Possible cost of having Aircon installed in an XD, in Melbourne

[BDuck 14]

In my grandparents wisdom, they decided aircon wasn't necessary back in 1979, so didn't opt for it when they bought their car.

 

 

Has anyone had aircon installed, and is willing to post an approximate cost? I always love driving the car, and would love to drive it more on the warmer days as I'd prefer to avoid rain.

 

 

Cheers in advance

 

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[deankxf 20,288]

1 hour ago, BDuck said:

 

In my grandparents wisdom, they decided aircon wasn't necessary back in 1979, so didn't opt for it when they bought their car.

 

Has anyone had aircon installed, and is willing to post an approximate cost? I always love driving the car, and would love to drive it more on the warmer days as I'd prefer to avoid rain.

 

Cheers in advance

 

I've only fitted it using second hand bits a few times. 

 

 

had the cores pressure tested and new/good bits were available (long time ago) 

 

give KAR AIR a ring (Ferntree Gully Eastern Melbourne)

https://karair.com.au/

 

 

i trust them not to be rip offs (if it's stuffed they'll tell you, if it's a just leaky valve that's all they'll charge you for ... plus gas of course) 

 

i don't know how they'd go locating any of it, but they may give you a shopping list to find. 

 

you could ask them if the XF evaporator fits the XD heater box (this would overcome the hardest to locate, XDs were obsolete over 10yrs ago) 

if the XF evaporator fits, maybe you could then use the XF TX valve, pipes  and compressor and bracket with XF alternator (always need rebuild replacing when old) dryer and condenser. 

 

depends how original you'd want it ..  XF stuff looks different to XD, but should be able to locate it second hand. 

@SPArKy_Dave may again know some leads, but it's generally extinct if you are starting from scratch. 

 

(there was a guy on facebook i could probably find/ask, that made a full kit for holden gemini. around $1500 rings a bell)

 

 

 

[SPArKy_Dave 8,875]

2 minutes ago, deankdx said:

I've only fitted it using second hand bits a few times. 

 

 

had the cores pressure tested and new/good bits were available (long time ago) 

 

give KAR AIR a ring (Ferntree Gully Eastern Melbourne)

https://karair.com.au/

 

 

i trust them not to be rip offs (if it's stuffed they'll tell you, if it's a just leaky valve that's all they'll charge you for ... plus gas of course) 

 

i don't know how they'd go locating any of it, but they may give you a shopping list to find. 

 

you could ask them if the XF evaporator fits the XD heater box (this would overcome the hardest to locate, XDs were obsolete over 10yrs ago) 

if the XF evaporator fits, maybe you could then use the XF TX valve, pipes  and compressor and bracket with XF alternator (always need rebuild replacing when old) dryer and condenser. 

 

depends how original you'd want it ..  XF stuff looks different to XD, but should be able to locate it second hand. 

@SPArKy_Dave may again know some leads, but it's generally extinct if you are starting from scratch. 

 

(there was a guy on facebook i could probably find/ask, that made a full kit for holden gemini. around $1500 rings a bell)

 

 

 

 

Last I heard, that place or somewhere similar, botched a forum members A/C pretty good.

They have an XF with an LS V8 conversion

 

The shop made up their own Aircon lines using Oetiker clamps instead of proper hydraulic crimp sleeves -

apparently causing one connection to blow off, within a couple minutes of running.

 

@4D-XF is the vehicle owner, from memory.

 

I might have a couple pics...

[SPArKy_Dave 8,875]

1 hour ago, BDuck said:

In my grandparents wisdom, they decided aircon wasn't necessary back in 1979, so didn't opt for it when they bought their car.

 

Has anyone had aircon installed, and is willing to post an approximate cost? I always love driving the car, and would love to drive it more on the warmer days as I'd prefer to avoid rain.

 

Cheers in advance

 

The cost will depend on how much work you can do, yourself.

 

It's definitely doable, using either all second hand parts,

or a mix of new and second hand.

(can't get all parts new anymore)

 

I'd probably budget around $2k in parts (with new compressor), or maybe $1,500 with a second hand compressor?

A bit more, if good second hand hoses can't be sourced.

 

If you're anywhere around Bayswater Vic, send me a message.

I have the tools/skills at my workshop, to retrofit and/or refurb x-series aircon.

[deankxf 20,288]

25 minutes ago, SPArKy_Dave said:

The shop made up their own Aircon lines using Oetiker clamps instead of proper hydraulic crimp sleeves -

apparently causing one connection to blow off, within a couple minutes of running.

 

the last time i had air con hoses made they were done at Enzed in North Geelong,  the air con mob i used in Geelong worked from home until he stopped doing it for general public (think he only dealt with car yards/mechanics due to less direct contact with bad customers)

[SPArKy_Dave 8,875]

50 minutes ago, deankdx said:

 (think he only dealt with car yards/mechanics due to less direct contact with bad customers)

 

Tbh, I'd be picky about Aircon jobs too.

If the compressor front seal is leaking, that's $800 right there.

Even replacing the compressor seal (if possible), won't see much change from $400 - remove, refurb, reinstall and regas -

then find the next leak.

 

OR more to the point -

Damo and his bogan mate, rocks up in their $500 VN commodore on choppies - durrie in one hand, VB in the other -

'just want the $50 regas',

and

'nah can't afford repairs, just the f'n regas mate, she'll be right'... 'only has to last the summer'.

