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[GMCnet] Cab Air Conditioning [message #370626]

Tue, 04 October 2022 15:42

Chris McBride

Messages: 35
Registered: June 2021

Karma: 0

Member

Hello All,Reaching out to anyone who has experienced compressor issues with the stock AC system?We recently picked up our TZE here in Ontario and took it to Borrmann's Garage in Bluevale for some mechanical work and road safety certification. The initial repair for the cab AC was a few O-rings, evacuation and recharge. In the last few weeks of test drives, the compressor began to get noisy and we opted to have a rebuilt compressor put in. The first one installed would not build enough pressure, the second one was seized out of the box. A third one is going in tomorrow, and if that fails, we will address it in the Spring with an alternate rebuild or a updated conversion.Any thoughts on the rebuilds or an updated system?Thank you,Eric
Eric Roell, Aurora, Ontario76 Glenbrook "Safari" 76,000 miles,Alcoa, Continental Kit, Fender Flares, Stainless Exhaust, Macerator, Ragusa Step
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Re: [GMCnet] Cab Air Conditioning [message #370627 is a reply to message #370626]

Tue, 04 October 2022 16:39

rjw

Messages: 697
Registered: September 2005

Karma: 4

Senior Member

Chris McBride wrote on Tue, 04 October 2022 16:42

Hello All,Reaching out to anyone who has experienced compressor issues with the stock AC system?We recently picked up our TZE here in Ontario and took it to Borrmann's Garage in Bluevale for some mechanical work and road safety certification. The initial repair for the cab AC was a few O-rings, evacuation and recharge. In the last few weeks of test drives, the compressor began to get noisy and we opted to have a rebuilt compressor put in. The first one installed would not build enough pressure, the second one was seized out of the box. A third one is going in tomorrow, and if that fails, we will address it in the Spring with an alternate rebuild or a updated conversion.Any thoughts on the rebuilds or an updated system?Thank you,Eric
Eric Roell, Aurora, Ontario76 Glenbrook "Safari" 76,000 miles,Alcoa, Continental Kit, Fender Flares, Stainless Exhaust, Macerator, Ragusa Step
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The answer is to go with a Sanden compressor and switch out of R12 to HC12 refrigerant. Perhaps Borman's Garage already made that conversion.

Richard
76 Palm Beach
SE Michigan
www.PalmBeachGMC.com

Roller Cam 455, TBI+EBL, 3.42 FD, 4 Bag, Macerator, Lenzi (brakes, vacuum system, front end stuff), Manny Tranny, vacuum step, Tankless + OEM water heaters.

[Updated on: Tue, 04 October 2022 16:39]

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Re: [GMCnet] Cab Air Conditioning [message #370628 is a reply to message #370626]

Tue, 04 October 2022 17:57

lqqkatjon

Messages: 2324
Registered: October 2010
Location: St. Cloud, MN

Karma: 5

Senior Member

There has been many reports that rebuilt compressor’s have had short life. Not sure why some are bad and others work.

That is what prompted most to install a sanden compressor now.

Jon Roche 75 palm beach EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now. St. Cloud, MN http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/

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[GMCnet] Re: Cab Air Conditioning [message #370630 is a reply to message #370626]

Tue, 04 October 2022 18:16

Ken Henderson

Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA

Karma: 9

Senior Member

Eric,

I'd forget replacing the OEM A-6 compressor with another one. When new,
and for many years thereafter, it was the best automotive compressor made
-- high capacity, durable, and extremely reliable. But GM quit using them
after about 1985. New ones, if available (which I doubt) will be very
expensive; rebuilt ones don't seem to be anywhere near as good as the OEM
ones. Besides that, they do NOT fit well in the GMC -- the location and
the bracketry create a service nightmare. Many years ago, I bought a
Sanden (actually a clone, IIRC) from a junk yard, out of something like a
Volvo -- Sandens and quality clones were used in a LOT of different cars,
as OEM and aftermarket. I did not try to find the version which uses
GMC-compatible hose fittings (they ARE available) but had the Sanden's hose
fittings moved, by an air conditioning shop, onto my OEM hoses. Mounting
the compressor was trivially simple: there were 4 mounting lugs around the
front of the Sanden. The forward bracket on the GMC is a flat steel plate
with 4 holes within 1/16" of those on the Sanden; a rat-tail file made them
align almost immediately. For increased stability, I added a diagonal
brace from the rear of the Sanden to a cylinder head bolt (one with a
threaded stud on its top). Belt alignment was not a problem (I've since
moved all this to a Cad500 engine modified with serpentine belts).

