converting an air con compressor

[robbie]

anyone converted their air conditioning compressor into a air compressor for ARB diff locks etc?

if so, how did you do it, and know any pages online for a guide? rough price converting it? what parts are needed? is it worth it?

[N*A*M]

try these searches
pirate for "oba", "york", "sanden" etc...
google for "onboard air" and "york compressor"

quite a few people have done it (off the top of my head wooders and maybe bogged)

[BundyRumandCoke]

Robbie
Absolutely, positively worth it. I have run this type of compressor for about 10 years, firstly on a Suzuki Sierra, and now on my Daihatsu Rocky. My system now is fully automatic, with a high/low pressure switch, charging a tank to about 120psi. I run a pair of air horns off this tank, but mainly the set up is for doing tyres. You WILL NOT beat this type of system for tyre inflation. An example, on a recent trip, I inflated 5 cars tyres, ranging from 9r to 33's with pressures from 12 to around 35 psi in less time than it took another guy to do his four tyres with an electric compressor (admittadly, one of the cheap ones). It actually takes me more time to air down than it takes me to reinflate. Beach driving sees me around 12-15 psi, sometimes as low as 8psi. I reinflate to 32 in about 30 to 45 secs for each tyre. Thats at fast idle speed. If I want it quicker, I just idle up with the hand throttle. I used a Sanden rotary compressor. Use the standard mounts for your 4wd if you havent got air con, otherwise, you will have to fabricate mounts. Modifications to the air con compressor is, grease nipple tapped into the sump plug and a few squirts of grease every couple of months. Also, a couple of teaspoons of oil into the air intake every 6 months or so. I run the outlet into an oil cooler, then through a water trap before it goes into the tank. This keeps most of the crap out of the tank. I also run a non return valve just before the tank, as the compressors dont like retaining that pressure. I also run a blow off valve set for about 130psi. Look for Endless Air on the web. All it is is one of these setups. Once fitted, you will never be without one again.
Hope this helps
Cheers
David

[robbie]

sounds interesting..

put up pics mate

[BundyRumandCoke]

Some pics for you Robbie

Shows air horns, top of tank (red, centre) air chuck, filter on air intake (above air cleaner can)

[BundyRumandCoke]

2nd
Hard to see, but compressor under alternator

[BundyRumandCoke]

3rd
better view of compressor under alternator. Even though I manufactured the mounts, I believe this is the standard air con compressor position

[BundyRumandCoke]

Last
Top of tank, showing all connections. Top T has air line to horns (black hose to top right), and another T, with air chuck (above) and pressure switch (below). Lower T has blow off valve (lower centre) and one way valve (partly obscured by first T) with airline coming in from top left from cooler and water trap in front of radiator. Completely obscured is third connection to pressure gauge on dash. Wiring goes from ignition, through pressure switch, to relay which cuts compressor in when pressure is low (under about 90psi)
Hope this all helps

[robbie]

nice setup..

I will be using a factory air con pump, with some sort of oiling system..

the tank will be from a truck brake system.. I hear they are pretty cheap.. hopefully this works out cheap!

will it be better than an ARB compressor?

[getdirty]

exhaling through a straw would be more effective than trying to use an arb for anything besides lockers.......

I have a portable arb, only use it for extreme emergencies. Soon to be hard mounted for lockers.

[robbie]

hehe

[nickw86au]

Robbie
Absolutely, positively worth it. I have run this type of compressor for about 10 years, firstly on a Suzuki Sierra, and now on my Daihatsu Rocky. My system now is fully automatic, with a high/low pressure switch, charging a tank to about 120psi. I run a pair of air horns off this tank, but mainly the set up is for doing tyres. You WILL NOT beat this type of system for tyre inflation. An example, on a recent trip, I inflated 5 cars tyres, ranging from 9r to 33's with pressures from 12 to around 35 psi in less time than it took another guy to do his four tyres with an electric compressor (admittadly, one of the cheap ones). It actually takes me more time to air down than it takes me to reinflate. Beach driving sees me around 12-15 psi, sometimes as low as 8psi. I reinflate to 32 in about 30 to 45 secs for each tyre. Thats at fast idle speed. If I want it quicker, I just idle up with the hand throttle. I used a Sanden rotary compressor. Use the standard mounts for your 4wd if you havent got air con, otherwise, you will have to fabricate mounts. Modifications to the air con compressor is, grease nipple tapped into the sump plug and a few squirts of grease every couple of months. Also, a couple of teaspoons of oil into the air intake every 6 months or so. I run the outlet into an oil cooler, then through a water trap before it goes into the tank. This keeps most of the crap out of the tank. I also run a non return valve just before the tank, as the compressors dont like retaining that pressure. I also run a blow off valve set for about 130psi. Look for Endless Air on the web. All it is is one of these setups. Once fitted, you will never be without one again.
Hope this helps
Cheers
David

I was wondering if you could Tonka the pics on your setup - I'm looking to do this on a suzuki sierra, so if you have any pics of your old setup it would be great. Alternatively perhaps you could email them to me.

