Air Conditioning Effectiveness

[Dan Carter]

For those who used the Vintage Air system supplied with the car, how good id your working in AC mode?

How many pounds of 134 did you use?

I've done all the typical system pressure checks, swapped out the orifice tube, ran dye and see no leaks (I replaced the expansion valve for room). The system simply will not cool down the cockpit. The greenhouse affect is winning.

Thanks

 

[Rich Kruger]

Dan what is the ambient temp and the duct temps? You should see at least a twenty degree drop.

 

[Alan P]

Quadruple check that the heater valve isn't pumping hot water through the core while you are trying to cool. Sounds elementary, but it can happen

 

[Keith]

I agree with the others here. First check the heater coolant tubes where they enter the box, they should not be warmer than the ambient temp in the cockpit. Next check the outlet temp. It should be 15 to 20 degrees F cooler than the cockpit ambient temp. Next check the air volume coming from the outlets, if you do not have enough airflow the evaporator will freeze up. Last, your freon, ‘generally” systems running a little on the lean side cool better. If i remember correctly, in my 40 I used in the 16 to 17 ounce range of 134A. It was cooling with one can but still had bubbles/foam in the sight glass. Added just enough more to get the bubbles to clear up and stopped. Mine won’t freeze you out but it is comfortable even in the Alabama summer.
Keith






’

 

[Dan Carter]

Good call on heater. I checked it by hand upstream and it’s cool to the touch. Too hot to touch on engine side so that is good. I have a little foam action in sight glass but clears up as soon as compressor comes on. Once I top it off I will check temp diff again looking for approx 15/20 degree delta.

not looking forward to the dog days of summer in Georgia without more cooling.
PS. We tried to get ceramic tint to stick/form to poly but it won’t do it. The ceramic cuts UV and radiant heat better than I could imagine.

 

[DaveC]

Your drier/desiccant wasn't ever open to atmosphere was it?

 

[Dan Carter]

No. Just to make sure I replaced it.

 

[Kyle]

I thought cam was able to get tint to stick to his windows? I’m in south Florida so I’m going to have to find some way to cool this car. Do you only have two vents on the dash? Do you think a 3rd would help?

 

[Alan P]

Have you put manifold gauges on and checked your high side / low side pressures?

 

[Del]

I thought cam was able to get tint to stick to his windows? I’m in south Florida so I’m going to have to find some way to cool this car. Do you only have two vents on the dash? Do you think a 3rd would help?

Yep CamT was able to get tint to stick to the windows. I followed suit with my windows. I believe we both have had bubbles that appeared months later. Over the winter I noticed my passenger window has more bubbles than the drivers, not sure if it was due to install or the lack of heat. I hope with summer coming and it being outside more, some will go away. At any rate, even with some bubbles the tint makes a huge difference when driving and especially for me since I don't wear sunglasses much. If anyone else wanted theirs done, the guy in Houston that did mine said he would do it for others.

 

[Dan Carter]

Gauge pressure was good however I’m going to do a volume check as well. I see a little foam in the sight window.

I have 4 vents. I used two adjustable vents on top of dash to double as defrosters and cockpit vents, dual duty.

 

[Cam]

After ~3 years the tint on my driver's side is so bubbled I'm about to take it off. The passenger side isn't as bad; the driver's side was exposed to sun more than the passenger. The difference tint makes is noticeable. I'm tempted to try it again with the tint being applied to the OUTSIDE - the convex shape is easier to apply tint to than the convex. I figure it'll be sacrificial and will eventually need to be replaced again, but maybe someone else would be willing to give it a shot by applying on the outside. I've since moved from the original place that did my tint and yeah, no one wants to touch applying tint on a convex poly surface.

 

[Neil]

Cam, here in Southern Arizona is where window tint is almost a necessity in the summer. The spray or brush-on liquid window coatings all deteriorate quickly and create bubbles like you described. The metallized films are much more effective and long lived; the best ones that I've found are made by 3M. These are not simply a darkening film, they reflect a great deal of UV & infrared as well. Check that the film optical density does not violate the law in your area.

 

[Pierre]

would it be possible to make your own windows using a smoked poly?

 

[Del]

After ~3 years the tint on my driver's side is so bubbled I'm about to take it off. The passenger side isn't as bad; the driver's side was exposed to sun more than the passenger. The difference tint makes is noticeable. I'm tempted to try it again with the tint being applied to the OUTSIDE - the convex shape is easier to apply tint to than the convex. I figure it'll be sacrificial and will eventually need to be replaced again, but maybe someone else would be willing to give it a shot by applying on the outside. I've since moved from the original place that did my tint and yeah, no one wants to touch applying tint on a convex poly surface.

Since I've been driving mine more this year than last, my tint bubbles has GREATLY increase. To the point where it is getting embarrassing to even look at. I'll snap some pics to share on here or my thread, but definitely in same boat as you about removing it.

With the vinyl overlay on outside of my windows, I think if I got it redone only inside the overlay it possibly would hold up better. Not sure if I'm willing to try it or maybe attempt vinyl (taillight) type tint.

 

[Del]

would it be possible to make your own windows using a smoked poly?

I contacted the people that make the windows to see if they would make me a set in smoke. They would, but they have a contract with RCR and I'd have to go through RCR to purchase. Last I asked RCR, they weren't willing to order any. Maybe that has changed or could change if they had enough pre-orders to make it worthwhile???

Tinted side windows is a necessity here in Louisiana and not only that, makes the car look much better IMO.

 

[Dusty]

id take a set. get a count

 

[Joel K]

I would be in as well

 

[Del]

No doubt I would be in as well if we could get some produced. Should we start a new thread for an official count?

One thing to note is I'd suspect they like may be darker than your state's legal limit for tint. Mine are tinted 30% currently which is beyond Louisiana's 50% tint on ours. I'm 110% okay with paying tickets if I got any.

Here's my tint as of last Friday for anyone curious. Wasn't near this bad the week before, only passenger side was worse. I've considered hitting up place I got it done, he said they stood behind their work 100%. But I'd rather new tinted lexan if I could.

 

[Dusty]

if you can see out of them at night I vote ticket tint