360 A/C - R12 to R134a conversion

[foggyjames]

Mine was from a 1986 GLEi SE, so no PAS.

cheers

James

[trabitom99]

Sounds ideal You wouldn't happen to have kept the radiator shroud as well ?

Tom

[foggyjames]

You just cut the hole out...but I'm pretty sure I have it. I'm going to be having a big clear-out of the garage in the next few weeks, so watch this space...

cheers

James

[trabitom99]

Will do

Cheers

Tom

[trabitom99]

... and damn' and blast. Just before the hot season started, the A/C stopped working. I'd kind of hoped it would be a small leak somewhere, but it's not - the compressor is faulty. The electric current is reaching it, but the magnetic clutch isn't kicking in.

The problem is finding a replacement compressor that is exactly the same size as this one - there are hundreds of types of Sanden compressors around, some of which might fit, but even then my local A/C place reckons I'd probably have to get two (of the four) hoses I had re-made replaced.

I'm thinking it might be a better idea to have the compressor repaired - at least I know then I have the right one. Has anyone done this before? Any recommendations?

Cheers

Tom

[foggyjames]

What's the clearance between the pulley and clutch? That's a famous problem with the 850 / x70 series. You just remove some adjustment shims from behind the clutch shaft bit.

I believe you can buy rebuild kits for the innards, but if adjustment doesn't do it, it sounds like you'll need a new clutch arrangement.

cheers

James

[trabitom99]

What's the clearance between the pulley and clutch? That's a famous problem with the 850 / x70 series. You just remove some adjustment shims from behind the clutch shaft bit.
I believe you can buy rebuild kits for the innards, but if adjustment doesn't do it, it sounds like you'll need a new clutch arrangement.

Late reply ... thanks James! I haven't been very successful with sourcing a replacement compressor. The used one I got from Jos (to his credit: it wasn't his fault, he wasn't to know as there was a hose still attached to the port) was found to have a damaged thread on one of the compressor cylinder head ports, which meant the gas started bubbling straight back out again as soon as the system was pressurised.




On checking the V360 A/C compressor part numbers:

3513598 (1259340) B200, CH -154579 (mid 1986 MY?)
3206860 B200 CH 154580-

I've now bought the early type on Ebay, which appears to fit 200/700 diesels. According to the parts catalogue, late versions of this compressor have a different cylinder head with different-sized o-rings for the ports (which may mean having to have a hose remade) and some of the seals and washers inside the compressor housing are different - which hopefully won't have any effect on the clearance between pulley and clutch.

I don't know what the difference to later V300s will be, but I guess I'll find out when it arrives. If not, I can always return it.

Tom

[trabitom99]

The new compressor has arrived. It looks like it might fit, it's slightly longer than the original Sanden 508 that was fitted to the car, but the Volvo's OEM pump was a Sanden/Sankyo SD-510 and Jos's fitted OK, so I don't see why this one shouldn't work. The bracket fits, and as far as I can tell, the clutch length is the same.

Some pics, also showing the difference between the different bracket styles (no PAS, PAS):








Fitting day next Wednesday ... Pity, as it's 28 degrees today.

Tom

[trabitom99]

Now the air con is finally working The new compressor works a treat.


Filling the system from underneath


While it was out of the car, I took the opportunity of fitting the pump to the combined AC / PAS pump bracket, which is a whole lot easier to handle than the fiddly earlier non-PAS one - there are fewer individual parts to mess with.

Just to confirm - if anyone's looking for a new V300 A/C compressor, the Volvo part number to look for is 1259340-6. It's the same part that's listed for 700 & 200 diesels. It's listed in the V300 parts catalogue as being superceded by 3513598 - but I couldn't find anything under that number. Anyway, Ebay and Co are full of (relatively) cheap brand new 2/7 series diesel compressors.

Also worth knowing is that the A/C & PAS pump bracket is listed as being the same as 240 4cyl petrol cars (1990 parts catalogue) and also 740 4 cyl petrol cars excl. B230F, B200, B230 Turbo (1987 parts catalogue). The part number is 1346613-1

Anyway everythings working, and cold. Pity the car's MOT runs out this month ... Sometimes I like to see things through to the end If my GLT becomes my daily, I'll have to swap it all over again ...