Another Griffiths AC Install Thread

[ccallana]

There is the rubber over the top that is pre mounted.. I think probably to better route air and stop anything flipped up over the top from falling into the condenser... Then there is the rock guard that will bolt to the front that I guess I have to custom cut...

[isby]

Yes, I'm talking about the rubber over the top. Mine is hanging by a thread. I'm assuming that I can just cut it off.

[kuehl]

Originally Posted by ccallana

I'm not strictly following the suggested order of operations from Griff,

Ah, yeah. Kinda reading that theme here. But's that's okay, its all good reading.

[ccallana]

Thanks Griff didn't get any pictures today and now I'm cleaned up, don't want to go back out to the garage .... Got all the hoses mounted, got the evaporator box all assembled and plumbed. Trying to get it all put back together...

The one hose clamp closest to the evaporator on the line to the drier was darn near impossible to get in ... Should have done that when I had the suspension out a few months back! Now having a devil of a time to get the skid plate realigned.....

Took a break from that to start in the compressor... Having a hard time getting 6oz of oil in there ... It fills *really* slow.. like so slow I'm thinking I'm doing it wrong... I'll keep at it though....

Despite doing the project the ADHD way it's been fun (and frustrating).... Hopefully one more weekend will do it.

[blucille]

I used a syringe to add the appropriate amount of oil to my system.

X AUTOHAUX Oil and Dye Injectors... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BPQSNKFY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

[kuehl]

Originally Posted by ccallana

Thanks Griff
The one hose clamp closest to the evaporator on the line to the drier was darn near impossible to get in

.
You mean the one near the brake line "T" adapter.
Can't say it is impossible to put back on because we, and many other clients, have taken them off and put them back on. I say the Carrera alarm horn is more of a pita.
Generally speaking, on a 5 hose stock 911 or 930, the R&R time to remove old hoses and put in new hoses, from start to end (meaning you put your tools away and inspected everything) is about 8 hours on the ground with jack stands .... after you have done it once before :>)

Originally Posted by ccallana

Having a hard time getting 6oz of oil in there ... It fills *really* slow.. like so slow I'm thinking I'm doing it wrong

Wrong? Maybe. You can take the amount you can't get in and pour it into the suction line fitting using a small funnel (be careful not to get oil all over the place; and remember 'gravity'), set the compressor on top of the saddle, ports up, bring the suction line over suction manifold, new o-ring, insert fitting, snug nut up just enough, tilt over compressor, align bolt holes on comp the saddle holes, make sure oil is not dripping out, get your bolts thru the comp, into the saddle, get a few threads started. Yada Yada, etc.

Originally Posted by ccallana

having a devil of a time to get the skid plate realigned.

Do you mean the splash pan under the cross member? The one we suggest you take off with vehicle on the ground (for various reasons)?

Originally Posted by ccallana

Despite doing the project the ADHD way it's been fun (and frustrating).... Hopefully one more weekend will do it.

My ADHD drug of choice is Becks. If things get real bad IV of Tanqueray and tonic.
However, I generally find if I read the instructions a few times without the booze before I start the project, I can envision the task, gain some confidence, and have a higher success rate; but that is me.

[ccallana]

Originally Posted by kuehl

.
You mean the one near the brake line "T" adapter.
Can't say it is impossible to put back on because we, and many other clients, have taken them off and put them back on. I say the Carrera alarm horn is more of a pita.
Generally speaking, on a 5 hose stock 911 or 930, the R&R time to remove old hoses and put in new hoses, from start to end (meaning you put your tools away and inspected everything) is about 8 hours on the ground with jack stands .... after you have done it once before :>)

Yeah, that's the one - certainly not *impossible* but more difficult than it probably should have been - yeah, the horn was in the way too - should have just taken that thing out

Wrong? Maybe. You can take the amount you can't get in and pour it into the suction line fitting using a small funnel (be careful not to get oil all over the place; and remember 'gravity'), set the compressor on top of the saddle, ports up, bring the suction line over suction manifold, new o-ring, insert fitting, snug nut up just enough, tilt over compressor, align bolt holes on comp the saddle holes, make sure oil is not dripping out, get your bolts thru the comp, into the saddle, get a few threads started. Yada Yada, etc.

