Is it possible & how hard is it to fit A/C on a UK 4th Gen?

arif_manji · Post by **arif_manji** » Fri Aug 01, 2014 6:20 pm

Thanks 4th Gen Doug for the PDF's, really appreciated. Unfortunately the guy has decided to keep the Prelude

.

Thebusofwoe, just curious... How much would you charge to come over and do it for me? If I had bought it.

I've left my number with the guy incase he changes his mind - fingers crossed.

Post by **GreenyUK** » Fri Aug 01, 2014 7:08 pm

Just thought I'd sneak in on the end

what about fitting AC back to a jdm. As far as I'm away the stuff behind the dash is still there, just the condenser, fan, belt, and all pipe work. So if I just bought all of that then I'd have ac back??

Second up,are the hard pipings the same for uk/jdm?

Cheers

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Fri Aug 01, 2014 7:35 pm

Should do greeny, yep. Although the evaporator might have got crap in it and be difficult the clean out, it someone didn't seal them when they removed the engine bay pipework.

Just been out to compare the facelift BA8 to pre facelift UKDM BB1 and all the mechanical part of the system under the bonnet (compressor, condensor, drier etc.) are all the same. The pipework is definitely the same all the way back to where it runs down the passenger suspension turret, not 100% if it's the same from there into the bulkhead or not. The BA8 doesn't have ABS so pipework have a nice clean run into the bulkhead;

The BB1 does have ABS and the control valve gear for that sits right above/around/below that area. The pipes stop short of the bulkhead and go into a manifold at the front of the ABS unit.

So, that difference is either; UKDM to JDM, or ABS to nonABS. I can check on Lisa's JDM BB1 tomorrow to confirm which of those it is

Post by **GreenyUK** » Fri Aug 01, 2014 8:02 pm

Hey Ian cheers for that mate that's very helpful. It's for Holly's. So hers is bb1 pre. And did have abs I believe but it's been completely removed. So that should help with space at least.

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Sat Aug 02, 2014 8:35 am

Ah right. In that case, can you take a snap in the same place as my pic above and we can see what she's got.

Post by **GreenyUK** » Sat Aug 02, 2014 11:21 am

Yes no worries mate. I'm being whisked off now for some early birthday surprise treat

so once im bak I'll get it sorted will be a good few hours I think.

Post by **GreenyUK** » Sat Aug 02, 2014 8:48 pm

Looks the same mate @wurlycorner

This is also shows the white fan thingy inside the car

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Sat Aug 02, 2014 9:44 pm

Yep, so what you want is the gumpf off a lude without ABS. Shimples.

Someone's removed the evaporator in the heater unit on yours as well though by the looks (you should have some connectors sticking out of there).

On the plus side though, that's one clean engine bay!

Post by **GreenyUK** » Sat Aug 02, 2014 9:55 pm

Ah right, I don't understand the difference with the abs or non abs bit

what am I missing lol.

I'm watching these not sure if it's the right bits. But surly ac pipes are ac pipes? Lol

And yes mate wait till you see the engine bay. I've spent a fair bit of work on it. Holly's is going to be a very tidy Lude when it's done

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Sat Aug 02, 2014 11:03 pm

Where the pipes connect (where we've taken pics of) is different on a lude with ABS compared to one without ABS.

The pic I posted up above is a lude built without ABS. Simple straight pipe coupling.

On a lude built with ABS, the ABS unit sits in that space as well, so the A/C pipes are routed differently. It looks like at the front of the ABS unit there's a manifold that the engine bay A/C pipes bolt to, instead of a straight coupling. It's really difficult to photograph though. It means the engine bay pipe length is shorter and they have a different fitting on the end.

The pipes you're watching on ebay look like they're from an ABS fitted car (they've got manifold fittings rather than straight couplings). I'm sure you could fit them to a non ABS car ok, you just need the matching evaporator off an ABS car as well (that's the bit that sits inside the heater unit).
Since yours is missing, that's not a problem though - you need one anyway

BTW, you know you also need a condensor (the radiator bit) and pump as well as the pipes and drier that are in that pic, right?