 there for options not on the truck like under hood light and trailer lights.
I say if everything works dont go looking for things to fix LOL
Dave ----
This one isn’t terribly important I’m guessing, but I keep finding connectors around this truck that are not connected, but clearly have a purpose… I noticed it when I was changing the drive side floor light and pushing the main wire run back into the holder…
There is a little tan/light brown connector, it sits behind the dash against the firewall/side basically behind the far left air vent from what I can tell… any ideas?
If that plug is on a brown wire, that is the power feed for the optional roof marker lights.
I knew there was a wire plug there I just could not remember what it was for at the time.
If he was to pull the dash pad off and did not have a clock there are wires there for it.
Easy add on just plug it in and cut the bezel or get a clock bezel.
I know I have plugs for under dash lights and 1 day I may add them to my truck.
Dave ----
If that plug is on a brown wire, that is the power feed for the optional roof marker lights.
Your a boss Franklin, talk about obscure… lol
when looking through the original sales materials that someone had posted elsewhere, from what I can tell, this truck had every possible option except power windows for some reason… and roof lights it seems now, although I don’t think those were actually on the factory option list for the F150…
Dave, your right… I believe there are a couple plugs behind the brake booster as well I have noticed and probably would have posted those on here at some point 😂… I’m not a fan of having mystery connectors just hanging around…. Especially if one day my daughter will be driving this and one of those connectors could be something safety related .
-lighting group which included the lights under the dash at the kickpanels, the wider fancier dome light with map lights, and a recoil trouble light under the hood and a outside cargo light.
-underhood tool box
-factory aluminum rims
-remote locking hood latch
-am/fm/8 track radio with speakers in the door
-tilt wheel
-factory rear sliding window
It did not have
cruise control
power windows and locks
headliner, I thought a fabric headliner was a option. It's trim level was a "Ranger".
Mine has/had everything you listed above besides the roof lights and the… under hood toolbox, which sounds pretty sweet! I’ve never seen one of those. The PO removed my under hood light for some reason… that thing would stretch all the way to the tailgate from what I recall!
