factory A/C to on board air question?

[paul_arc]

I have a 97' TJ and I want to turn my A/C to on board air and have been doing some searching on the internet on this but the only questions I have on it is what to do with the AC hoses that go through the firewall and to the condencer in the grill? before I take it apart should i have a shop take the freeon out or will it be fine just to undo it and let it evaporate into the air?
also im not sure if the clutch on the AC pump is working properly. when i turn the AC on it will spin which is good but then every once in a while it will stop spinning for a few seconds then start spinning again. is this normal or what could be causing this?
thanks for the help.

[fun4wheelerguy]

Call me tomorrow....... I can help you discharge the system. It is illegal to just let it into the atmoshere. Plugging the firewall is not very hard. The plug can be easiliy purchased from the dealership.

Brett

[paul_arc]

thanks for the offer brett but now I think im going to keep the AC and add another compressor. I took my jeep to you on monday with the steering issues remember? im hoping i can make it in there tomorrow so you can look at the rest of the stuff.

[Jerry Bransford]

Good decision to keep the a/c and add the compressor. I did the same thing on my '97 4.0L TJ by using a York mounting bracket from Brad Kilby at www.onboardair.com/ If you go that way, it's easier and cheaper to just go with a small v-belt drive (instead of converting it to a serpentine belt) for it running off a new dual-pulley mounted on the alternator that you can also get from Brad. Works well, mine has been problem-free for 7-8 years now running a York F210 compressor.

[paul_arc]

Good decision to keep the a/c and add the compressor. I did the same thing on my '97 4.0L TJ by using a York mounting bracket from Brad Kilby at www.onboardair.com/ If you go that way, it's easier and cheaper to just go with a small v-belt drive (instead of converting it to a serpentine belt) for it running off a new dual-pulley mounted on the alternator that you can also get from Brad. Works well, mine has been problem-free for 7-8 years now running a York F210 compressor.

yeah I figured that if i kept the AC, even with no doors it would still keep it a little cooler inside. did you have to remove your air box? if so what did you replace it with? and also did you have to cut into your fender?

[Jerry Bransford]

yeah I figured that if i kept the AC, even with no doors it would still keep it a little cooler inside. did you have to remove your air box? if so what did you replace it with? and also did you have to cut into your fender?

Yep that's the only drawback, that you have to remove the factory airbox to install the compressor... which to me was a small price to pay. I did not have to cut my fender at all. I do have a 1" body lift but I also have a 1" motor mount lift so the relationship between the engine and tub/fender should be about the same as a stock vehicle.

[miguelitojeep97]

ok paul FU for your nice big jeep. anyway when you do this let me know b/c I am also very interested in the a/c to air compressor set up. also welcome to the site!!

[paul_arc]

ok paul FU for your nice big jeep. anyway when you do this let me know b/c I am also very interested in the a/c to air compressor set up. also welcome to the site!!

yeah i'll definatly let you know when its time to hook it up. have to get it done before rubicon!

[miguelitojeep97]

right! of course. so when you pop a beed in lil sluice you can shoot some air back into it!

[Jerry Bransford]

Before I forget it... don't connect standard air hose to any point very close to the output of the compressor. The air is VERY hot at that point and standard air hose will fail. I first used standard hose and it blew while I was using the compressor, scaring the crap out of me. I looked a little and found some high-temperature air hose made by Goodyear that has been fine for 6-7 years now, it is attached directly to the barb fitting coming off the compressor.

[paul_arc]

ok cool thanks for the advice. i will definatly do that. i have the mounting bracket now and just have to find the york somewhere