IntellectCorner
Probationary Member
- 10
- 3
- May 6, 2023
-
Harrisonburg,
Virginia
I have a 1991 Eagle Talon TSI AWD. I'm doing a bunch of work to it to get it squared away nicely and back on the road after approx 8 years. I've owned the car for probably slightly over 20 years. It's HAD an a/c system on the car and the system was closed up, but it's never worked for as long as I've owned the car. I'm looking to replace nearly EVERYTHING in the system, with the potential exceptions being some of the fully-metal hard lines, and the evaporator. So we will be replacing the compressor, condenser, expansion valve, receiver/dryer, etc., ALL the o-rings, and hopefully all the hoses with rubber portions to them. FYI I believe the A/C system was already converted to R134a before I bought it.
However, when I look at parts lists, I see it implies two more than one possible AC compressor types on the car (and I'm almost sure in the past I've seen listings for both types, although at the moment only one), but nothing specifies how to tell them apart. With the compressor on the car we can't see any writing or stickers on it. I do notice that some say (or show) a v-belt and others a serpentine belt. My car has a serpentine belt on the current compressor (and that matches the crank pulley). At the moment I'm only seeing listings for "models with 10PA17C Compressor" (sometimes also called "nippondenso compressor").
How can you tell / what is the difference between the two different AC compressors? Is it the difference between V belt and serpentine belt? Or is it more complicated to tell?
Do I have to remove the current compressor to see a sticker or markings on it somewhere...? If I have to than so be it, but if not, it'd save both money (labor) and also means we're leaving even more of the system open for a while (we just a week or two ago had to open the system to get the dash out, because we have to replace the heater core).
...side note to that, the heater cores I see available on parts sites (i.e. Rockauto.com) are showing a slightly different design than the original, with one of the metal hoses coming out of the end tank in the center instead of at the end. They also *appear* [it's hard to tell comparing pictures to pictures] that the long hose comes out significantly further from the core before turning and running parallel with the other pipe. ...specifically it *appears* to stick out further, in the direction that the factory one is hard up against the firewall [well, against the soundproofing on the firewall]. My brother [that's currently working on the car] said he's pretty confident the new models would still fit in the heater core housings, but that's just a best guess. I'm just curious if anyone had dealt with that vaguely recently (i.e. last several years haha) and knows if the new designs fit OK?
[EDIT: I think I was looking at the pictures and my old core at different angles, so I don't think what was an issue is actually an issue; that said, if anyone has had to replace their heater core vaguely recently, it'd be very helpful to hear if a modern aftermarket one worked for you!]
Also, I can only find 2 of the A/C lines (I think one from Rockauto, and one from Ebay), I think the two that connect to the compressor itself (high side and low side). Is there anywhere that sells any of the other lines? Ideally I'd like to replace all the lines that have rubber portions in them. I'm almost sure that there's more than those two lines that have rubber portions... I could be wrong though.
I currently only have the factory radiator fan [with it's metal housing]. Therefore there is currently NO condenser fan, and since I'm trying to get the AC working again, I want to add one. Is there any good place to buy a slimline [or equivalent/similar type] fan? The only ones I'm finding are stupid expensive... is there any cheaper brand names, or a good place to buy a slimline for a reasonable price?
I ask about a slimline (or similar type) of fan because I'm hoping to put it on the FRONT of the condenser (between it and the FMIC) to keep it away from the turbo heat (and also to leave more space for when I eventually upgrade the turbo even further [currently an Evo 3 16G]).
Thanks in advance for any help or advice you can give me!
[If you're curious to learn more details about my car, and the current maintenance trip/job I'm doing on it, or have more general questions/comments about the car/build, check out my post "Getting my 1G 1991 Eagle Talon TSI AWD back on the road!" in this forum.]
However, when I look at parts lists, I see it implies two more than one possible AC compressor types on the car (and I'm almost sure in the past I've seen listings for both types, although at the moment only one), but nothing specifies how to tell them apart. With the compressor on the car we can't see any writing or stickers on it. I do notice that some say (or show) a v-belt and others a serpentine belt. My car has a serpentine belt on the current compressor (and that matches the crank pulley). At the moment I'm only seeing listings for "models with 10PA17C Compressor" (sometimes also called "nippondenso compressor").
How can you tell / what is the difference between the two different AC compressors? Is it the difference between V belt and serpentine belt? Or is it more complicated to tell?
Do I have to remove the current compressor to see a sticker or markings on it somewhere...? If I have to than so be it, but if not, it'd save both money (labor) and also means we're leaving even more of the system open for a while (we just a week or two ago had to open the system to get the dash out, because we have to replace the heater core).
...side note to that, the heater cores I see available on parts sites (i.e. Rockauto.com) are showing a slightly different design than the original, with one of the metal hoses coming out of the end tank in the center instead of at the end. They also *appear* [it's hard to tell comparing pictures to pictures] that the long hose comes out significantly further from the core before turning and running parallel with the other pipe. ...specifically it *appears* to stick out further, in the direction that the factory one is hard up against the firewall [well, against the soundproofing on the firewall]. My brother [that's currently working on the car] said he's pretty confident the new models would still fit in the heater core housings, but that's just a best guess. I'm just curious if anyone had dealt with that vaguely recently (i.e. last several years haha) and knows if the new designs fit OK?
[EDIT: I think I was looking at the pictures and my old core at different angles, so I don't think what was an issue is actually an issue; that said, if anyone has had to replace their heater core vaguely recently, it'd be very helpful to hear if a modern aftermarket one worked for you!]
Also, I can only find 2 of the A/C lines (I think one from Rockauto, and one from Ebay), I think the two that connect to the compressor itself (high side and low side). Is there anywhere that sells any of the other lines? Ideally I'd like to replace all the lines that have rubber portions in them. I'm almost sure that there's more than those two lines that have rubber portions... I could be wrong though.
I currently only have the factory radiator fan [with it's metal housing]. Therefore there is currently NO condenser fan, and since I'm trying to get the AC working again, I want to add one. Is there any good place to buy a slimline [or equivalent/similar type] fan? The only ones I'm finding are stupid expensive... is there any cheaper brand names, or a good place to buy a slimline for a reasonable price?
I ask about a slimline (or similar type) of fan because I'm hoping to put it on the FRONT of the condenser (between it and the FMIC) to keep it away from the turbo heat (and also to leave more space for when I eventually upgrade the turbo even further [currently an Evo 3 16G]).
Thanks in advance for any help or advice you can give me!
[If you're curious to learn more details about my car, and the current maintenance trip/job I'm doing on it, or have more general questions/comments about the car/build, check out my post "Getting my 1G 1991 Eagle Talon TSI AWD back on the road!" in this forum.]
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