I have searched on this subject (for several hours; there's heaps of info!!) and found one particular thread that said his setup cost ~ $400 - is that the sort of price I'd be looking at - I'd need to buy the compressor and everything.

Thanks for you help

Nick.

[BundyRumandCoke]

Nick, the setup I had on my old Sierra was just fabricated by myself. Sorry, but dont have any pics of it. I just made a bracket up to suit the motor and comp. If I remember correctly, the comp was mounted up the top, on the passenger side of the motor, thats a F10A 1 litre. I had a direct quick disconnect on the discharge port, and had the suction plumbed into some sort of filter.
I would guess the $400 mentioned elsewhere might be for an Endless Air. For a comp, just go hunting the wreckers for a second hand comp. Even a junk one from a auto air conditioner place. They dont have to be in brilliant condition to work extremely well.
If you have a specific vehicle you want to fit it to, in your case, a Suzuki, and hopefully yours doesnt already have air con, but they made it for your model, I would hunt the wreckers for a std A/C mount, compressor, and pulley. In that case, the greatest part of the job is already done. If your has AC fitted, then you have to look at fabbing a new mount to make it fit.

Cheers
David

[nickw86au]

Thanks for that david, that might be the way to go. The only thing that I wasn't sure of was whether I should go for the york 210 compressor that seemed to be the most favoured for it's air volume in other threads. It would be a good idea to use the std one though... less fabrication=easier!!

Here's a quote from the thread http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modul ... c&start=30 that I was referring to

shorty forty, been following this tread as will be doing this myself soon. just check my aircon (already removed all lines/evaporator etc) today, got some air pumping out so at least that bit works.

is yours all up and running? got a final pic or order of parts in setup, maybe some rough idea on cost?

i haven't had much of a chance to get my setup finished yet. the tranfer rebuild put any non necessary purchases on hold for a while. i just need one last visit to enzed i think.

can i ask how you approached cutting the lines and removing your condenser,etc? did you just stand back and slice it and that was it?

heres a breakdown of parts/cost:
- $25 Air tank
- $100 fittings for tank and host (safetly valve, non-return, drain, 2 x 3/4 quick connects, 7mts of 3/4" hose, 2x3/4 barbs and a two way 3/4 adapter)
- $50 air/oil seperator (smc AF30-02)
- $150 inline oiler (smc AL3000), intake filter,4port adj pressure switch w/ unloader, blo, gauge
- $20 bolts, metal strapping, etc

total: $345.

so I guess when you factor in another 50bucks for the remainding crimping, barbs and clamps..nearlyt $400 then maybe its doesn't look that cheap after all.
But where/what else would you by a mobile aircompressor you can use with air tools, chucks, and guns for that kinda money?

It didn't even include the actual compressor!

I just wasn't sure if you had a rough cost to get your style of system (with tank etc. ) rigged up - horefully there's a slightly cheaper way to go about it!

Perhaps you could even do without the tank and just have a remote switch that can reach each of your four tyres to engage and disengage the clutch for the compressor to do away with the tank (saving space in a zook).

Or maybe you could put a pressure switch in the actual air line to prevent the buildup of pressure in the hose that would blow the clamps off (as I've read in other threads)...Or maybe it's too late and I'm talking rubbish... anyway, any suggestions or replies are welcome

Nick.

[nickw86au]

Actually, this answers some of my questions

http://www.suzukiinfo.com/sierra/samura ... roject.pdf

Ant comments on this one?

Nick.

[BundyRumandCoke]

A manual switch under the bonnet was all I had on the Sierra, no tank or anything.
My current system is a marriage of the same sort of system, and a set of air horns I got that came with a tank. Cost, god only knows as I built the system up over a couple of years, changing and redesigning the hoses as things failed. Its been perfect for years now.

[nickw86au]

Did you need to be careful to turn off the compressor as you checked the the pressure in your tyres so that the pressure didn;t build up in the lines or was it fine? I'm assuming that you used some sort of trigger attachment to connect to the tyres (like at the servo) ?

[BundyRumandCoke]

With the straight compressor, I used a locking air chuck, one that clamps onto the valve stem, but when removed from the valve stem, allows the air to flow frrly through the chuck. I would just let the motor and compressor run between tyres.

