<VV> A/C Update

[Bill H.]

                                             B"H
JR:  Correct on all accounts.  It's a 3" hose that starts out round from the plenum and becomes oval when it connects to the top shroud.  The Corvair shop manual says that hose is for drawing cooler air into the heater system. Go figger.
Yep, the condenser is still connected via the refrigerant hoses, just swung a bit out of the way so I have access to what's behind there.  At least I can clean out the crud and put a pair of new foam strips (didn't forget those!) between the condenser and the firewall.
Would never use dryer or any other non-approved hoses for the heater.  Have a set on order from Clark's.

Best...Bill

--- On Tue, 6/26/12, J R Read <hmlinc at sbcglobal.net> wrote:

From: J R Read <hmlinc at sbcglobal.net>
Subject: Re: <VV> A/C Update
To: "Bill H." <gojoe283 at yahoo.com>, virtualvairs at corvair.org
Date: Tuesday, June 26, 2012, 1:16 AM

Bill,

That hose being shredded would account for a good deal of your overheating condition.  On a non-AC car it would be by #5 cylinder.  I'll assume that Tim is correct when he says that it is by #6 on an AC car.  Either way, if you have essentially an open hole (non-connected or shredded top side hose) a large portion of the cool air which SHOULD be passing over the head and cylinders is escaping and NOT going where it needs to go for engine cooling. It is a good thing that you found this and were able to replace it.

You mentioned the size as 4 inches, but as I recall that is a 3 inch hose which has to be flattened into an oval in order to go through the steel backed rubber grommet in the firewall.  The lower ones are 4 inches and it is also good that you found the one dragging on the half shaft since they have been known to (in effect) saw the half shaft to the point of failure. For the 4 inch ones, DO NOT use close dryer hose as it cannot take the heat. Also, the original style had a metal wire inside which CAN possibly cause an issue with shorting on the starter and burn your car to the ground.  The modern ones from the vendors have a stiff plastic coil where the wire coil used to be.  Use those.

Oh, when you "removed" the condenser, you did not disconnect any hoses from it, right?  You just set it to the side with hoses attached I hope.

I'll be away the rest of the week, so don't know if I'll have internet access.

Later, JR


----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill H." <gojoe283 at yahoo.com>
To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2012 11:09 PM
Subject: <VV> A/C Update


B"H

I got the heads pretty cleaned up, then I (innocently) proceeded to attempt to replace the "fresh air hose" that runs from the front (behind the rear seat area) shield to the top of the turkey roaster. You know, that funny rectangular hose. Since the A/C condenser is blocking where the hose comes into the engine, bay, I remove the condenser. The original fabric hose was torn to shreds.

I kept following it until I found the plenum where it attaches. I removed the metal lip that holds the rubber seal in place at the front of the engine bay, then reached under the rubber and worked for a couple of hours, but finally got the new hose on!

But I do see a light at the end of the tunnel. New accelerator boot (old one torn), new "fresh air" hose, new carb gaskets, and new heater hoses (both 4" hoses torn and unattached, one dragging on the half-shaft) and lots of cleaning, eventually I hope to get it all back together.
Good night folks, I'm tired and my wrists are cut and sore from getting that hose one...Bill Hershkowitz 66 Monza 110 PG A/C