 

Then comes back and whinges, when the refrigerants leaked out in a week.

 

(I have the tools to replace x-series and e-series falcon Sanden compressor bearings/seals,

and it's fairly involved.)

[Mr Polson 10,214]

When I swapped all the Ghia stuff onto my (XF) wagon, I had to swap over the AC, as it was built without it.

Did include dash out to swap the heater box to include the AC evaporator core.

The hoses were pretty straight forward.
From memory the alternator bracket is different if you have AC (on XF anyway).

I got one of the last new condensers that Repco had in stock - think that included the receiver drier.
By some miracle, when they gassed it up there was no leaks (didn't use new O rings anywhere ) and 5 or so years later it's still holding gas and cold.

I can't really help with price as I had everything but the condenser, and the condenser was on clearance for $10 when I bought it.

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[SPArKy_Dave 8,875]

On 2/28/2023 at 7:11 AM, Mr Polson said:

I got one of the last new condensers that Repco had in stock - think that included the receiver drier.
By some miracle, when they gassed it up there was no leaks (didn't use new O rings anywhere ) and 5 or so years later it's still holding gas and cold.

I can't really help with price as I had everything but the condenser, and the condenser was on clearance for $10 when I bought it.
 

 

The XD-XE evap and condenser cores, have been obsolete for 10-15yrs I think?

Luckily the XF evaporator cores (in dash), cross over to the e-series as well.

 

I didn't know about the XF/XG condenser cores though!

[deankxf 20,288]

1 hour ago, SPArKy_Dave said:

 

The XD-XE evap and condenser cores, have been obsolete for 10-15yrs I think?

Luckily the XF evaporator cores (in dash), cross over to the e-series as well.

 

I didn't know about the XF/XG condenser cores though!

do you think the XF evap core would fit in an XD XE heater box,

and then use XF TX valve (probably also NLA for XD XE) and use all XF pipes etc on XD. 

that's something i'd be looking into if i had to, and change to the universal Sanden compressor because the XF ones seemed to be stuffed 90% of the time. 

[SPArKy_Dave 8,875]

58 minutes ago, deankdx said:

do you think the XF evap core would fit in an XD XE heater box,

and then use XF TX valve (probably also NLA for XD XE) and use all XF pipes etc on XD. 

that's something i'd be looking into if i had to, and change to the universal Sanden compressor because the XF ones seemed to be stuffed 90% of the time. 

 

The XD/XE ones are copper and a narrow rectangle shape with threaded fittings,

where as the XF-EB ones, are aluminum and square shaped with o-ring fittings.

 

Being copper, the earlier evap cores would last forever, so probably didn't get replaced often?

The later aluminum ones, corrode pinholes quite easily - as I've seen (and replaced) in at least one of my XF's.

 

I had a look, and the XF-EB Condenser and Evap cores, are still available from Aircon Wholesalers.

Around $200 each.

 

TX valves are available for XD/XE, (about $70.00) as they cross to some trucks, but XF-EB TX valves may not be available.

 

XD/XE and XF-XG receiver driers are still listed too - around $60-$70 each.

[BDuck 14]

thanks guys, a lot of info to think about.

 

 

 

[BDuck 14]

sorry to bring this up again so much later, but ignoring OG status of the car, are there any aftermarket kits I could grab that I should look out for?

 

 

 

cheers.

[SPArKy_Dave 8,875]

7 hours ago, BDuck said:

sorry to bring this up again so much later, but ignoring OG status of the car, are there any aftermarket kits I could grab that I should look out for?

 

cheers.

 

Aftermarket kits for the XD-XF era falcons were available, once upon a time.

Made by UNICLA, Cooltemp, Melbourne Auto Air (now called Cooldrive) and possibly one or two others.

 

I'd guess they were last available new, around 25-30yrs ago - in the mid-late 90's.

 

Looking at my old cooldrive catalogue, they were put together using a combination of Factory Ford dash switches,

and crappier looking aftermarket brackets, compressor, hoses etc.

They also tended to use a different style evaporator core and TX valve.

 

To my knowledge, no new kits are available at present.

 

Unfortunately there isn't really a way to cheap out, with Automotive Aircon

- all the components are very expensive.

Any second hand parts, will need to be tested for leaks and/or possibly repaired/refurbished (compressor seals).

 

[BDuck 14]

Cool thanks. Not necessarily to cheap out, more just an ease of acquiring.


Again, thanks for all the info

[BDuck 14]

I may have found a complete condenser, compressor, bracket & hoses at a price I'm willing to pay even if they need reconditioning

[BDuck 14]

what I'm looking at

[SPArKy_Dave 8,875]

1 hour ago, BDuck said:

what I'm looking at

 

Yep, that's definitely an XD condenser core.

I'd grab them, if reasonably priced.

 

Does it come with the firewall TX valve, Evaporator core (in-dash) and electrical parts too?

- temperature switch, AC switch etc.

 

[BDuck 14]

Listed as XC XD XE

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[BDuck 14]

Also only comes with whatever is in the picture.


My mechanic is currently sourcing stuff for me so I'll run it past him and see if it's worth it.

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[SPArKy_Dave 8,875]

Just now, BDuck said:

Listed as XC XD XE

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It's definitely an XD condenser core.

XE ones have a different piping configuration, and the XC cores are much longer/narrower.

[BDuck 14]

Ok thanks for the help again, much appreciated

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[BDuck 14]

Little update, just picked up what's in the pic above for $50

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