I see that both the York compressor and the Diesel Kiki compressor are fairly common. In fact I've seen at least two people comment that the York has been used in cars with very nice A/C.

Another person mentioned that while his R134a converted 240s had poor to marginal A/C, his 264 w/ its AC Delco AC-6 compressor was fantastic with R134a and a pusher fan.

So what gives?

- alex

'85 244 Turbo
'84 245 Turbo

Maybe it's a pre 90s European thing. I had a 1980 320i that had a pitiful AC system. The mini-York compressor was up to the task, good cold air, but very little volume. The dealer's service department said it was normal as the AC was almost an afterthought for us "soft" Americans. He said that AC didn't improve until they took a couple German engineers and made them drive around the desert southwest for a few weeks in the middle of the summer.

Don't know if that was true, but that's what a service writer told me. Made a good humorous story, anyway...

Justin B.

I had my diesel kiki converted to r-134 about 2 years ago by barbers automotive here in sacramento . I fixed the leaks. they did a vaccum, added the 134, proper lube. I took an electric fan out of a pugueot(spelling?)and installed it so that it runs whenever the compressor is on.

It does not cool as fast as R_12, , but it does cool. It takes an attitude adjustment. Up to around 95 degree it does a pretty good job. When it starts to get into triple digits, it takes awhile longer.

I was sitting idling , reading, on a 95 degree day. I got so cold, I had to turn it down. And it will do this at most any temperature. The hotter it gets, the longer it takes.

OH, the conversion was only $135.(throw in $20 for the fan)

Lawrence

I guess I really should qualify my questions.

None of my cars have working A/C. Right now I don't have the budget to fix them. Given this summer weather, I'm plotting to fix the A/C on at least one car eventually. Thus the questions.

Most of the comments I see on the brickboard (and elsewhere) seem to indicate a dissatisfaction with the Volvo A/C setup. Certainly my friend's wagon with its R-12 powered system is reasonable (and it doesn't get THAT hot) but not spectacular. The other friend's 760 (134a) is also reasonable but not quite as powerful as the wagon (I also haven't gotten a chance to .

My story: I was at the LinuxWorld Conference and Expo in 2000. I drove down to San Jose at about 10-11am and I took 280 all the way down to the San Jose Convention center. Of course it wasn't too hot, but I had the A/C on in the Taurus anyhow (which was never very good at keeping a charge) by the time I had passed Daly City I could see my breath in front of me.

After looking at nostalgicairparts.com, I've started to wonder if it would indeed be worth dropping a few custom components in there. At the very least, their prices on new compressors and condensers are excellent. I'm thinking maybe there's room to fit higher capacity equipment in stock locations.

So I guess the big question is.. what do I have to do to achieve that benchmark with my Volvo?

- alex

Wow...here in Florida we have REALLY COLD AC WITH R134!
Among the helpful 'tweaks':

Metal 3-row radiator
Thermostatic 'pusher' fan
cooler thermostat

I've got 3 bricks, and know of 10 others amoung my friends...all are fabulously chilly on the worst of days (95f/95% humidity)...though we do need to recharge with a 'booster shot' of refrigerant once a year or so.

Let us know if you manage to get this sorted.

-Dee JAY

You guys are scaring me. The A/C on my 84 245 (with 220,000 miles on it)just ran out of R12. Nobody has any left either. Cans on EBAY require a licence to buy them. Firestone wants "a couple hundred" to retrofit the new R134A. I was going to try to convert it myself, but if this doesn't work as well as the old R12, I might just go without it.
Ben

If you know you have R12 in there, you can find someone to evacuate the system.

Then the fun starts. You can fill the system with the proper oil and an R12 substutite (a blend of stuff.. like Freeze 12) that doesn't require new hoses. And presto, you've got working A/C for a whole lot less than it would cost to convert or fill with R12. Plus, you've got A/C that'll cool a whole lot better than with R134a.

What's the catch?

First, there's the risk that the substutite will gum up the seals. I've heard this batted around before, but never seen this backed up by any fact.

Second, it's a blend. This means that when it leaks, AFAIK, you'll have to evacuate the system and refill. You can't (or shouldn't) just top it off.

Third, it's a blend. Many (most?) reputable shops won't touch it. Ideally you'll need different (non R12, non R134a) fittings on your car.. and a shop would need separate equipment just for this blend. You would too if you're handling it. But you could probably rig something up pretty cheap considering you wouldn't be required to handle any other types of refrigerant.

If you do any of this yourself, you'll need EPA certification which costs about $20.

- alex

I have the DK compressor/R12 system and it can get too cold in the Alabama summer.
--
92 244 lowered, Bilsteins, IPD sways, Unitek cam/header, TSW Revo 18x8's - 94 965 Niiice MONEY PIT! - 76 Datsun 280Z lowered, modified head, cam, headers, intake

Alex,
I have found in playing with my 4 (all with working AC) that charge is critical in 240s, also I noticed a huge difference in the calibration of the thermostat in them. Turning it all the way to the red seems to bypass the thermostat function "for quick cooling of the interior" as the glove box manual says. This gave cold air on all 4, (39-42) at 1500 rpm, moving the dial to the red/blue edge and holding rpms at 1500 would give between 41 (244Ti) and 47 ('88)

Just a guess but I don't think that is a high tech piece of equipment, more like a late 70s version of climate control. I know at first I was hesitant to turn it all the way into the red, red does mean danger after all, then I found out the '91+ just had a switch and gave it a shot, wow cold air.

The manual says not to leave it there as there is a chance of icing the evaporator, this is true in building AC systems when not enough air is flowing across the evap' so it makes sense if you had the fan on low it might in the car also. I did end up putting a switch from a later car in the 245 and it was not adjustable for me, too cold at times (when is the last time you heard that about a 240) so I put the dial back in series with the switch.
Cheers
Dave Shannon
Spring Valley, California (San Diego area)
'84-245 200K+
'84-245T 190K+ (parts is parts)
'85-244Ti 200K+ (getting a complete sound proofing)
'88-240 180K+
'01 Jeep Wrangler Sahara 10K
www.volvo2.homestead.com (Opens new window)

most older 240s have a york/techemsa type compressor. nothing wrong with these. volvo a/c system with these compressor are same as all the FOMOCO that used same. most cool rather well. the 134A does not take temps down as quick as r-12 did. desiel kiki/sankyo type compressors are ok to but have very little lubrication. A-6 delco....if your refering to the big old GM compressors, these were also very good. the pancake R-6 was a piece of crap.... its just what you like...more then anything.....