quote Originally posted by PBJ: With some bending of the lines I was able to rotated the line at the compressor end 180 deg CCW and re bolt it up. I will be filling it later on today. Stay tuned. Pete

This is what I was thinking of trying so the lines could be rotated. Just not fosure which way the hoses mount to the compressor. I pictures of the final hose moutiing would be nice.

Well I just had a sphincter pucker moment. I took my car to the shop, placed it on a lift to see if I could get the hose on in the right orientation. While trying to see where to bend the lines, I shorted across my starter solenoid terminals. Did I say my car was on a lift, and approx 6 feet in the air yet. Well, the car was in first gear, as is my normal practice when parking. The starter engaged, and would not disengage ... The car lurched forward while I held on, debating on running, or getting the solenoid unshorted. The front tires jumped over the front stop block on the lift, right about the same time I got the short undone, and the starter disengaged. So there was my car dangling with the front end off the lift six feet up!

somanabitch!

Well it ended well. I was not hurt, and the car was okay.

And I decided that I am just going to buy a reman AC compressor for an 87 coupe... I am done with trying to Frankenstien parts together to get them to work. I could see that I could possibly bend the hose on the compressor end to fit, but it is way more bending that I feel comfortable doing. The hose is brand new, and I'd hate to break it only to have to it not work, then I have to buy a new one.

Before I do that can somene tell me for sure... will the Fiero Compressor fit and will the hoses bolt up with out a bunch of hassle?

Sucked it down. slammed in 2.0 lbs of r134a and its nice and cold now. Sorry no pics yet.

Pete

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quote Originally posted by PBJ: Sucked it down. slammed in 2.0 lbs of r134a and its nice and cold now. Sorry no pics yet. Pete

Thats what I wanted to hear. Is the muffler on the upside or bottom side of the compressor? I guess once pictures are posted then it will show.

The clearances were so tight and the hose needed major bending for it to work when I was trying that I think I will go a different route. I was hitting the starter and the exhaust manifold when I tried. I will either get a custom hose or swap to a fiero compressor. I am interested in seeing a pic though. Maybe it will change my mind.

Pic. please exuse the messy wires. its not done yet but is working now.





Pete

quote Originally posted by PBJ: Pic. please exuse the messy wires. its not done yet but is working now. Pete

Thanks for the pictures!!!!

PBJ, it is hard to tell, but it looks like you have a kink in the high side hose. Are you concerned about low cooling because of the kink?

Yes the hose has gone through a bit of abuse now being installed backwards first and now bent again to fit this way. I am not to concerned at this time on our own personal car because it works. But when I do an install on a customers car next I will be a bit more gentle and only have to install and bend it once.

Pete

I am going to take my hose assy to an AC/Radiator shop inthe morning and see if they can just swap the low and high sides around... cut and weld it the way I need it. If that does not work, I think I might sell the hose I just bought, and get a custom hose made.

Stay tuned...

Slightly different take. Series 1 w/ HR6 compressor. V6 Hoses wouldn't fit....

until bend, try to fit, bend, try to fit, bend, repeat about 6 times, fit!

It's really a tight fit. Hose fitting just clears the soleniod terminal. Had to bend both tubes attached to the muffler to clear the exhaust shield. Had to take off starter cable to prevent sparks during fitting.


May have to fab a heat shield to protect the hoses from the exhaust pipe.


In keeping the hoses away from the exhaust, they contact the front transmission mount.


Hoses up against the stock starter. If it was a gear reduction starter, more space would be available.


In fitting, the high pressure connector was removed along with the shield on the compressor. 15mm bolt head was ground down to fit 14mm socket. No room for the socket, had to tighten w/ racheting box wrench.


Muffler is close to motor mount, exhaust shield & starter body, but touches only the other hose fitting.

That's some kinda tight!!

[This message has been edited by 30+mpg (edited 06-09-2006).]

I turned the hose around and mine is ice cold...

quote Originally posted by 30+mpg: Slightly different take. Series 1 w/ HR6 compressor. V6 Hoses wouldn't fit.... until bend, try to fit, bend, try to fit, bend, repeat about 6 times, fit! It's really a tight fit. Hose fitting just clears the soleniod terminal. Had to bend both tubes attached to the muffler to clear the exhaust shield. Had to take off starter cable to prevent sparks during fitting. May have to fab a heat shield to protect the hoses from the exhaust pipe. In keeping the hoses away from the exhaust, they contact the front transmission mount. Hoses up against the stock starter. If it was a gear reduction starter, more space would be available. In fitting, the high pressure connector was removed along with the shield on the compressor. 15mm bolt head was ground down to fit 14mm socket. No room for the socket, had to tighten w/ racheting box wrench. Muffler is close to motor mount, exhaust shield & starter body, but touches only the other hose fitting. That's some kinda tight!!