[nickw86au]

Mate thanks for that, sounds like the cheapest and easiest option (to set up). As funds allow, a system like yours will eventually be on the cards but it sounds like your first system would suit my needs down to a T.

I assume that it would pump quicker than a std 12V compressor (e.g. arb, Blue tongue etc?) - certainly it would be cheaper depending on the comperssor that I manage to find.

Thanks for your help

Nick

[shorty_f0rty]

Thanks for that david, that might be the way to go. The only thing that I wasn't sure of was whether I should go for the york 210 compressor that seemed to be the most favoured for it's air volume in other threads. It would be a good idea to use the std one though... less fabrication=easier!!

Here's a quote from the thread http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modul ... c&start=30 that I was referring to

shorty forty, been following this tread as will be doing this myself soon. just check my aircon (already removed all lines/evaporator etc) today, got some air pumping out so at least that bit works.

is yours all up and running? got a final pic or order of parts in setup, maybe some rough idea on cost?

i haven't had much of a chance to get my setup finished yet. the tranfer rebuild put any non necessary purchases on hold for a while. i just need one last visit to enzed i think.

can i ask how you approached cutting the lines and removing your condenser,etc? did you just stand back and slice it and that was it?

heres a breakdown of parts/cost:
- $25 Air tank
- $100 fittings for tank and host (safetly valve, non-return, drain, 2 x 3/4 quick connects, 7mts of 3/4" hose, 2x3/4 barbs and a two way 3/4 adapter)
- $50 air/oil seperator (smc AF30-02)
- $150 inline oiler (smc AL3000), intake filter,4port adj pressure switch w/ unloader, blo, gauge
- $20 bolts, metal strapping, etc

total: $345.

so I guess when you factor in another 50bucks for the remainding crimping, barbs and clamps..nearlyt $400 then maybe its doesn't look that cheap after all.
But where/what else would you by a mobile aircompressor you can use with air tools, chucks, and guns for that kinda money?

It didn't even include the actual compressor!

I just wasn't sure if you had a rough cost to get your style of system (with tank etc. ) rigged up - horefully there's a slightly cheaper way to go about it!

Perhaps you could even do without the tank and just have a remote switch that can reach each of your four tyres to engage and disengage the clutch for the compressor to do away with the tank (saving space in a zook).

Or maybe you could put a pressure switch in the actual air line to prevent the buildup of pressure in the hose that would blow the clamps off (as I've read in other threads)...Or maybe it's too late and I'm talking rubbish... anyway, any suggestions or replies are welcome

Nick.

I didnt pay anything for the air compressor cos I used the one already in there that was used for Air con.


ive had my setup running for over a year now and its one of the best mods i've done.. highly recommend it!! if you have any questions feel free to ask!!

[nickw86au]

Thanks mate, I thought that must have been the case (that you already had the compressor) - I'm looking for a slightly cheaper alternative that can perhaps be built upon in the future to get what you have.

I am curious though, would it be possible to put a pressure cutoff switch in the actual air line and have an attachment similar to a servo-type tyre connector so that it would monitor the pressure in the air line and disengage the clutch on the compressor if the pressure in the air hose got to high? A bit more costly than just having an air hose straight to the tyre as mentioned in bundyrumandcoke's post but perhaps easier to use? Just a thought

Cheers

Nick

[shorty_f0rty]

Thanks mate, I thought that must have been the case (that you already had the compressor) - I'm looking for a slightly cheaper alternative that can perhaps be built upon in the future to get what you have.

I am curious though, would it be possible to put a pressure cutoff switch in the actual air line and have an attachment similar to a servo-type tyre connector so that it would monitor the pressure in the air line and disengage the clutch on the compressor if the pressure in the air hose got to high? A bit more costly than just having an air hose straight to the tyre as mentioned in bundyrumandcoke's post but perhaps easier to use? Just a thought

Cheers

Nick

not sure how this would work.

the pressure switch i have detects the pressure in the tank and disengages the air comp clutch when a preset max is hit.

if you didnt have a tank and just a air hose, than this might be cutting in (turning the air com on) when you empty the air from the hose by pressing the trigger. and cutting out when its not in use (pressure in hose hits 100psi for example)..

but.. for example. say you have finished using the air comp.. depending on how you have wired the pressure switch (up to your ignition or whatever) the switch would activate (turn on the air comp) if you empty the last remaining air from the hose after use...

it might work.. can't say for sure. you'll still need a check valve to make sure air is only going one way after leaving the compressor.

the tanks aren't expensive.. mine only cost $25 from a truck wrecker with all the holes ready to connect fittings.

not sure if my dribble makes any sense but it might help..