Directly into the line... hadn't thought of that... may have to go that route...

Do you mean the splash pan under the cross member? The one we suggest you take off with vehicle on the ground (for various reasons)?

Yeah - that one. Maybe I'll follow directions and put the car back down - that should push all the pieces back into place....

My ADHD drug of choice is Becks. If things get real bad IV of Tanqueray and tonic.
However, I generally find if I read the instructions a few times without the booze before I start the project, I can envision the task, gain some confidence, and have a higher success rate; but that is me.

I read most of the individual directions several times before starting - even if I didn't follow them exactly.... partly why I jumped around - I read something I thought I could get done in the time frame I had...

[wazzz]

I did that job with my car on jack stands. When time came to put the belly pan back, I used a small hydraulic bottle jack to help me push everything up, including the sway bar mount.

[kuehl]

We could write the most concise instructions in layman's terms in easy English,
We could make the most detailed video with power pointish presentations as well,
and you know, at sometime some someone will come up with the "ya know, the instructions are too long", "ya know, 'drier should be spelt dryer" . Yah know?

I lost count of how many different electrical "enginears" advised me my electrical schematics needed different symbol; depends if they went to MIT, UCB or Stanford.

I can't count how many times I've preferred the innate inborn genetics we got, that whispers " heck, I don't need directions "; are we copying our Dads showing us how they did not need the instructions for our Erector sets?

And, remember these cars were literally hand built; many times I find the 3 screw holes for the front condenser to be off a few millimeters; AC was an after thought heroically pressed by the Marketing Dept.

As long as you are having fun.

[wazzz]

Having been through this, I can tell your instructions are among the best and fully detailed instructions I have ever seen. I used to work in technical documentation and I know how good or how bad a documentation can be.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by wazzz

Having been through this, I can tell your instructions are among the best and fully detailed instructions I have ever seen. I used to work in technical documentation and I know how good or how bad a documentation can be.

I agree. His instructions are top shelf. For me the hardest part was getting the grommet in the firewall back in place after getting his temp switch. Some WD-40 on the rubber, and a couple of beers in me, I got it in.

[ccallana]

Originally Posted by kuehl

As long as you are having fun.

Absolutely!

I agree with the previous posters that the instructions are excellent... I'm just a bit non-linear sometimes.. most likely made it harder on myself, but that's my penalty to pay... no complaints about the way it *should* be done...

[porschedude996]

Originally Posted by TastyReuben

I just installed a SPAL blower with Joe's 3d printed bell mouth output ducting. i think airflow across front condenser might be 2x, and is now flowing over a wider surface area of the condenser.

What fan speed did you choose? I think Joe told me he uses the Medium speed. I was thinking High speed.

I’m just finishing up my retrofit Griffiths system.

Front, rear condenser, pump, evaporator, hurricane fan, condenser fan.

Waiting on Griff’s fan variable fan switch. He builds them in block of (?) and by the time he sells the last unit, the detail parts aren’t available anymore. Forces him redesign. I’m not sure where he’s at.


I saw Joe’s SPAL blower, and had to have it. Currently fitting it, waiting on the front seal for the intake.

[ccallana]

Couple pics of things installed -

Evap box, rear condenser

[kuehl]

Originally Posted by ccallana

Couple pics of things installed -

Evap box

Interesting route you took for the cap tube from the thermostat (white plastic protective sleeve in the pic); not like the original coiled loop next to the steering shaft, although the reason they did it that way was because you can easily pull out the thermostat cap tube and put it to the side. Just remember that if you have to take your evap box top out in the future, be careful with the white plastic tube, do not ever ever kink it or or put a sharp bend to it.

Looks like a factory installed part. Ya know, the design and installation points are so simple you could remove it and never know it was there. Yeah, you got 1 extra fastener holding the lower LH rear fender and lower valance seam together. Frankly it was needed.

On a previous topic of why the long bolt was used for the upper support bracket on the smaller Duehl Kuehl in front of the LH rear tire. Its goes back to keeping things simple. Its and existing thread hole in the tub! Why make another? The bolt came loose? It was either under torqued or the nylok nut in the fender well was severely over torqued.

