Another Griffiths AC Install Thread

[ccallana]

So started some work this weekend - and made a whole bunch of mistakes right off the bat....

Cracked my Evaporator box getting it out of the smugglers box. Broke retention clips off both the rear defroster and emergency flasher switches taking the plugs off the back getting the console out... cracked the new fan speed switch mounting it in the console! geesh!! I'm a walking disaster. Hopefully some super glue will work on some of it - maybe a patch kit on the evap box (see other thread I started there) -

Evaporator fins were kinda munged up in a few places...

I "evacuated" the system myself - put down towels and such in case dye sprayed out - but when I went to push the Shrader valve, it barely went pffft... there was really no pressure left in the system

[GH85Carrera]

One other tricky thing is placement of the temperature sensing bulb. Check where it was, and try to replicate that position. And read his instructions carefully, and just go step by step. If you are using his new and improved temperature temp control and fan speed switch, getting that large grommet back in place on the firewall is a real challenge. I lubed mine up with lots of lube, and pushed and shoved and cussed a lot.

[Mr. Merk]

Use the cracked evap box as an opportunity to insulate the exterior of the box with insulation tape from your favorite home improvement store.

Insulating evaporator box...has anyone done this?

[ccallana]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

If you are using his new and improved temperature temp control and fan speed switch, getting that large grommet back in place on the firewall is a real challenge..

I've actually had that grommet out 2 or 3 times now ... its a bit tricky but not as bad as I thought it might be - I use a small screwdriver to push the last bit in and it seems to go ok...

Griff is being super generous and sending me a new fan speed switch (just the switch) so I will have to solder the wires back on - no big deal.. I better not break this one!

[blucille]

I've bought a few switches from Griff, I guess the generosity wears off at some point. I just bought a few high quality switches and I will test them against the 2nd broken one. This one is made of metal.

[ccallana]

Got the adjustable under dash vents from Classic Retro... passenger one in... can't get the screws out of the drivers side yet... I'm afraid I'm going to strip them.. need a bigger screwdriver!!

[ccallana]

Made a bit of progress this week ... Lost my Saturday to AX school

Took off the rear condenser and flushed it out , resoldered the fan switch.... ...

Removed the front condenser and installed the new one.... Tried to do it without removing the crash bar but it was just too hard to get the bolts back in... I would suggest just removing the bar.. it's pretty simple

The lines were a bit more interesting... I ended up having to partially drop the washer fluid reservoir and cutting one of the old hoses to get the 2 hoses out and back in... Took forever to get the top bolt back in and I gave up getting the clamp back together after like 45 minutes of fighting... Will have to go back to it

One thing I didn't know and I think I messed up .. went to remove the receiver / drier and after loosening the clamps I backed out the screws holding the mounting bracket to the wheel we'll .. didn't realize there were nuts behind there and now I can't remount it . Are those nuts now somewhere I can get to?

The other thing no one tells you is how much dirt falls out when you unmount the hoses.... I did a prewash of my wheel well to try and avoid this and still ended up with dirt everywhere.... What a mess!

Up next I guess is the rear wheel well and installing both the condensers there.

I'm not strictly following the suggested order of operations from Griff, mainly just due to the windows of time I have available...

[blucille]

Can you install rivnuts where the receiver drier mounts? I’m installing AC in a car that never had it and that’s how I mounted mine.

[GH85Carrera]

Yea, the worst part of the install is the new hoses. It is a very dirty job to do. I just used wire and some tape, cut the end off the old hose, and taped on the new hose and pulled it through the holes. Still lots of dirt on me and in my face.

[cky3396]

the receiver dryer should be mounted by worm gear clamps right? how was yours mounted?

[wazzz]

I think he means the vertical bracket that these worm clamps attach to. In the PET, this bracket is shown attached to the wheel well by 2 sheet metal screws. No nuts are shown.

[ccallana]

Correct - I'll get a picture later - but yes, the clamps are strapped around a bar which is screwed to the back of the wheel well. I heard a distinct "plink" when I backed the screw out of the nut falling inside somewhere...

Self tapping sheet metal screw might be a good solution to remount...

As a side note, this is the first I've done where I see a hint of rust - the bracket has some rust on it... not sure why right here though and no where else...

[ccallana]

Picture of the mounting location and bracket

[Mr. Merk]

I've done this!

You can fish them out with a magnet and reinstall them. It is possible but you may need a friend and a couple of beers.

Lesson learned. Dumb engineering.

[ccallana]

Finished the switches in the dash.... Fan turns on at least

Painted the drier bracket, squeezed some silicon in the holes and remounted with some sheet metal screws..

Then ran out of time for today

[ccallana]

Got the Rear Fender condenser installed - I hate drilling into my perfectly good car... and working with some of those small nuts and bolts is more work than it should be...

got the 1 mounting bolt for the Duehl Kuehl (front of the wheel well) put in thru the seatbelt retractor - again, more difficult than it probably should have been... having to take apart the trim panels and such just to get to the bolt... and working with the car up on stands - only on the left side, so the door wouldn't stay open ...

Next is to finish that condenser- mounting it up to the torsion bar cover.. and then I think getting the evap box remounted and all the hoses ...

[ccallana]

Lot of progress tonight.... basically got the left side of the car finished... both rear condensers in, plumbed and wired... ran into a snag mounting the one in front of the rear wheel - when getting the nyloc nut on, it was fairly tight and started backing out the seat belt bolt. so had to go back inside and hold that down while working the nut on the outside - get an extra set of hands.. much easier

Got the drier installed and plumbed, along with the front condenser--- some of the hose routing is a pain, but it all ends up fitting.

Hint when trying to push the hose up from the wheel well to the engine bay... stick a flash light in the engine bay so from underneath you can see where the hose is supposed to go.. made the job 10x easier...

Still need to cut all the zip ties

Next is to get the hoses into the evap box (I really don't want to take the skid plate off...) and run the hose down the right side of the car.. replace the compressor... put the rock guards on... at least 1 or 2 more days...

Need to reinstall the deck lid condenser - I kept my original one... I did a flush but it says to blow it out with compressed air - I don't have a compressor.. but I can still hear some sort of liquid in it.. ...

[cky3396]

looking good! nice work. I had a lot of fun when I installed my Griffiths kit

[isby]

I installed Griffiths system several years ago and a/c still works great. What’s the purpose of the thick rubber flap over the wheel well condenser. Mine is ripping and I’m wondering if I can just remove it.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by isby

I installed Griffiths system several years ago and a/c still works great. What’s the purpose of the thick rubber flap over the wheel well condenser. Mine is ripping and I’m wondering if I can just remove it.

Mine is a sheet of plastic, I cut to shape to protect the condensers from rocks and debris thrown up from the tires. Mine has been in place for 18 years, and many 10s of thousands of miles.

His instructions have all the details on the shape to cut from the plastic with a jig saw.