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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 397
 
Location: upstate new york | Does anyone have a good source for OEM AC rebuild? Mine is original and hasn't worked in a least 40 years but i have a couple belts spinning it every time I take the car out. I know it weighs a ton so shipping might be an issue, but if there is someone that specializes in old mopar AC units, id like to hear about them.
Thanks,
billy |
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Expert
Posts: 3787
  
Location: NorCal | I doubt if you'll find anybody who does a complete system rebuild..you'd be better off dealing with the components individually.
If it hasn't worked in 40 years, has anybody tried simply leak testing and charging the system with refrigerant? Even the perfect original systems leaked a little. Common sources of leaks in aged systems are the compressor seal and the rubber hoses, both of which can be replaced. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 397
Location: upstate new york | Thanks John....I'll give what you suggested a try.
billy |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 397
Location: upstate new york | Fellow Forward Lookers....Im revisting this post and want to try and see if all my AC is lacking, is refrigerant recharge. I have never done AC work so i dont really know where to begin. Can i just go to auto parts store and get the correct refrigerant or has that been outlawed? Also where do you add it? How do you add it? Never done it but want to see if my AC will come back from the dead after 40 years of not working. Any helpp woudl be appreciated...thanks billy 57 New Yorker |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9748
Location: So. Cal | I recommend you find a good A/C shop that routinely works on classic cars, and have them go over it to let you know what it needs. Most likely getting R12 is going to be very difficult & expensive, so you can ask them ahead of time if they can get it or not. Because of that, most shops will recommend that you change the compressor to a newer version. If you would like to do that, it can save you some money to make the custom brackets that will be required to mount the newer compressor yourself. Classic Auto Air has the compressor, hoses & other parts that you would need to do this. I believe that Hot Heads sells an A/C compressor mount that mounts the newer compressor down low, but it may not work in a '57 Chrysler; I'm not sure. Hopefully, when you get that far into it, that your evaporator is still good. Repairing that is very expensive, mostly because of the labor involved. You might be able to get a shop to check for leaks ahead of time to determine if there are any problems with your evaporator. I believe you can convert your old compressor to run on R134A, but I'm not sure of everything involved with that conversion. It might require rebuilding your old compressor with different seals and flushing out the system. |
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Expert
Posts: 3787
Location: NorCal |
At the risk of boring you with all kinds of technical jargon, the '57 system is antiquated at best and operates differently than modern systems, so most A/C shops won't be familiar with the workings. As Nathan said, it's imperative that you find a shop that understands the system and won't try to talk you into an R-134 conversion. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 397
Location: upstate new york | Thank you, Gentlemen...I'll go hunting for a classic car AC repair shop...billy |
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Expert
Posts: 3898
Location: Northen Virginia | if is the same as the imperial, the system has hydraulics connected directly to the oil pressure system of the engine. Something typically over engineered of Chrysler... |
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Expert
Posts: 3787
Location: NorCal |
Yes, the blend door is hydraulic...powered by the engine oil system. Other oddities for a car system are the capillary control that's usually done by an expansion valve and the compressor clutch gets its power through brushes similar to a starter or generator. Most techs nowadays would just stare in wonderment at what they're seeing. |
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57 new yorker stock ac unit
