Custom AC System - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

lifewater · 10-10-2020, 02:59 PM

My S13 has no AC, and now that I'm down in Houston, thats kind of a big deal.

I've been out of the scene a long time, and it looks like S13's are extinct, especially ones with an entire AC system intact, so I've been having major problems sourcing parts.... as well a majority of the AC parts are no longer available for OEM purchase anywhere

Has anyone done a custom AC setup for an S13? I know they do this in the hot rod community all the time, but I've never heard of anything besides custom AC lines being done on an S13. Kind of looking to learn from people who've tried this before.

S14rebuild · 10-10-2020, 03:24 PM

This forum and fb groups will be ur friend in this adventure. Its ahell of alot easier, installing, making work properly the stock/oem ac setup then going with an aftermarket/hotrod car kit.

Yes sourcing the parts will take sometime but u will be 100% happy u went oem route.

Check thru this forum not too far back i recall seeing full s13 oem ac kit...one u would buy at the dealer to add ac to a car that had none from the factory....you just gotta dig... look at u-pull it lots and partouts...it can be done

xpinoyxmk · 10-10-2020, 07:16 PM

https://zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=659834

Made this a while back. Tend to get people asking me if it worked. Short answer is no. Little background on what I've done so far.

1. Swapped compressor and had some new lines made. Vacuumed, oiled and charged system myself. Ice cold. Only started the car once or twice a week. After 2 weeks, the pressure had dropped enough to not kick the compressor on.

2. Swapped out condenser for Vintage Air 14x20 unit cause the old one appeared to have a leak and new lines made to fit condenser. Again vacuumed, oiled and charged the system myself. Ice cold again. Same result, after 2 weeks, pressure had dropped.

The leak is tiny and appears to exist when the system is pressurized. Tried to locate it with UV but no luck. I've vacuumed the system for an hour, sealed the system and waited until the next day. No change in the vacuum reading.

Only thing left to replace is the auto zone low side r134 adapter fitting with a proper weld-in fitting to determine if that's the tiny leak. If not, the evaporator will be the only thing left that I have not replaced. Everything else is new. If it ends up working, I'll most likely update my thread.

Good luck and if you find a solution, please post it up. Us people in the heat NEED a/c.

lifewater · 10-10-2020, 09:18 PM

dam dude that's disappointing. if anything comes up I will post it here

xpinoyxmk · 10-12-2020, 12:53 PM

Dunno how serious you are but this is another solution.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRo05wph2F0

Flicktitty · 10-12-2020, 08:45 PM

i have a few friends who have vintage ac and other brands in older cars but no one with an s-chassis, i've actually been thinking of going this route as it might be easier to get that setup to work on my jz powered car then trying to get a jz compressor to fit.

something like this https://www.restomodair.com/shopprod...-e01ae50b-1eaf

silviaks2nr · 10-12-2020, 08:58 PM

I'm about done with my JZ swapped s14 AC setup. I made custom tucked lines using a condenser with integrated dryer and an is300 JZ compressor. The evaporator, climate control unit, chassis wiring (with pressure switch) is all s14. If you try to change any of the latter you have to start from square 1 which is actually not all that complicated either.

jedi03 · 10-13-2020, 07:37 AM

+1 ac systems are not very complicated...custom lines arent that big of a deal from a hose manufacturing place...the compressor, condensor and sometimes the core are all avaialble from autozone or similar...get sizes made similar to what stock is and route it however you like...i am going to be doing this same thing in a year or two for a buddy as well

10-10-2020, 02:59 PM	#1
lifewater Leaky Injector Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Houston, Texas Age: 40 Posts: 108 Trader Rating: (4) Feedback Score: 4 reviews	Custom AC System My S13 has no AC, and now that I'm down in Houston, thats kind of a big deal. I've been out of the scene a long time, and it looks like S13's are extinct, especially ones with an entire AC system intact, so I've been having major problems sourcing parts.... as well a majority of the AC parts are no longer available for OEM purchase anywhere Has anyone done a custom AC setup for an S13? I know they do this in the hot rod community all the time, but I've never heard of anything besides custom AC lines being done on an S13. Kind of looking to learn from people who've tried this before.