Filled with Duracool (about 2-1/2 cans), that system has provided excellent
cooling for well over 10 years now, with never a moment's problem ('tho' my
son did just add some Duracool). Access the the right cylinder head is
greatly improved and the overall weight change, with loss of the OEM iron
brackets and the heavy compresssor, may approach 50 lbs!

While I did it as described above, there are complete kits available from
various sources, including Applied GMC. Quit beating your head against
that 40+ year old A6. :-)

Ken H.

On Tue, Oct 4, 2022 at 4:42 PM Eric Roell wrote:

> Hello All,Reaching out to anyone who has experienced compressor issues
> with the stock AC system?We recently picked up our TZE here in Ontario and
> took it to Borrmann's Garage in Bluevale for some mechanical work and road
> safety certification. The initial repair for the cab AC was a few O-rings,
> evacuation and recharge. In the last few weeks of test drives, the
> compressor began to get noisy and we opted to have a rebuilt compressor put
> in. The first one installed would not build enough pressure, the second
> one was seized out of the box. A third one is going in tomorrow, and if
> that fails, we will address it in the Spring with an alternate rebuild or a
> updated conversion.Any thoughts on the rebuilds or an updated system?Thank
> you,Eric
> Eric Roell, Aurora, Ontario76 Glenbrook "Safari" 76,000 miles,Alcoa,
> Continental Kit, Fender Flares, Stainless Exhaust, Macerator, Ragusa Step
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach

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Re: [GMCnet] Cab Air Conditioning [message #370631 is a reply to message #370626]

Tue, 04 October 2022 18:41

boybach

Messages: 566
Registered: December 2020
Location: Vancouver Island

Karma: 4

Senior Member

In your position I might look around for a different A/C specialist! Shocked

My rig has been converted by the PO to R134A and I topped it off this year with the last two cans available in Canada for a DIY guy like me. The system blew super cold and worked just great this past season. When it comes time to top it off again in a few years, I'll be using R152A (computer duster) as it's fully compatible with PAG oil and all other R134A bits and pieces.
I already run a R134A/R152A mix in my 2002 Explorer because I can't buy R134A any longer in Canada. R152A is cheaper than R134A, (like 20 bucks or so for 4 cans from Costco), cools better/smaller quantity/fully miscible with R134A and is better for the environment if it gets accidentally evacuated so win win IMO.

Larry

Larry - Victoria BC - 1977 ex-Palm Beach "Ol' Leaky" 40,000 miles, PO said everything working but forgot the word NOT. Atwood helium fridge, water heater & furnace. SS exhaust system, Onan, Iota Converter, R134A, New fuel lines & heat exchange hoses

[Updated on: Tue, 04 October 2022 18:43]

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[GMCnet] Re: Cab Air Conditioning [message #370634 is a reply to message #370626]

Tue, 04 October 2022 19:14

Dolph Santorine

Messages: 1236
Registered: April 2011
Location: Wheeling, WV

Karma: -41

Senior Member

Eric

I concur with Ken.

I would open the AC enclosure and clean the evaporator and the heater core. It’s likely clogged.

Also, clean the hoses. There’s an aerosol can for this…. and don’t forget a new dryer.

