Vintage Air installation in a 1968 Satellite

[Kern Dog]

Great news.
I thought they’d be fine but wanted to be sure.

The alignment access plate is back!

 

[Kern Dog]

Trial fit-mock up.

The original bulkhead/Manifold plate was cut in half since I only need two ports for the A/C lines.

The #10 fittings started out as 45 degrees but had to be bent slightly to get the angle I need. It needs even less angle but I don’t feel comfortable going further. The hose will curve enough to compensate.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

what about using those barrier hoses recommended above? Should allow more flex, although they require different fittings and crimp dies...but we've gone this far. What do you think?

vintage air calls their new lines reduced barrier as the outer wall is reduced in diameter but the inner diameter is unchanged. This makes the lines more flexible and take up less space. They require fittings to match and different crimp dies.

 

[Kern Dog]

I have read about those "reduced barrier" hoses and fittings but I don't need them for this. To me, that would be money spent that isn't necessary.
I can figure this out.
The upper two holes were hogged oversize and fitted with grommets too.

Inside, it looks pretty good.

Good there. Next was to drill holes in the fender apron to mount the bulkheads. By cutting the 4 port bulkhead/manifold in half, I was able to use the other half on the fender apron side for the A/C fittings.

The favorable angle of the heater hoses put the outside hose in line with the forward edge of the opening of the rear opening for UCA alignment.

I used a level and scribed a line on the inside to get it right.

Time to drill and do it right.

I wasn't sure if washers were necessary but I had them. I took the edges to a grinder so they'd fit.

 

[Kern Dog]

Since I used the other half of the (cut in half) 4 port manifold....

I was able to set this $49 part aside...

The upper ports were marked and drilled for the heater hose fittings.
Some of you may be wondering why I didn't use the 4 port bulkhead/manifold here. As stated several pages back, this surface of the apron didn't have an area that was flat enough to mount the square base plate without distorting it or the car body. Plus, the spacing I needed for both plates to lay flat is a little further apart. The blue lines (below picture) would have been in the uneven spot, the upper and lower sections needed to be apart a bit further...

It fits together here.

I do still intend to use another # 10 fitting at the firewall end to reduce that angle a bit.
How does the inside look?

 

[Kern Dog]

I have the compressor end figured.

Here was another small problem. The heater fittings I had blocked access to the pressure port.

It didn't matter how I attached the heater fittings, the # 10 fitting below with the pressure port was blocked.

The pressure port will have to be put inline somewhere else. Maybe here?

I rearranged the heater fittings.

I shaped them a bit to aim the heater hoses to the gray bracket. The #10 90 degree fitting was swapped for a plain elbow style.
This will put the 4 hoses all sort of close together, two over two. The #6 elbow will get a hose going forward to then connect to a custom shaped hard line I've yet to do.

I still need to find a place to mount this:

Inline heater control valve. It shuts off coolant flow when the A/C is full cold. Vintage Air shows it here:

My crude depiction:

Orange square is the unit, green line is the wiring from it ran behind the lines, down and through a hole already in the firewall.
I'll have to hog it out a bit but I'll use a grommet.
OR I could drill a hole up higher and just block off the lower hole.
Everything is fluid and subject to review as a better idea comes along.

 

[Kern Dog]

Are those heater hose fittings o-ring fittings like the a/c lines. If so they are overkill for heater hoses under a small amount of pressure. If it were me I would use grommets and send all of those heater hose fittings back. A good fitting grommet and some black silicone sealer on the grommets and hoses and everything will be water tight. Just my .02.

All of these fittings seem to have the O-rings in the end. I thought the same as you, Dan. The heater hose "circuit" isn't under tremendous pressure like the A/C system. What is the radiator cap pressure? Surely less than 20 lbs, right? The factory used those simple wire clamps on radiator and heater hoses and they held up fine.
I'll use the supplied oil on all the O rings regardless.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

16-lb cap

 

[Jeff Peterson]

I don't have any pics, but when I put AC on the D600, I put both the pressure ports right off the compressor.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

I don't have any pics, but when I put AC on the D600, I put both the pressure ports right off the compressor.

