Removing air conditioning setup from VH

[kimaz]

Bad photos but basically i want the ac gone, battery to boot, horn i have changed, then eventually new motor!

 

[Darren_L]

you can remove everything apart from the evaporator case, without any problems. You'll just have the two pipes from the evaporator sticking out of the firewall.
If it's not working, then chances are it has no gas in it. You can double check by pressing the schrader valve on one of the service ports. Once you establish there is no gas in the system, just unbolt it all and remove it all.

 

[VBRED]

The standard ventilation system in first generation commodores is crap. (compared to the earlier holdens) If you are going to remove the AC under the bonnet I would be removing the AC evaporator under the dash. You need to leave the evaporator case in and tape up the holes. This will much improve the air flow without so much restriction. Blank of the hole through the fire wall.

I am going to a lot of trouble to reinstate the AC into my VK. I am using a low mount after market compressor, aftermarket bracketing system, VL evaporator and VR condenser and receiver. The pipes will be custom made but hopefully it will all look neater than factory. I will be fitting dynamat to the inside of the fire wall and floor. I like my comfort.

 

[VBRED]

Bad photos but basically i want the ac gone, battery to boot, horn i have changed, then eventually new motor!

Second thoughts: The VH also came out with out AC in the base model cars. It is a more compact unit. The fan sits up under the plenum and the heater core is located in the same position. Get one of these complete units and remove the existing under dash and under bonnet AC. You will still have a fan and demist functions. I have put these units into my sons VH and my VB. It means pulling out nearly the entire dash though.

 

[Darren_L]

The standard ventilation system in first generation commodores is crap. (compared to the earlier holdens) If you are going to remove the AC under the bonnet I would be removing the AC evaporator under the dash. You need to leave the evaporator case in and tape up the holes. This will much improve the air flow without so much restriction. Blank of the hole through the fire wall.

I am going to a lot of trouble to reinstate the AC into my VK. I am using a low mount after market compressor, aftermarket bracketing system, VL evaporator and VR condenser and receiver. The pipes will be custom made but hopefully it will all look neater than factory. I will be fitting dynamat to the inside of the fire wall and floor. I like my comfort.

too right, the ventilation system in these first gens is terrible. The A/C was clearly an add on as it wasn't even an option on the Opels as far as Im aware. Particularly VB-VH. Even the heater barely blows enough air to keep the screen defrosted or the feet warm! I've even rebuilt the entire heater box. Replaced all the seals on the flaps/doors, new heater core and still it's crap.

The other thing that sucks about the VH system, is it has no air mix door. There is no heat to the face vents (only the floor and demist or 'bi level' as Holden refers to it as...) So the only A/C setting is cold - nothing in between...

The SS didn't have A/C, so I had to fit the entire system, including cutting out the hole in the firewall for the evaporator pipes. Found a NOS evaporator core, new blower fan, new tx valve, fit a newer style condensor and using a brand new VR compressor. I fit the biggest condensor fan I could. I've also wired the A/C switch through the 'A/C input' on the ECU, so it knows to adjust the IAC accordingly.

It works fairly well for what it is, but the compressor seems to run constantly once it's cycled out a couple of times. I've checked line pressures, they seem to creep up the longer the system runs. Not enough to trigger the high pressure switch, but it means the compressor works hard. I suspect the TX valve doesn't suit the R134a. R134a needs a lower tx pressure. I've got the older type tx (not the tx block) which is internally adjustable, but means I have to drop the gas every time I tweak it.....

 

[ajvx01]

Considered just doing a Vn ac swap?

 

[dags061]

As said I removed the heater Ac and all and have no idea how it all works.At least its not a VK with vacuum lines everywhere.

 

[kimaz]

Thanks for all your input everyone, I will make a start on it in the coming weeks