Dolph Santorine

DE AD0LF

Wheeling, West Virginia

1977 ex-Palm Beach TZE167V100820
Howell EFI/EBL , Reaction Arms, Manny Transmission

> On Oct 4, 2022, at 4:42 PM, Eric Roell wrote:
>
> Hello All,Reaching out to anyone who has experienced compressor issues with the stock AC system?We recently picked up our TZE here in Ontario and took it to Borrmann's Garage in Bluevale for some mechanical work and road safety certification. The initial repair for the cab AC was a few O-rings, evacuation and recharge. In the last few weeks of test drives, the compressor began to get noisy and we opted to have a rebuilt compressor put in. The first one installed would not build enough pressure, the second one was seized out of the box. A third one is going in tomorrow, and if that fails, we will address it in the Spring with an alternate rebuild or a updated conversion.Any thoughts on the rebuilds or an updated system?Thank you,Eric
> Eric Roell, Aurora, Ontario76 Glenbrook "Safari" 76,000 miles,Alcoa, Continental Kit, Fender Flares, Stainless Exhaust, Macerator, Ragusa Step
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[GMCnet] Re: Cab Air Conditioning [message #370640 is a reply to message #370634]

Wed, 05 October 2022 08:12

Chris McBride

Messages: 35
Registered: June 2021

Karma: 0

Member

Thank you Ken and Adolph,I appreciate the feedback and detailed information. We will find out today how the shop made out and will deal with a new system over the winter. I just want to get this rig road worthy so we can start to travel.Cheers,Eric
Eric Roell, Aurora, Ontario76 Glenbrook "Safari" 76,000 miles,Alcoa, Continental Kit, Fender Flares, Stainless Exhaust, Macerator, Ragusa Step

On Tuesday, October 4, 2022 at 08:15:09 p.m. EDT, Adolph Santorine wrote:

Eric

I concur with Ken.

I would open the AC enclosure and clean the evaporator and the heater core. It’s likely clogged.

Also, clean the hoses. There’s an aerosol can for this…. and don’t forget a new dryer.

Dolph Santorine

DE AD0LF

Wheeling, West Virginia

1977 ex-Palm Beach TZE167V100820
Howell EFI/EBL , Reaction Arms, Manny Transmission

> On Oct 4, 2022, at 4:42 PM, Eric Roell wrote:
>
> Hello All,Reaching out to anyone who has experienced compressor issues with the stock AC system?We recently picked up our TZE here in Ontario and took it to Borrmann's Garage in Bluevale for some mechanical work and road safety certification. The initial repair for the cab AC was a few O-rings, evacuation and recharge. In the last few weeks of test drives, the compressor began to get noisy and we opted to have a rebuilt compressor put in. The first one installed would not build enough pressure, the second one was seized out of the box. A third one is going in tomorrow, and if that fails, we will address it in the Spring with an alternate rebuild or a updated conversion.Any thoughts on the rebuilds or an updated system?Thank you,Eric
> Eric Roell, Aurora, Ontario76 Glenbrook "Safari" 76,000 miles,Alcoa, Continental Kit, Fender Flares, Stainless Exhaust, Macerator, Ragusa Step
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Re: [GMCnet] Cab Air Conditioning [message #370641 is a reply to message #370626]

Wed, 05 October 2022 11:18

Tom Katzenberger

Messages: 399
Registered: June 2019
Location: Kingsville, MD

Karma: 4

Senior Member

Chris,

I concur with Dolph and Ken. I completed my switch over to Durakool and the Sanden unit this year and the biggest problem was that my left knee would get very cold, LOL. I am very happy with the conversion. I ordered the Durakool on line and the other components from Applied. I try to support the vendors as much as possible.

Good lunch and we look forward to hearing good things.

Take care,
Tom K.

Tom & Oki Katzenberger, Kingsville, Maryland, 1977 23' Birchaven, 455 C.I.D., Micro Level, Howell EBL-EFI Spark Control, Macerator, York Air Compressor, 6 Wheel Disc, Quadra Bag, Onan W/Bovee Ignition

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Re: [GMCnet] Cab Air Conditioning [message #370642 is a reply to message #370626]

Wed, 05 October 2022 11:19

timthenomad

Messages: 63
Registered: June 2015
Location: Austin, TX

Karma: 5

Member

Just to chime in on the "ditch the A6" side. I also had 2 of the replacement A6 compressors die on me. Have replaced with a Sanden and have been trouble free.

--tim

Tim Taylor
~~Austin TX~~
Philadelphia PA
76 Birchaven (SB)
76 Triumph TR6

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