[nickw86au]

not sure how this would work.

the pressure switch i have detects the pressure in the tank and disengages the air comp clutch when a preset max is hit.

if you didnt have a tank and just a air hose, than this might be cutting in (turning the air com on) when you empty the air from the hose by pressing the trigger. and cutting out when its not in use (pressure in hose hits 100psi for example)..

but.. for example. say you have finished using the air comp.. depending on how you have wired the pressure switch (up to your ignition or whatever) the switch would activate (turn on the air comp) if you empty the last remaining air from the hose after use...

it might work.. can't say for sure. you'll still need a check valve to make sure air is only going one way after leaving the compressor.

the tanks aren't expensive.. mine only cost $25 from a truck wrecker with all the holes ready to connect fittings.

not sure if my dribble makes any sense but it might help..

Any help is good help at this stage! Although in thinking about it a little more, it would be a similar cost to put in a tank by the time I had bought the pressure switch etc... Maybe just startting with a compressor and some sort of oiling system and a remote switch might be the way to go. I'll ring around the wreckers and get a price idea for a stock compressor and hopefully the mounting brackets.

With the straight compressor, I used a locking air chuck, one that clamps onto the valve stem, but when removed from the valve stem, allows the air to flow frrly through the chuck. I would just let the motor and compressor run between tyres.

I think this sort of setup might be the cheapest option to begin with. I'll let you know how I go.

Nick[/quote]

[bushy555]

I unbolted the lines going to my air conditioning compressor on me Sube Brumby since (1) I was outta gas anyway, and (2) the engine doesn't have enough grunt to run air conditioning whilst cruising anyway.
Found an old standard airline outlet/attachment (whatever they're called) and screwed it in to the outlet. Chucked on an old in-line fuel filter for the inlet. Used a spare coily line that I had laying around. *walla*. instant air compressor for absolutely nix. If you were to run your air inlet into the tappet manifold somewhere, the oil vapor is enough to keep the compressor lubed. But I just squirt WD-40 down the fuel filter every now and then. Hasn't stuffed up yet - been connected like this for donky years.

Pumps little Sube 13" tyres from 0 to 32 PSI in about 20 seconds at a few decent revs. Does a 38"x12 swamper from 0 to 20 PSI in less than 2 minutes. Dunno for sure, but I've got a feeling that this simply beats the pants off the compressor at the local Shell.

Just gotta make time to do this to me other vehicle

[Nev62]

I just tapped into my air cleaner for filtered air

[jungle_surfer]

Has anyone tried setting up their air conditioning pump for both air conditioning and air compressing? I'd imagine it might work with a Y-splitter at the inlet and outlet ends of the compressor, and 4 taps to select air / refrigerant. I know you'd loose a bit of refrigerant every time you switched mode... but if you already have an air conditioner, it'll save you finding and fitting another one. Is this a possibility, or have I completely lost it?

[chimpboy]

Has anyone tried setting up their air conditioning pump for both air conditioning and air compressing? I'd imagine it might work with a Y-splitter at the inlet and outlet ends of the compressor, and 4 taps to select air / refrigerant. I know you'd loose a bit of refrigerant every time you switched mode... but if you already have an air conditioner, it'll save you finding and fitting another one. Is this a possibility, or have I completely lost it?

I would say this is a terrible idea, no offence.

[jungle_surfer]

Has anyone tried setting up their air conditioning pump for both air conditioning and air compressing? I'd imagine it might work with a Y-splitter at the inlet and outlet ends of the compressor, and 4 taps to select air / refrigerant. I know you'd loose a bit of refrigerant every time you switched mode... but if you already have an air conditioner, it'll save you finding and fitting another one. Is this a possibility, or have I completely lost it?

I would say this is a terrible idea, no offence.

No offence taken, but why?

Note I'm probably only going to be 'switching mode' less than once a month, unfortunately.

[Shadow]

Has anyone tried setting up their air conditioning pump for both air conditioning and air compressing? I'd imagine it might work with a Y-splitter at the inlet and outlet ends of the compressor, and 4 taps to select air / refrigerant. I know you'd loose a bit of refrigerant every time you switched mode... but if you already have an air conditioner, it'll save you finding and fitting another one. Is this a possibility, or have I completely lost it?

I would say this is a terrible idea, no offence.

No offence taken, but why?

Note I'm probably only going to be 'switching mode' less than once a month, unfortunately.

You would lose your refrigerant in probably the first time you switched over and you would contaminate your refrigeration system with dirty air

[smileysmoke]

why not just run it in winter as the compressor and then fill it up in summer. use it as aircon and then revert back.. switching would be a PITA to setup.