Chevy Van Owner Seeks A/C Upgrade to Beat the Heat
Classic Chevy Mark III van isn’t blowing cold air anymore, so let’s help its owner keep his cool with some tips.
With the dog days of summer right around the corner, those of us who don’t have vehicles equipped with air conditioning are undoubtedly sweating. In more ways than one. Chevrolet Forum member “Prince Polaris” owns a classic Chevy Mark III van equipped with A/C, but there’s just one problem – old school air conditioners just don’t work like new ones. So he headed to the forums seeking help to make this Chevy van’s A/C as cool as the van itself.
“Right now, it has the standard Chevy A/C system under the hood adapted to R134A. Mark III had attached some A/C lines to the system which ran to the back of the van, to another radiator that is supposed to cool it. But, well, not only is the front A/C ineffective, but the rear A/C simply doesn’t work. Would it be possible to install a new, modern air conditioning system in my van, with an attached unit in the rear that also cools the back end of the van?”
Fellow member johnt365 doesn’t have any recommendations for modern A/C. But instead, he offers up some ideas on what might be wrong with the existing setup.
“I have the same setup in my ’95. I’m in Texas, so I can tell you on a hot day it makes it tolerable. But not cold by any means. Is this what it looks like now if you take off the front cover? (pictured above). Do you still have the piece that was cut out? Can you put it back on and duct tape it to make seal? If that is how it is now, then air is not being pulled across the coils. If you turn the system on and the coils get cold, try to fab up a cover and seal it so air is forced through the coils and see what it gets you.”
Member tech2 also chimes in with some troubleshooting tips for the old Chevy van.
“Is the rear system connected to the front system? This type of install means the only added parts are the rear lines, evaporator, blower motor, and expansion valve. If they were separate, you would need a lot more stuff. If the front and rear share parts, a fault in the front means the rear won’t work. Fix the front and the rear will work. The first step to any A/C problem is to start the engine and turn on the A/C. Is the compressor clutch engaging? If not, check for proper charge level. Low refrigerant will disable the compressor.”
At this point, it certainly sounds like the OP’s problem is simply a faulty factory air conditioner. And perhaps it’s something he can fix easily. While we wait to hear back with what he’s found, we want to know – do you have any suggestions on how to fix this problem? If so, head over here and let us (and the OP) know!
Photos: Chevrolet Forum
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