Your bends look nice and smooth. Thanks for sharing.
Makes me think I can bend mine without kinking them. I'm still going to see about getting the lines swapped.

[This message has been edited by topcat (edited 06-10-2006).]

PCTECH could you elaborate on that with perhaps a picture or 2 ?

[This message has been edited by fiero-iwan (edited 06-12-2006).]

I've decided to go ahead and have custom made lines. I am not comfortable bendnig the lines as much as mine needed to clear the starter and exhaust manifold... plus, I'd have to also bend the end where the lines connect to the Fiero body lines. They are way off as well.

The last thing I want is to bend them, and cause a restriction, or even worse, early failure....

More to follow after I get my lines made.

I had been doing these. The ends became difficult to get. I have a manual crimper, so I can crimp these. I have now got a new source for the crimps and hose end pieces.

Looks like this now.



Price is

$165, you provide the Fiero and 3800sc AC hose sets, includes return priority mail shipping.

If I provide the Fiero hose set add $75

If I provide the 3800 hose set add $100

If you can get it done cheaper, post where, I can use a cheaper source too.

Thanks,

Loyde

[This message has been edited by FastFieros (edited 06-14-2006).]

Okay, my hoses came in today, and they fit like a glove. I blew out the lines, evap, and condensor with compressed air. I flushed them out last week, I just wanted to make sure there was not any excess moisture was left in the system. I installed the compressor hoses, the new drier and orifice tube. I replaced all the O rings with new ones, and am ready to put a vaccum on it for a few hours... that is where the problems starts...

I can not find a suitable vacuum pump anywhere!

Anyone know where I can get one?

I saw the ones that Harbor Freight has, and I went to a local store to take a look at one. I am concerned that it will not pull enough of a vacuum, so I'd rather have a real vacuum pump, not one that works on compressed air to create a venturi vacuum.

All the shops around here will only pull a vacuum for twenty - thirty minutes, and since my system was open for so long, I want to pull a vacuum for at least three hours. It seems the only way to get a vacuum for that long is to do it myself...

Anyone?

Do what I did.

Go to a used appliance store. Ask them to save the compressor from a fridge next time they have to scrap one. Look on the net for how to make a vacuum pump from a fridge compressor.

Got mine for $0! Had to buy a fitting for less than a buck to solder on to the of the "suction" line.
Can pull vacuum for hours.

Or not.

Spend your money, buy a pump and help keep the economy going.

Buy one? If I could find one, I might buy one. The refrigerator compressor is an option, but I'd like to get this thing charged up before the weekend is over....

and my neighbor just threw out a frige! I wish I had asked a week ago.

quote topcat:Buy one? If I could find one, I might buy one....

11:15 June 24 on ebay
"33 items found for a/c vacuum pump in eBay Motors
Show only: Max Price: $25.00".

By Monday? Yeah, right, like that's gonna happen. Pushing kinda hard aren't we?

[This message has been edited by 30+mpg (edited 06-24-2006).]

quote FastFieros:...If you can get it done cheaper, post where, I can use a cheaper source too. Thanks, Loyde

Cheaper, eh? V6 hoses cost me $15 + shipping and the time to bend & fit. If I can do it, others should be able to do it themselves also.

Me? I'll spend my money on other stuff.

[This message has been edited by 30+mpg (edited 06-24-2006).]

quote Originally posted by 30+mpg: 11:15 June 24 on ebay "33 items found for a/c vacuum pump in eBay Motors Show only: Max Price: $25.00". By Monday? Yeah, right, like that's gonna happen. Pushing kinda hard aren't we?

Yep, by Monday. My wife's car is at the dealer for an engine change, so she is driving the Caddy. I am in the Fiero for the rest of the week, and it is HOT and HUMID here. All I'd have to do is take it to a shop to service, and I might have cool air. However, doing it right is important to me. And I know I need more than 20 - 30 minutes of time with a vacuum on the system.

Also doing it right is why I paid to have custom lines made. My stock hoses hit everything from the exhaust manifold, to the starter (shorting the terminals). I could have bent them, but the bends would have to have been so radical, that I was concerned about causing a kink, and resulting restrictions which will decrease cooling effectiveness. Your bends look good, but mine would not have come out as good under any circumstances. The ends where it connects to the body lines were way off and had to be twisted, or bent as well.

BTW, Loyde's prices are in line with what I paid... but his price for not having a hose might be a little steep.

I might go out and buy the air venturi pump from Harbor Frieght today... They are only 12 bucks.

[This message has been edited by topcat (edited 06-25-2006).]

Well, I checked with Autozone... lo and behold, they did have a vacuum pump as a loaner tool. The car is hooked to it now drawing a nice long vacuum...

Finally! I pumped the system down to 29.5 inches and held the vacuum for a total of 8 hours... , I know it sounds sounds excessive..., charged the system with almost 2.5 cans R-134, and got very cold air from the dash vents!
And not a moment too soon.