OD Iron AC install for the AC novice

[niferous]

First off let me state that I have never ever worked on a vehicle's AC system. I know very little about them. However one of the things I vowed to do with all these old trucks is learn how to work on all aspects of a vehicle. So today as a Christmas present to myself I went and picked up my AC system from mkcoen (Mark). The system is an OD Iron kit and is brand new in the box. Apparently Mark bought it for an M1009 that is now sold so I lucked out and he sold it to me. Just so everyone knows Mark was a good guy to work with and I look forward to working with him again.

First the bad news. As a novice I find the instructions pretty darn vague. I will be typing up this post and I expect it to be very detailed and long as I will be learning as I go. I may mention some stuff that many of you think is just a given but if I'm mentioning it should probably be taken as something that is not a given to a novice. The second problem I noticed right off the bat was the bracket used to hold the compressor. The welds were very messy and nothing was ground down flat. Now I work around machinists and welders and my company is the largest manufacturer of oilfield equipment in the world so my view is probably prejudiced. However looking at this bracket I think I'm going to have one of our welders go over it with a grinder and clean it up a bit. Then I'll just powder coat it. I'm sure none of this effects functionality but for a $1000 system I think it should come with a profesionally assembled bracket.

ANYway the first thing I did was take off my dash pad, glove box, instrument bezel, and instrument cluster. I've done it before and it's super simple. Four screws on the front of the pad, four screws on the bezel that goes under the steering column, all the screws along the instrument bezel and then the wires and bulb for the volt meter. The instrument cluster has 4 little screws that hold it on and when you pull it away you have to disconnect the wiring harness and the speedometer cable. The glove box just has four screws along the bottom and then you just open it and it comes out. Finally once all these are out the dash pad just comes out by pulling up and out on the driver's side and then walking around and doing the same motion on the passenger side.

Next in the process I had to remove the two bolts on the ride side of the actual dash itself. These came out easy with a 3/8" ratchet. Here is where some vagueness comes in with the instructions. It says to also remove the "bolt securing the center support bracket to the dash." I don't know what that means. I should add here that 4x4 Forever mentioned in chat there is a bracket next to where the radio would go in a civy Blazer. I will have to check that out tomorrow. If anyone can confirm that though it would be appreciated.

OK so now we move along to the engine compartment to drill a 2" hole in the firewall. I only have a 2-1/8" hole saw so drilling will have to wait until tomorrow but we can prep the area. The instruction don't mention at all that you have to remove stuff to get to the firewall and get accurate measurements but you sure do. I removed my rear battery, my fuel filter, and the wiring terminal that is next to the fuel filter. Now the instructions look like they are trying to say that the center of this two inch hole should be 2-1/2" from the center of the wires coming out of the firewall and going to the heater element. Also the instruction say that the hole's center will be 1-1/2" above the center line of the aforementioned wires. Finally the instructions say to drill centered on the dimple in the firewall. This conflicts with the previous instructions on my truck. The dimple is about 2-3/4" from the center of the wires and about 1" up from it's horizontal center line. So which should I go by? The measurements or the dimple?

Finally for tonight I should point out that the wiring block I had to remove may be in the way once the hoses are ran. Check out the instructions for the install in the link below and then check out the pictures I snapped. The first is with the wiring installed and the second is with it removed. I should mention to the any other possible novices reading that you need to use tape and a sharpie to label all the wires AND the wiring block so that everything gets hooked back up as it should be. In the first picture you can compare to the second and see where that dimple is and how the wiring block could really be in the way.

Any advice is more than welcome. It's encouraged! Remember this isn't just for me but for others in the future!

OD Iron instructions

 

[Crash_AF]

Here is another thread that already covers the OD Iron install... with pics

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/cucv/20944-od-iron-ac.html

Later,
Joe

 

[niferous]

Here is another thread that already covers the OD Iron install... with pics

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/cucv/20944-od-iron-ac.html

Later,
Joe

Yeah I read through that one twice before starting this one. Unfortunatley it does not seem to cover even the first two issues I'm having. The only thing I really was able to get off that one was that the kit will fit a truck with an arctic heater kit and having an AC shop do the instal would be a rip off.

so nobody knows about that whole on the firewall huh?

