stubear334
Veteran
Date registered: Aug 2009
Location: Montgomery, AL, USA
Vehicle(s): 1980 280GE, BMW 318Ti, Infiniti JX35
Posts: 169
| W123 Newbie a/c question
Hello guys,
Got a lead on a '79 300cd w/ 80k miles. The seller is asking $3,250. However, the a/c doesn't work. Turns out this model has a really wacked out complicated a/c system. I remember as a kid, these cars having a/c problems. Now I know why.
Can you easily & cheaply convert the automatic climate system to a manual system? Anyone in Europe sell a kit perhaps? I would think the euro market would have plenty of spare parts to convert it.
Stuart |
po-porsche
Regular
Date registered: Jan 2011
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Vehicle(s): 2003 Mercedes G500, 1984 Porsche 911
Posts: 53
| Re: W123 Newbie a/c question
Wow. This place is like crickets. This isn't a hard question to answer. There are lots of things that are going to make the a/c not function properly:
1. Auxiliary fan. They freeze up. Even when you get them unstuck, they often don't run at as high an RPM as should. This causes extra heat. So, the Aux fan might need to be replaced.
2. The gears for the flap actuators get worn out and the flaps don't operate properly. This prevents the air from getting to you. You can't switch from auto to manual. You just need to replace the actuators.
3. Check and replace as necessary compressor, condenser, hoses, evaporator, dryer, oil & coolant.
4. Make sure you are using the correct components and not some cheap aftermarket compressor. Even if it works, if it isn't the OEM part, replace it with the proper part.
5. Don't run R314. The R134 upgrades don't work well in these systems. R12 or Freeze12 work better.
Should be rather simple. The hardest part is the flap actuators. They can be extremely difficult to access.
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