{Chrysler 300} More on A/C Compressors

I am still going through the core compressor I picked up as a replacement for the one on the 300K.

This is the unit that turned out to be a V2 (9.45 cu.in) and not an RV2 (10.5 cu.in) a 10.5% increase in pumping power on the RV2.

The issue is that from the outside it is not possible to know which is which. Anyone on the case is highly suspect.

Case in point, I just picked up a core. It came off a 1965 413-V8 in an Imperial. It looks like the later compressors as it has the flat bottom pan on it. When I pulled it apart today, it has the flattop pistons and is a V2 and not a RV2. I thought I was skunked again.

What is interesting is that the front crankshaft bearing holder, that goes into the block, has the LARGER bearing that was used in the RV2 and not the V2. My core has the smaller bearing holder. I suspect from talking with folks that many of the rebuilders have played mix-and-match with the housings and internal parts.

There is no doubt that the RV2 used a stroked crankshaft and connecting rods compared to the V2. The pistons top on the RV2 are all notched so they will not hit the reed valves and the V2 does not. I cannot tell any differences in the actual case (block) like a longer cylinder deck height.

I am going to use the front bearing holder from the second core on the older case with and NOS RV2 (short stroke) crankshaft and a set of RV2 NOS pistons and rods. At the end of the day, I will have a case date coded 1964, for what that is worth on my street-car, and it will have a 10.5 cubic inch compressor with 80% NOS parts in it.

The cautionary tale to the group is that unless you tear an A/C compressor down, there is no way to know what you are getting. I also doubt most of the rebuilders even bother to tell you if you send it in.

James