AC condenser upgrade

[deadironrat]

I'm in the process of fixing the AC on my recently acquired Wagoneer and I noticed the condenser looks like an over sized transmission cooler (tube and fin type). It seems painfully inadequate compared to the condensers you see on newer vehicles. Being that I live in Texas and it gets quite hot I'm interested in if anyone has ever upgraded to a newer style condenser? It seems like it should be fairly straight forward and would probably provide a huge boost to your AC.

Has anyone ever done this? If so what vehicle did the donor condenser come out of? And did you see a drop in inside air temperature?

[deadironrat]

What about upgrading to something like this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Universal-Parallel-Flow-Condenser-14-1-4-x-25-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3a66cd7c5aQQitemZ250832845914QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories#ht_1786wt_1165

It would fit in the same spot as the stock condenser and the tubes are on the correct side. Everything I've looked at says that parallel are hands down superior to the old tube and fin the Jeep used. Any opinions?

[JeepinPete]

You are only looking at half the system. The stock condenser is plenty adequate for the stock evaporator. For a higher capacity condenser to do you any good, you will have to increase the capacity of the evaporator or push more air through what you have.

[asphaltrockdweller]

You are only looking at half the system. The stock condenser is plenty adequate for the stock evaporator. For a higher capacity condenser to do you any good, you will have to increase the capacity of the evaporator or push more air through what you have.

Yeap!

What he said.
The condenser is fairly inexpensive in comparison to the evaporator.
I am doing an upgrade on my AC system, and found this out last week. To upgrade the evap, you are looking at 300-400 just for that.

[deadironrat]

I agree it's only half the system. But the stock evaporator doesn't seem quite as inadequate compared to the stock condenser. My thinking is if my evaporator isn't anywhere near freezing up (which mine isn't) then there is probably room for improvement.

Maybe it's just wishful thinking that this might help combat the Texas heat a little. But I certainly think it's worth a shot while I have the system apart.

[deadironrat]

Has anyone had any luck flushing their AC systems? Or perhaps know why you can't flush an expansion valve??

[asphaltrockdweller]

Has anyone had any luck flushing their AC systems? Or perhaps know why you can't flush an expansion valve??

Are you going to change over to R134?

If so you should change that. Expansion valves are not that expensive anyways.

[deadironrat]

Are you going to change over to R134?

If so you should change that. Expansion valves are not that expensive anyways.

I already have a new one. I was just curious. I can understand not flushing an orifice tube but the expansion valve seems strange. Since as far as I know it has no filter inside of it.

[deadironrat]

I stand corrected, there actually is a little metal screen down inside the expansion valve. At least there is in the old one I removed.

[FSJunkie]

If you replaced the condenser and increased the system's efficency so that it suppied cooler refrigerant to the evaporator, it would overpower the inefficent evaporator and freeze it up. Then you have no cooling.

[Thomas792]

Looking at that condenser I'm not sure it will work. I've been mocking up one based on dimensions on another site. The problem with the one in the link you provided is that the fitting is too close to the top. In my mock up I can put a 14 x 26 condenser in and the fittings are 2" from the top and bottom. At the top of the radiator support it dips down a bit on each side which is why the fitting 2" from the top will work well.

[Heavy_Metal_Thunder_81]

To upgrade the evap, you are looking at 300-400 just for that.

Autozone has evaporators for ~$100, Napa and O'Reily has them for ~$160. The condenser I can only seem to find at one place online for ~$300+

[deadironrat]

Buy a universal one like i posted a link too. Far more efficient and less then $70.

[GW Fisherman]

I'm in the process of fixing the AC on my recently acquired Wagoneer and I noticed the condenser looks like an over sized transmission cooler (tube and fin type). It seems painfully inadequate compared to the condensers you see on newer vehicles. Being that I live in Texas and it gets quite hot I'm interested in if anyone has ever upgraded to a newer style condenser? It seems like it should be fairly straight forward and would probably provide a huge boost to your AC.

Has anyone ever done this? If so what vehicle did the donor condenser come out of? And did you see a drop in inside air temperature?

How do you know what you already have is not adequate? The stock A/C works just fine as it was engineered. You would be throwing your money away unless you reengineered the whole thing. Your compressor only moves so much freon. Unless you replace everything matched to handle the volume of freon you can move through it, not gonna make a difference and may even hinder what you are after. That is why compressors, coils, metering devices, fan motors are matched for different tonnage.

Spend the money on insulating the roof.

[babywag]

Just refurb the stock unit. They work just fine.
No real need to "upgrade" the condenser. I just bought a stock type replacement in '05 when I redid my system.
Even in a high desert setting mine pumps out ice cold

Depending on ambient temp, etc. I get 34*-44* out of the driver's side vent (furthest vent from the evap.)

Still running R-12, and it works great.