40 y/o evaporator.....

[mrvette]

has finally packed it in on the '72, almost as tired as me....:crap:

so what are my options without spending a fortune in parts??

love to have a aftermarket system, but not sure there is room for that the the FI computer behind the stock map pocket....scant room as it is now....

anyone with any ideas and prices and where??

thanks...

:drink:

 

[big2bird]

I imagine Rock Auto would have the stocker.

As for the aftermarkets, they are killer for the $$$. Moves the whole shebang under the dash, and blows true cold air. I have seen 3 of these Gene, and they solve a myriad of issues. About a grande.

 

[mrvette]

I imagine Rock Auto would have the stocker.

As for the aftermarkets, they are killer for the $$$. Moves the whole shebang under the dash, and blows true cold air. I have seen 3 of these Gene, and they solve a myriad of issues. About a grande.

I have done some fishing around on the net, and found a ebay blower/evap/heat assy for about 350 bux with shipping....trick is, the size 16L x 13 x5.....and it can be tilted up to 45 degrees.....I have a note to the vendor to see if it should work, have to tear out the pass side panel to see if any chance at all, I seen the vette systems, but it seems like too much...geared to a car that had NO a/c.....I have a '88-91 serp/comp with a fresh drier and the stock cond coil....

http://www.nostalgicairparts.com/air-conditioning/id-255-heat-air-in-dash-evaporator-unit-102.php

:drink:

 

[68/70Vette]

Curious, what caused the evaporator to fail? Mines toast also, however the reason is that I inadvertently ruined it removing it from the car. I've looked at prices for new (aftermarket?) evaporators and they run $300 to $400.

I've been thinking about buying a used evaporator. I didn't think they would ever fail unless the compressor motor disintegrated and blew a lot of juck into the system.

 

[mrvette]

Curious, what caused the evaporator to fail? Mines toast also, however the reason is that I inadvertently ruined it removing it from the car. I've looked at prices for new (aftermarket?) evaporators and they run $300 to $400.

I've been thinking about buying a used evaporator. I didn't think they would ever fail unless the compressor motor disintegrated and blew a lot of juck into the system.

Being a '72 it has a actual expansion valve which runs off temps on the discharge side of the evap....before the POA valve regulating flow back to the compressor I dunno what went rong, but mainly blame it on age, been 15 years with me now, and other than cleaning 15 years ago when it was naked and I cleaned about a dozen bird's nests outta that pressure side....i'ts been there for the duration....looks original to me...so WTF??

it's not been cooling good at all recently, if at all, so I put the can to it again yesterday, and it cooled rather well, chilly pipe on the discharge of the evap coil....pulled it in the garage, and this AM...it was oil on the floor, and so it's gawn...

so off and running, I hear all these positives about changing the entire blower assy for aftermarket...but have NO experiences with it personally...
I can find another evap but as usual I want to improve the overall system if I going to spend MONEY and effort....more in line with my 'personality'...maybe???:clap::crap::drink:

 

[010752]

Believe it or not the original evaporator is the most effiecient design there is, problem is it's hanging out in the engine bay.

Several advantages to the aftermarket systems,
parallel flow condenser,
evap unit completly inside cabin including blower,
only recircultes, (max setting)

A lot of newer vehicles are using the same design, everything inside.
Go junkyarding and check some out from smaller cars. BMW's for years have used electric actuators for blending doors. You can use the flex tubing instead of most of the original ducting.
I'm sure you could find something to adapt and fit under there.
Getting rid of the old poa/vir stuff isn't a bad idea, too pricey and unreliable these days.
One of your biggest expenses making any changes will be hoses, but you can get bulk hose and reuseable oring fittings, might be worth it in your case.
Chrysler systems work very well and having someone really good with TIG makes adapting them pretty easy.

 

[mrvette]

:clap: Noonie....great idea...not thought of it because I know my favorite JY up the road a piece is going to be UNder water now....and that sun with the lack of air circulation is going to kill my dumb ass without a pack of dry ice up my ass.....:gurney: I not getting shit done on account of it these last 2 months....good for 3-4 hours the MOST, then it's lights out....freeking hate it....:bomb:

at any rate, I think you got the best bet there, really trouble is to get some really good dimensions and then to pull enough shit apart quick enough to make my selection process somewhat manageable....

:crap::drink: ONE of these daze it will be below 85f by 11am, give me a window....maybe I will hold off a little on buying stuff....got a line on a '73 core, but dunno if it's the same as my '72....it's in them years GM went krazy with a/c designs I can't remember all that shit between car lines...

:drink:

 

[big2bird]

Curious, what caused the evaporator to fail? Mines toast also, however the reason is that I inadvertently ruined it removing it from the car. I've looked at prices for new (aftermarket?) evaporators and they run $300 to $400.

I've been thinking about buying a used evaporator. I didn't think they would ever fail unless the compressor motor disintegrated and blew a lot of juck into the system.

Contaminents, mainly moisture, will cause the oil/freon mix to turn acidic.
Mixing freon/oil mixtures without flushing properly
Good old metal fatigue.

 

[big2bird]

Believe it or not the original evaporator is the most effiecient design there is........

IF your using R-12. R134A, not so much.

I changed from R-12 to R134A, and back again.

As explained to me, the 'systems" are designed around the refridgerent.

Like Noonie says, the parallel flow condenser works well with the R-134A system.

 

[TimAT]

I put a Classic Air system in the 77. Blows ice cubes. No more crap under the hood, Sanden compressor, and takes a little less space under the dash than the factory stuff did. Still running V-belts, but had the option for a serp system.

 

[010752]

Believe it or not the original evaporator is the most effiecient design there is........

IF your using R-12. R134A, not so much.

I changed from R-12 to R134A, and back again.

As explained to me, the 'systems" are designed around the refridgerent.

Like Noonie says, the parallel flow condenser works well with the R-134A system.

I was referring to the construction of the evaporator itself, the oem is an alum stacked plate like the well know Harrison radiator. Others can be tube and fin of either alum or copper or even serpentine design. The stacked plate is a better heat exchanger whether used for coolant, refrigerant, engine oil, tranny fluid or ps fluid.

By the same token 134 needs a condenser of roughly 15% better efficiency to help it release heat, that's why the parallel flow works with it, and also an added pusher fan helps more, basically anything to help heat transfer.
If you're using a pressure activated cycling switch it has to be adjusted for the 134 difference in boiling point vs the r12, the goal here is so that the evaporator can stay as cold as possible without freezing.
Those are really the only basic differences in the system operation.