Bad idea.... As I stated in post 232

You don't want the low side chare port on the compressor.... I know people have done it and usually get away with it.... But when charging sometimes you get liquid refrigerant coming through the gauge... If that happens the compressor tried to compress liquid... By moving the charge port back near the firewall the refrigerant expands as it enters the larger hose.. As it expands it changes state from liquid to vapor preventing damage to the compressor..

 

[1 Wild R/T]

The pressure port will have to be put inline somewhere else. Maybe here?

View attachment 1617982

If I were you I would really try to use a fitting with a charge port back at the inner fender penetration.... Every fitting/crimp should be looked at as a potential leak... So putting a charge port mid hose adds two potential leaks...

 

[mopar jack]

have you tried putting the heater hoses on top of each other at the inside apron then place both AC lines on the right side putting the # 10 on top.?

 

[Kern Dog]

If I were you I would really try to use a fitting with a charge port back at the inner fender penetration.... Every fitting/crimp should be looked at as a potential leak... So putting a charge port mid hose adds two potential leaks...

I would prefer to use the fitting at the apron too. To do that, It would need the valve on the outside of the curve, not on top of it.
I'll see if Vintage has one with the valve like this:

If the fitting were where the red mark above is, it would be ideal.

 

[Kern Dog]

have you tried putting the heater hoses on top of each other at the inside apron then place both AC lines on the right side putting the # 10 on top.?

I could do that. If I can't find a fitting with the valve in the different spot, it is an option. It does complicate the lines in the wheelwell though.

 

[Jeff Peterson]

I would prefer to use the fitting at the apron too. To do that, It would need the valve on the outside of the curve, not on top of it.
I'll see if Vintage has one with the valve like this:

View attachment 1618170

If the fitting were where the red mark above is, it would be ideal.

Old air products
A/C Fitting | 90 Degree Female O-ring w/ 134A Service Port

 

[Kern Dog]

Yep, as long as those are the #10 sized fitting ends, that is exactly what I need. Thank you.

 

[Jeff Peterson]

Bad idea.... As I stated in post 232

You don't want the low side chare port on the compressor.... I know people have done it and usually get away with it.... But when charging sometimes you get liquid refrigerant coming through the gauge... If that happens the compressor tried to compress liquid... By moving the charge port back near the firewall the refrigerant expands as it enters the larger hose.. As it expands it changes state from liquid to vapor preventing damage to the compressor..

From Sanden’s website

 

[Kern Dog]

There seems to be a WIDE range of how these systems are plumbed. I see driers near the grille, behind the core support, on the fender aprons and on the firewall.
I’ve seen pressure ports all over the place.

 

[Kern Dog]

I went to three shops that normally carry a wide arrangement of fittings. None of them had what I needed.
At home, I did a search and found this:

I had the wife order it. It won't be here for 9 days so I'll have to busy myself with other things.

 

[Kern Dog]

With routing and fitment close to being all figured out, I could actually start crimping some fittings.
This brings up a point to mention.
Each crimp means that fitting is done.
If you later decide to shorten or lengthen the hose, that crimped fitting is not reusable. You have to get it right or just live with what you did.
With that in mind, I’ve looked at the #10 suction line that runs from the right apron to the compressor. This still needs the elbow fitting at the apron, the one I ordered that has the port/valve in the right spot:

It is ran long since it is easier to cut down than to lengthen it.
See how the hose rests against the fan shroud in the curve? I’m wonder if that is good or bad. I could shorten it to be like this:

It will get an Adel clamp at the apron.

My thoughts are that the curved section between the compressor and the clamp could flex a bit but it looks to be in no danger of touching the belts or fan. I’ll let Dwayne decide.
The #10 line in the wheel well…
Before, the fitting at the firewall had too much angle to it. I shaped it a bit.
New fitting to the left, reshaped one to the right:

It doesn’t seem like much but look at how straight the line looks now. The first picture is the first series of mock-ups. The second picture I just took moments ago.

These can now be crimped and reinstalled.