EJ'd L series AC pipe connection questions

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sun Feb 13, 2011 8:59 pm

G'day all

I'm finally looking at having the AC sorted in Ruby Scoo after having her for only 6 years without it! Now that the EJ is in I realise I'll have to have some hoses adapted. I've noticed that one of the hoses could connect straight up to the pipe at the firewall as long as I don't need

Now I've checked out a couple of other L's that we've got around - my sister's old 84 L sedan "Baz" does not have this canister and I can't find one like it anywhere in the system and the '94 wagon I've got has the same setup. Ruby Scoo has this canister as does this beige wagon photographed above.

What I want to know is: Can i simply remove this canister from the system, hook up the EJ hose to the pipe to/from the airbox in the cabin or do I need the EJ hose shortened to fit this canister?

I don't think there's anyway around having the second hose modified to hook it up. This is basically all that's holding me back from finally having AC in ruby scoo on those steamy days...

I hope someone out there knows about these things, I can't work out what this canister is for but I think it might have something to do with oil in the system... maybe.

Cheers

Bennie

FujiFan · Post by **FujiFan** » Sun Feb 13, 2011 9:08 pm

My initial thoughts on this Bennie are that this is to do with conversion of discontinued R12 from the old A/C system to R134a gas. When you got this machine 6 years ago were there any stickers in the engine bay refering to an A/C conversion.

Just a thought:)

Jay

littlewhiteute · Post by **littlewhiteute** » Sun Feb 13, 2011 9:23 pm

It's a muffler.

As a mechanic of 30 years and a licenced A/C repairer, my warning to you is don't play with A/C if you haven't got a licence.

It will bite you.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sun Feb 13, 2011 9:25 pm

FujiFan wrote:My initial thoughts on this Bennie are that this is to do with conversion of discontinued R12 from the old A/C system to R134a gas. When you got this machine 6 years ago were there any stickers in the engine bay refering to an A/C conversion.

Just a thought:)

Not sure Jay, but will look when I get home. I know the '94 system has R-12 gas in it and a sticker that says its got the CFC Ozone depleting gas but Baz the '84 sedan had his gas replaced a couple of years ago, I'm not sure if it had the new stuff before but he does now - yet has not got this canister.

Might have to have a gander at the bonnet stickers before I leave for benders tonight

Cheers

Bennie

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sun Feb 13, 2011 9:28 pm

littlewhiteute wrote:It's a muffler.

As a mechanic of 30 years and a licenced A/C repairer, my warning to you is don't play with A/C if you haven't got a licence.

It will bite you.

Fair enough. All I want to do is close the system so that I can have it gassed by a licensed Ac specialist. If I don't need this canister for the system and can hook up a hose that ultimately doesn't need to be shortened/modified to fit I would prefer to keep the cash for other things than shell it out to someone else when I don't need to.

I've found two systems that are 10 years apart on the L series that don't have this canister, and two of the same year that do - what's your thoughts on this? They've got all the same bits other than this muffler as you've called it - and the liberty's I've seen in the yards don't seem to have this muffler either...

Cheers

Bennie

littlewhiteute · Post by **littlewhiteute** » Sun Feb 13, 2011 10:29 pm

Ben,

I've seen a few cars with a muffler, but generally only the older ones.

Depends on compressor style and how much "hose" the system has.

I'd hook up whatever you have to seal the system, then talk to your friendly A/C system repairer.

Smash1911 · Post by **Smash1911** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 1:30 pm

Without being able to see the pics (for some reason they aren't showing on my phone in Bali!) this "muffler" your talking about would surely have to be the reciever drier. Some vehicles have this incorporated into the condenser, but most of them are in the high pressure line between the condenser and the evaporator. Retrofitting R-12 systems to take R-134a isn't new, usually only needing replacement valve fitted over the original R-12 fittings and a new receiver drier fitted before you can run the new gas. Having pipes made up to adapt the EJ's compressor to the wagons pipe work shouldn't be too hard. Fittings are easy to obtain (usually listed in fatalities from companies such as JayAir) and the flexible hose and crimp tool most good AC repairers should have on hand.
Of course, im saying all this without being able to SEE what your talking about!

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sat Mar 05, 2011 6:18 pm

Thanks smash, I might need to just have the two hoses custom made as the second hose will not mate up with the L's pipe work as the joints are of two different eras - the L's is a threaded pipe nut and the EJ's is that funky plate with the bolt off one side...

Cheers

Bennie

Smash1911 · Post by **Smash1911** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 11:22 pm

Well now I can see the pics I can say I haven't seen one of those before! Mind you, I mainly deal with Toyota AC systems with a few different makes thrown in to keep things interesting. I'm now sure how long the original EJ hoses are but if you could get some that are long enough you would only need the AC guys to lop the vehicle side fittings off and wack a couple of after market fittings on the end to suit your car, but if the laws of retrofitting prevail it won't be that easy!