AC questions???

[Michael]

Went to buy a drier and an expansion valve today and they had two questions.... dealer or factory installed Air Conditioning??? How do I tell? I figured factory but not sure. It is on my 87 wag. Thanks in advance.

[TexasJ10]

I have never seen the illusive dealer installed unit. The only ones I have seen are the under dash units that are common. From a parts book I have it looks like the dealer installed units used a common expansion valve that had a single sensor bulb that clamped to the exterior of the suction side of the evaporator. The factory expansion valves have a sensor bulb, and an additional sensor that threads onto a port in the exiting, (suction)copper line coming from the evaporator. Both have male flare fittings. It looks like the same expansion valve might have been used on 83 to 89 Thunderbirds. Clear as mud???

[Bob Barry]

The dealer-installed compressor installed vertically, not horizontally like the factory-installed units, and used a fabricated-steel mounting bracket, rather than a cast-aluminum piece. My '78 Cherokee came with one.

There's a 99.99995% chance that yours is the factory-installed setup. The A/C was standard on GW's in '87.

[Petej8]

Michael,
I just finished A/C work on my '82 Chief, and learned a tough lesson. My A/C is dealer installed, but has factory A/C components. The dealer put in a factory compressor and evaporator, but installed a different reciever/drier, condensor, and hoses. No one in SE Virginia carried the hoses, so I had to have them made. I got the condensor and drier at Advance Auto. Maybe I'm paranoid after spending $460, but I'd go to a Jeep dealer that can access the full database for parts and have them run the numbers on yours. They should have an illustrated book, or microfiche so you can compare what you've got, to what they show.

Just my 2 cents, but if will save you $$$ and a headache, its worth it.

Pete

[BlueduckFSJ]

If you have the underdash unit, it is an 87, and the compressor is horizontally mounted(discharge and suction valves are on the left side) then you prolly have a factory A/C. If you are doing a R134a conversion from R-12 refrigerant then it is a good idea to replace the hoses...as the 134a eats through R-12 hoses. Also, as far as the receiver/drier is concerned, you can have an A/C shop fab you a hose that runs from the evaporator to the condensor, get a cheap "T-setup receiver/drier" and mount the drier on the fender instead of trying to mount it next to the condensor. You can get all hoses, and fixtures from NAPA if you just show them your hoses. The high pressure hose that you will have to get from the A/C place is the only thing you can't find at a parts store. The expansion valve part number you will be needing is 207587 I believe. Don't hold me to it, but I know it is 207_87. Good luck. going this route I went from no A/C, not even the compressor mounting brackets, to A/C for $200 and that includes the charge!

[Michael]

Thanks for the replies. I am going with the factory option....which is what I figured. I never heared 134 eating hoses??? We do conversions all the time at work and never have a problem. Just change the drier,expansion valve, retrofit fittings, and the majority of the oil and refill. Thanks for the replies again.