Cascade Crew

83Z28BlackBetty · Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 2:54 pm Post subject: Must Have AC...

Hey all.

I'm tearing my dash apart trying to trouble shoot my AC / heating system. Currently:
- i have no selection between vents, defrost, bi-level, ect..
- I suspect i don't have any vacuum getting to the switch since the switch is good.

Where is the vacuum source? I don't have the orb of power any more since ***** head who had my car first ripped it out. Is there a place i could hook the vacuum line up to for it to work?

- I also no longer have the wired going to the AC Compressor. Where do these wires originate from? keep in mind i no longer have an ECM.
- does anyone have a good wiring diagram for the AC system?

Thanks,
~JAKE

iansane · Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 3:03 pm Post subject:

The no selection is because of the vacuum lose. I don't know about the earlier fbods but on mine there are two hard vacuum lines coming out of the firewall harness right underneath the heater core tubes on the passanger side of the motor. That, for me, went to a check valve that split between manifold vacuum and the orb.

The harness I had, had the AC wires coming through the passanger side harness connector I think.

83Z28BlackBetty · Posted: Fri May 15, 2009 12:50 am Post subject:

Well i found vacuum. I found where the vacuum line exited the firewall and traced it to a canister that wasn't attached to anything. I plugged some vacuum line from it to the intake manifold and voia la!

I also found that the plastic thing that houses the doors in the heater box is busted and the doors flop around in there. I think this is the problem AL had a while back.

More to come...

~JAKE

Al Hasse · Posted: Fri May 15, 2009 6:30 am Post subject:

I still have the rest of the box kurfbird sold to me. The heater core has to come out to put this thing in though, and alot of the dash... Laughing

The piece I needed can probably be obtained easy enough from a junkyard car..

blue89 · Posted: Fri May 15, 2009 7:39 am Post subject:

I think the ecm controls the AC compressor function. It doesn't run constantly when it's on. I'd have to dig through the schematics when I get home to verify. Not sure how the old stuff works.

83Z28BlackBetty · Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 9:54 pm Post subject:

So i figured i'd revive an old thread and keep you updated.

1) I have since ripped my whole dash out and replaced the entire heater box, this fixed the yucky smell and the doors all are vacuum operated again.

2) I pulled off all the accessories and converted over to a serpentine belt system and installed the air conditioning compressor.

3) Today i spent some time at a junk yard pulling apart wiring harnesses figuring out how the wiring works for the air conditioning compressor. After looking at about a half dozen i was able to figure out the wiring for mine at home.

just as a side note in case anyone ever wants to know how it works it goes like this. at the dash switch there are 3 wires, 2 brown and 1 light green. one brown goes to fuse box, other goes to fan selector switch. Bright green wire goes to the "pressure regulator switch" on the drier. From the drier there is light blue wire that goes through a fuseable link/splitter that goes to the computer and the pressure switch at the back of the compressor. From there there is a dark green wire that goes to the clutch for the compressor. lastly the clutch has a black ground wire to complete the circuit.

4) next on the list of things to do is get the hoses from the heater box to compressor and from the heater box to the condenser. (anyone have any extra ac lines lying around?

more to come... Smile

~JAKE

Al Hasse · Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 10:13 pm Post subject:

Great job.

Since they're probably all dried out now, you'll need to replace all of your o-rings. Looking at the same thing for the 89, first I need to see if the system is still air tight.

Leejo2005 · Member Joined: 12 Jul 2009 Posts: 466 Location: Kennewick

I don't know if my Air Conditioning system was blessed at some point over the last 26 years but I got mine working just by retrofitting and recharging the system. Only problem I have is that after putting on an aftermarket carb my engine no longer automatically compenates for the extra load so I pretty much am restricted to using it while the car is in motion. Still though, it's nice to have cold air. My roomate used to talk about what an old piece of crap my Firebird was compared to his '09 Lancer but once summer rolled around he became envious of my A/C and not to mention my power locks heh heh.

iansane · Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 3:49 pm Post subject:

So while cleaning out the last of my crap from my Mom's house yesterday I found the entire a/c box/control/wiring harness/ventingducts/crank pulley from my 87. Whoops. A little late I guess. Laughing

83Z28BlackBetty · Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 12:02 am Post subject:

HAHAHA does it happen to have a set of serp hoses? if not i may be interested in taking the hardline hose that goes along the frame rail. Thanks for the effort though Smile

~JAKE

iansane · Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 6:46 am Post subject:

Nah, I tossed lines/compressor/condensor/accu. almost immediately after removing thinking that no one would swap AC back onto a thirdgen. Laughing

83Z28BlackBetty · Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 12:10 pm Post subject:

HAHAHA oh well, my search continues! Anyone hitting up any junk yards soon should keep an eye out for me! I need the hardline from box to condenser and the rubber lines from the compressor!

~JAKE

cameron7710 · Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 4:20 pm Post subject:

yesterday there was a bird at the pull a part im pretty sure had ac not sure if it had what u need tho.

Xecris · Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 4:30 pm Post subject:

Might wanna PM Kurfbird here, I helped him pull the motor/trans out of his '88 parts Iroc last weekend, and it still had all of the AC stuff in the car, sans compressor. Dunno what his plans with it all is, but worth a shot.

Alphius · Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 6:51 am Post subject:

Hey Jake, I believe I have all the lines, compressor, fittings, condenser, etc. from my '87 Trans Am parts car still. I'll check today, but you can have any part of it you need. I was just gonna throw it all away.

Xophertony · Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:13 am Post subject:

IAN, if you are just getting rid of it i would take that AC box and stuff off your hands. i have decided that "some day" my GTA will have AC again.

83Z28BlackBetty · Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 8:02 am Post subject:

Thanks for the offer Alphius,

I think Kurfbird may have what i need! I'll let you know though soon.

~JAKE

83Z28BlackBetty · Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 8:12 pm Post subject:

So... I got the lines from Bruce, a few more parts from a JY car, and.....

IT HAVE AC AGAIN!!! BooYah!

i vacuumed the sucker out today with a harbor freight ac vacuum pump and charged it up with some R134 retrofit kit from schucks Very Happy

Cold air cold air cold air cold air Get down and Boogie!

~JAKE

cameron7710 · Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 8:14 pm Post subject:

iansane · Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 10:42 am Post subject:

Sweeeeeeeeet! That's gotta feel good and cold!