 

[mkcoen]

Talk about getting started fast. You must have been up to midnight working on that thing after leaving here. Good luck with it. I think the most daunting aspect is going to be getting the bracket on and lined up correctly. Doing any work to the bracket at all will improve the jr high school grade weld jobs on it.

Mark

 

[mtjbrown]

niferous, I read through the kit install instructions on OD iron website, talk about VAGUE!! I will be watching this post as I am interested in a/c for the hot GA summers.

 

[niferous]

Well I sent an email through OD Iron's website and we'll see what they say.

 

[niferous]

OK Mike from OD Iron got back to me yesterday and what he said, in regards to the hole in the firewall, is below.

"Ive done several of these now and to be honest... I do nether... What is important is fitting the WHOLE DASH ASSY FIRST... I do this with the two lines attached to the unit as the fitting are near impossible once the unit is bolted into place... After everything is snug'ed down I check for clearance on the fuel filter assy on the outside of the fire wall and simply drill where the hoses are pointing on the firewall... Checking outside clearance of course for things like the exhaust manifold and fuel filter assy...

I can get you some pics of a few trucks tomorrow if you need but really its more of a "fitted" thing as I know both trucks I have right now are the same kits but slightly different drilling locations."


So there you have it. My only point of confusion at from this email was does he mean drill from inside the cab to the outside? If so how do I check for clearance of the fuel filter? Is there a way to do so from inside the cab?



This is going to be interesting . Thanks to OD Iron/Mike for getting back to me quickly.

 

[mkcoen]

It sounds like he's telling you to get everything closely fitted from the inside with the lines on and then judge where the lines look closest on the firewall. Probably drilling a small pilot hole where you think it should go (slooooowly) and then you can judge from the engine compartment where to move it. You've got over 2" to adjust from the pilot hole (or 1" if it's all one sided) to make your final hole.

 

[Napoleon_Tanerite]

Ok, for those of you that have this kit, how crucial is it to have the factory dash? I've got a custom made dash, with an inverter to be installed where the right side passenger vent is supposed to go. I'd like to get this kit, but my idea is to create custom ducting using flexible metal tubes and install "frog eye" vents such as in airplanes. Would this be doable?

 

[niferous]

Looking at it right now I would say it's not entirely all that important. You just need to make sure that the condenser is going to fit. How much room is there on top of the heater box?

 

[Napoleon_Tanerite]

Looking at it right now I would say it's not entirely all that important. You just need to make sure that the condenser is going to fit. How much room is there on top of the heater box?

aside from some wires, the only thing taking up additional space behind the dash is the inverter, which goes all the way to the back where the passenger side hole goes

 

[niferous]

Just an update I'm working on this some this weekend. The weather's been crappy and I've been too busy.

 

[kf4hoq]

Niferous,

How did this turn out??

 

[OL AG '89]

Ditto.
Did you ever get this finished?
Not real critical right now, but come march.... IT's a TEXAS thing... you're gonna need it!!

 

[a175]

Trying to bring this back from the dead...

 

[niferous]

Sorry I let this slack off. I started the AC install before we moved into our house and then when we moved I re-installed what I had taken off and moved the truck. Then I got wrapped up in a new house, re-doing my seats, the whole front end rebuild, etc.

Anyway I actually took the truck to a local mechanic, whom I trust and has done this before, and let him look over the instructions and the kit and he said he can install it for me. Should take him about two weeks before he can start on it. He said he can do the whole kit for $500. To me it's worth it. I've never done anything with an AC unit and I don't want to screw this up and have an AC system that just kind of works.

I'll take lots of pictures and get some pics done. I also got the go ahead to have the inside sprayed with Rhino liner and replace all the seals. Should make for a more comfortable ride. Also planning on tinting the windows. I didn't want to for the longest time because I thought it would take away from the military look but I was just at BAE last week and they are tinting the windows on all their trucks now. Kind of pushed me over the edge I guess.

 

[quickfarms]

ac is a good idea