10-12-2020, 08:45 PM	#6
Flicktitty Post Whore! Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Wisconsin Age: 37 Posts: 3,685 Trader Rating: (13) Feedback Score: 13 reviews	i have a few friends who have vintage ac and other brands in older cars but no one with an s-chassis, i've actually been thinking of going this route as it might be easier to get that setup to work on my jz powered car then trying to get a jz compressor to fit. something like this https://www.restomodair.com/shopprod...-e01ae50b-1eaf __________________ 2JZ-GTE Swapped S13 Coupe - 1994 Supra Turbo

10-12-2020, 08:58 PM	#7
silviaks2nr Nissanaholic! Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: SC Posts: 2,192 Trader Rating: (10) Feedback Score: 10 reviews	I'm about done with my JZ swapped s14 AC setup. I made custom tucked lines using a condenser with integrated dryer and an is300 JZ compressor. The evaporator, climate control unit, chassis wiring (with pressure switch) is all s14. If you try to change any of the latter you have to start from square 1 which is actually not all that complicated either. __________________ '98 240sx 5spd kouki 2jz t56 swap build

10-10-2020, 03:24 PM	#2
S14rebuild BANNED Join Date: May 2019 Location: Florida-FAIL Posts: 2,495 Trader Rating: (8) Feedback Score: 8 reviews	This forum and fb groups will be ur friend in this adventure. Its ahell of alot easier, installing, making work properly the stock/oem ac setup then going with an aftermarket/hotrod car kit. Yes sourcing the parts will take sometime but u will be 100% happy u went oem route. Check thru this forum not too far back i recall seeing full s13 oem ac kit...one u would buy at the dealer to add ac to a car that had none from the factory....you just gotta dig... look at u-pull it lots and partouts...it can be done

10-10-2020, 07:16 PM	#3
xpinoyxmk Zilvia Addict Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: FL Posts: 712 Trader Rating: (11) Feedback Score: 11 reviews	https://zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=659834 Made this a while back. Tend to get people asking me if it worked. Short answer is no. Little background on what I've done so far. 1. Swapped compressor and had some new lines made. Vacuumed, oiled and charged system myself. Ice cold. Only started the car once or twice a week. After 2 weeks, the pressure had dropped enough to not kick the compressor on. 2. Swapped out condenser for Vintage Air 14x20 unit cause the old one appeared to have a leak and new lines made to fit condenser. Again vacuumed, oiled and charged the system myself. Ice cold again. Same result, after 2 weeks, pressure had dropped. The leak is tiny and appears to exist when the system is pressurized. Tried to locate it with UV but no luck. I've vacuumed the system for an hour, sealed the system and waited until the next day. No change in the vacuum reading. Only thing left to replace is the auto zone low side r134 adapter fitting with a proper weld-in fitting to determine if that's the tiny leak. If not, the evaporator will be the only thing left that I have not replaced. Everything else is new. If it ends up working, I'll most likely update my thread. Good luck and if you find a solution, please post it up. Us people in the heat NEED a/c.

10-10-2020, 09:18 PM	#4
lifewater Leaky Injector Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Houston, Texas Age: 40 Posts: 108 Trader Rating: (4) Feedback Score: 4 reviews	dam dude that's disappointing. if anything comes up I will post it here

10-12-2020, 12:53 PM	#5
xpinoyxmk Zilvia Addict Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: FL Posts: 712 Trader Rating: (11) Feedback Score: 11 reviews	Dunno how serious you are but this is another solution. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRo05wph2F0

10-13-2020, 07:37 AM	#8
jedi03 Nissanaholic! Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: albuquerque Posts: 1,836 Trader Rating: (8) Feedback Score: 8 reviews	+1 ac systems are not very complicated...custom lines arent that big of a deal from a hose manufacturing place...the compressor, condensor and sometimes the core are all avaialble from autozone or similar...get sizes made similar to what stock is and route it however you like...i am going to be doing this same thing in a year or two for a buddy as well