Air Conditition swap
 

Approximately a year and a half ago I purchased a 1988 Volvo 240 GL estate. It is a manual transmission, 2,0ltr fuel injected engine. It is in great shape, rust/rot free and when I got it had only 52,000 miles on the clock. When I bought it, it had some minor issues which were soon all rectified.

The Limo, as we call it, has become my daily runner and so far has covered a further 11,000 miles and I absolutely love it. My only problem with the Limo is the lack of air-conditioning and with Cyprus’ weather in the summer reaching 400C (1040F), the Limo becomes prohibitive to drive. So to overcome this problem I decided to fit an air-conditioning unit from another 240 which I acquired, a donor car.

The donor car is a 1987 240 estate, carburetted 2,3ltr engine, automatic and the transplant project has started. I have so far almost dismantled everything needed from the donor car and some questions have popped up for which I have not managed to find any answers anywhere. I home someone can help me before I start any dismantling on the Limo.

Here are my questions:

1. First of all, is this feasible?
2. Given the two different engine displacements, are the compressor/power steering brackets directly interchangeable?
3. All manuals describe either a square, upright York type of compressor or a Diesel-Kiki rotary compressor available on the car. The donor car came with a rotary type York compressor similar to a Diesel–Kiki. Was this normal or could it be a replacement compressor?
4. Solenoid – the solenoid has two pipes. One of them was connected to the side of the carburettor while the other one was not connected anywhere. Since the Limo is injected, where do these two pipes go? And how can I know if the solenoid works? Is there a test I could do to find out? And what is it’s purpose?
5. Vacuum hose – on the donor car the vacuum hose is connected to a pipe on a connector on the intake manifold. Where will this go on the fuel injection manifold?
6. Wiring – I have two workshop manuals (Haynes & Bentley) and a myriad of other online wiring diagrams, none of which match the actual wiring. The only one that matches the actual wiring is from a Volvo Green Book. But I still have one question: There are two red wires that go from the AC relay, one to the AC microswitch and the other one, according to the wiring diagram, to the LH Jetronic Control Unit. On the donor car the red wire to the Jetronic CU was not connected anywhere. On the Limo, where can I find this wire? What will happen if I leave it disconnected?

You are brave to try to tackle this job, but it should be possible. Many 240s imported into Australia had the AC installed at the dealership -- so it can't be impossible. As long as you have the compressor/PS bracket from the donor car, it should be possible to use a York, Diesel-Kiki, Seiko-Seiki, or a brand new Sanden compressor using the same mount. I have a Sanden in my 1990, and it's more efficient than the others. It doesn't fit one of the mounts on the bracket from the Diesel-Kiki that was originally on the car, but being one mounting point down hasn't mattered at all. I have no idea how to wire it in or route the condenser/dryer -- I had an AC specialist help with the bits of the system that are cobbled together, and I did most of the labour.

Hello Australia!

Thank you for your feedback. You might not be familiar with the wiring but you might be able to help me with some photos if you woul be kind.

In the engine compartment by the steering column on the firewall there is a grommet with a pipe coming out of it. This should end up somewhere on the inlet manifold. Could you please take a photo of where this vacum pipe ends?

And also on the firewall right behind the engine there is a solenoid (there is a wire connected to it and two pipes. Could you please send me pictures of where these two pipes connect to.

If you could assist me with these two issues, you will be of great assistance to me.

Thanks

I agree with 'DW42'. Back in 1995, I bought a then 12 year old 245GLT that was equipped with factory air-conditioning; apparently, it had been an 'embassy' car in it's early life.

At the time, perceived wisdom was that it was easier and cheaper to purchase a car so equipped, rather than to attempt to convert one without, but the passage of time indicates that option is unlikely to be available today.

Is there a reason that you wish to retain your 245, 'Impcy'? Perhaps a better route might be to look for a 7 or 9 series car already equipped with a/c. If you are sentimentally attached to the car, prefer the 'retro' style or want to do it as a 'hobby' car, then that is of course a different matter.

Regards, John

Photos coming soon. The real difficulty with taking photos is that the wiring all routes into harnesses and you can't keep track. Are there places in Cyprus that specialise in retrofitting ACs to cars that never had them? This might be a better option -- and more powerful than what was in a 240. We don't have 40C days here, but at 35C the 240 AC can only keep the car nice and cool in traffic with the electric fan installed in front of the condenser (1991+). I don't have this in the 1990, and the interior started getting fairly warm on a hot summer day with my children learning to drive in an empty car park.

I wasn't very successful at finding where you want photos of -- I think in LH2.4 (both my cars have LH2.4 injection), the hose from the firewall to the intake manifold is higher up (see last pic, on my 1990). The first photo shows the only electrical junction right behind the engine. Below it, out of sight, is the crank position sensor, which may only be on later LH cars. My two cars have different dryer locations -- in the 1990 it's behind the RH headlight. In the 1992 it's near the firewall on the left side. Given that you are likely using new hoses and a new dryer, you could route it either way.

Hi John,

the car is not sentimental however acquiring another classic is currently not an option due to a new mortgage and a third baby is due in 3 weeks. Furthermore, my 240 is so original it will be a shame to get rid of it. It's my hobby car.

Hi DW42,

many thanks for the photos. Surely you have some very nice and clean cars there. Especially your 1991.

Your photos have helped me find out where the vacuum pipe will be connected to the manifold. The remaining question is about the solenoid and where this is connected. I am sure I will find the answer.

As far as my project is concerned, Stage 1 has been completed and the air conditioning has been removed from the donor car with all its components. I am currently at Stage 2 of my project, cleaning the parts and will take them to an air-conditioning specialist to assess them and tell me what modifications will be needed to run on the new gas and how much this will cost. If the cost is logical I will proceed to Stage 3, to dismantle the heater unit of my car.

I can answer some of your questions, not all so any i miss i don't know! Here goes!

1. Yes
2. Probably but why not just swap the 2.3 into your car?
4. EGR or Pulse-Air solenoid perhaps? Probably not needed on the injected car.
5. You should be able to find a stub on the injection manifold to connect it to - don't forget the non-return valves!
6. Sounds like the wire from the relay to the Jetronic has been disconnected, perhaps because that Jetronic system doesn't support A/C and the system has already been transplanted into your donor car from another. The purpose of this wire is to tell the Jetronic ECU that the air-con is running and to increase the idle speed to compensate for the extra load on the engine.
I belive this is only available on cars with LH2.2 and newer, the L/LE-Jetronic used an Auxiliary Air Valve to increase the cold idle speed, rather than the stepper motor controlled valve on later models.
What you could do, is have an electrically controlled valve piped in tandem with the Auxiliary Air Valve so when the A/C is running, it opens and increases the idle speed.

Various ways of doing this and adjusting how much it increases the idle speed by but that's probably a task for when you've got the rest of the system installed and working.

Good luck with it anyway! ;) :D

Hi Dave,

thank you for the elaborate reply. Below is the solenoid valve I am referring to if you are familiar with this item

[IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/e...psvy6pccos.jpg[/IMG]

Constantinos