Good Job!

Other:

On the variable fan speed controller. Yes, we build them in lots. Usually enough for 2 years stock. And, with the changes from solder through hole components to surface mounted, things get discontinued. So, when the manufacturer says they have an "equivalent" surface mounted replacement, well, its not always the case. Hence you have to build a new prototype circuit, run it through the tests, beat on it, reprogram the microprocessor (the good, the bad and the ugly IC) and so forth.
Then you come up with a new bill of material (aka BOMP), re RFQ, source, build more units to test, beat on and possibly do it all over again; answer the phone, take out the garbage, ponder why your draw is now a hook and your fade is an ugly slice, etc.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by kuehl

Looks like a factory installed part. Ya know, the design and installation points are so simple you could remove it and never know it was there. Yeah, you got 1 extra fastener holding the lower LH rear fender and lower valance seam together. Frankly it was needed.

On a previous topic of why the long bolt was used for the upper support bracket on the smaller Duehl Kuehl in front of the LH rear tire. Its goes back to keeping things simple. Its and existing thread hole in the tub! Why make another? The bolt came loose? It was either under torqued or the nylok nut in the fender well was severely over torqued.

Good Job!

Other:

On the variable fan speed controller. Yes, we build them in lots. Usually enough for 2 years stock. And, with the changes from solder through hole components to surface mounted, things get discontinued. So, when the manufacturer says they have an "equivalent" surface mounted replacement, well, its not always the case. Hence you have to build a new prototype circuit, run it through the tests, beat on it, reprogram the microprocessor (the good, the bad and the ugly IC) and so forth.
Then you come up with a new bill of material (aka BOMP), re RFQ, source, build more units to test, beat on and possibly do it all over again; answer the phone, take out the garbage, ponder why your draw is now a hook and your fade is an ugly slice, etc.

And squeeze in a few games of golf!

[Mike Andrew]

installation points are so simple you could remove it and never know it was there. Yeah, you got 1 extra fastener holding the lower LH rear fender and lower valance seam together. Frankly it was needed.



Other:

On the variable fan speed controller. Yes, we build them in lots. Usually enough for 2 years stock. And, with the changes from solder through hole components to surface mounted, things get discontinued. So, when the manufacturer says they have an "equivalent" surface mounted replacement, well, its not always the case. Hence you have to build a new prototype circuit, run it through the tests, beat on it, reprogram the microprocessor (the good, the bad and the ugly IC) and so forth.
Then you come up with a new bill of material (aka BOMP), re RFQ, source, build more units to test, beat on and possibly do it all over again; answer the phone, take out the garbage, ponder why your draw is now a hook and your fade is an ugly slice, etc.[/QUOTE]

Spoken like an ex aerospace guy

[kuehl]

Originally Posted by Mike Andrew

Spoken like an ex aerospace guy

Yes, alumnis:

Weston Instruments, Newark NJ
Doc Weston, the true 'inventor' of the electric light bulb,
bakelite and many many other patents.


Curtis Wright Flight Systems, Fairfield, NJ
F14, and a tad of Space Shuttle, F16, 737

Eaton Aircraft Controls, Denville, NJ
Various things

Allied Signal, Teterboro
MATE (mobile automated test equipment), a bit of TCAS,
any many odds and ends

Kearfott Guidance & Navigation (aka Singer, and later Astronautics Corporation of America), Totowa, NJ
Things I'm not allowed to talk about.

Griffiths Aircraft Systems, Newton, NJ
retired Repair Station
The TY1878 Thrust Reverser Syncro Shaft Lock

[pmax]

Originally Posted by ccallana

...

...

Is there an alternate route than attaching to the pinch ?

[ccallana]

I suppose you could try and drill a new hole near where the electrical goes through and send it up there - but you'd have to remake the hose as it would be too short, and the routing once in the engine compartment would be a bit funky... This routing uses the same hole up through the firewall as the old hose. If you wanted an even longer path, you could go up and over along side the hose to the other condenser and then loop it back up to the hole....