Talk me into, or out of, it...

[someotherguy]

Kick your idle up to 1500rpm and see what happens with the temps.

I'm no expert(I'll lead with that), but I would put some more in. I also like to use an adjustable low pressure switch and pull it down further before it cycles. Did you use a Ford orange orifice tube?

Used the Ford yellow orifice at @L31MaxExpress advice. I'm ready to put more in simply based on that I haven't yet filled it to GM spec. The truck is a 1993 which of course was R12, but I've replaced everything with parts spec'd for same truck but 1994 model which is R134a - and I've got the 1994 factory manuals here. It says system capacity is 2lbs R134a, so I should be about 8oz short at the moment. Time to get out the wife's kitchen scale.

Richard

 

[fancyTBI]

Thank you for all the detailed photos and your expectations. This is helpful for me. Build threads are so handy for finding tech tips.

 

[someotherguy]

Used the wife's kitchen scale to throw about 7.5-8oz more R134a in. I think the can w/tap came in around 17.9ish. Alcoa box used as a work stand for good luck.

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I also threw myself a curve ball by rolling the windows up so with the system on recirculate, ambient dropped a lot, which dropped the pressures. I probably should've already had it like this considering how godawful hot it was inside the garage, but now this made watching it by pressure a little tricky. Regardless, I was planning on being close to spec on the charge amount so that wouldn't be an unknown.

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Success.. 40F at the vent. And mind you this is at IDLE, in a 100F+ garage, with a shop fan blowing sideways across the grille because there's no room to put it directly in front. It's seriously like a damn oven in the garage, but my new A/C system is pumping out 40F at idle. Gotta love it!

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Richard

 

[grampadirt]

Man that is awesome,good job Richard As far as that coil goes keep it for a spare...you never know.Gotta love cold A/C on a hot day.

 

[Scooterwrench]

Did you put any kind of heater control valve in it?

 

[someotherguy]

Did you put any kind of heater control valve in it?

Nope. These trucks (well the older ones like mine) didn't come with them and I've had them cooling very well in the past. If you look at the airflow path through the system, as long as the temperature blend door is working properly and sealing well, no airflow crosses the heater core when you have the selector on full cold, you only get some passive heating from the heater core's proximity in the box to the evaporator core.

I do agree they can be a helpful addition, though. If it doesn't get cold enough to keep me happy I might give it a little help if needed. I'm thinking once I get the headliner installed and some window tint, it's gonna be nice and comfy after everything is put back together.

Richard

 

[someotherguy]

Because who needs sleep? It dropped into the upper 80's for the evening so after we had dinner and watched a movie, around midnight I jumped back out into the shop to put the dash back together.

This is the replacement dash I wasn't sure I was going to use. I looked it over pretty hard and although it's not great, it's not bad either, so I said F it and started assembly. I had stripped it down to the shell so I could pick which parts from either dash would work best as it went together..

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Lots more pieces put back on and wiring harness routed, although for the life of me I can't figure out exactly where the hot fuel module clipped on near the ECM, so I've just got it tucked behind the DRAC for now.

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Everything on the dash (except the non-working stereo) installed and tightened down, few loose ends to tie up later like vacuuming so I can put the door sill plates and kick panels back on. Drivable now though!

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Needs other little stuff like I need to glue clips onto the speaker grilles, replace an under dash bulb, find a driver side vent (broken slats in mine) and try to get the cupholder to fit a little tighter; the screw location for one side didn't want to cooperate very well.

Richard

 

[89RCLB]

That looks great! I really love the Grey interiors.

 

[95burban]

40 at the vents is good, nice job. But, is there something lurking in the Alcoa box that we need to know about

 

[OutlawDrifter]

I'll declare a win in your favor!