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$20 for 37° air conditioning.

5K views 29 replies 22 participants last post by  Toms Blue Ram 1500 
#1 ·
on our trucks, they put the a/c condenser next to the heater core under the dash. in the summer months the hot coolant running through the core affects a/c performance - especially in the desert

on the passenger side find the two heater hoses. in a spot where they won't interfere - cut them in half and install a 1/2" ball valve fitted with 5/8" barb adapters on each hose - tighten the hoses with regular hose clamps. keep the valves open and refill any lost coolant. start the truck and run the heater to get rid of any air in the system.

shut both valves off and take the truck for a spin, you will notice how much faster the a/c cools off and how much colder it gets.

i would have to run mine on full blast and if i was lucky i would get in the 40's. with this mod during 120° days it gets down to 37° and i mostly use the 3rd speed.
 
#3 ·
Just curious, do you get any better mileage without the added drag from the AC compressor? Since the interior temp gets cooler more efficiently, the compressor wouldn't have to cycle on as much. Less drag=better fuel efficiency? Even a bump of 1/2mpg would save me about $3 every time I fill up. I live in FL, and we use our AC alot!
 
#8 ·
yes...get a coolant cooled turbo setup :p

Gets hot within a few miles of driving...lol

And, thats an interesting mod. Doesn't affect the engine temps, does it? Since coolant isn't flowing how it was designed to.
 
#6 ·
Could definitely use that around here right about now, we went from freezing to sweltering (that includes humidity) almost overnight! Props to ya' for the ingenuity! :smileup:

- Cajun
 
#7 ·
Thats a pretty cool idea! I do notice that the AC takes a little to get really cold. I dont think I will do this but it is a real cool idea!
 
#12 ·
I thought about that . I would rather see a heater control valve , like from a 72 dodge charger , that way the flow of coolant through the heater hoses isn't dead headed . By using this style valve will let the coolant bypass the heater core and keep it circulating . Sometimes disrupting coolant flow in the hoses disrupts the flow of coolant through the motor . You won't see it at the temp guage .
 
#14 ·
That sounds like a great idea and does have merit. I'm just wondering what that might do if you have the dual zone automatic temperature control, could it possibly throw a code if it detects no heat/flow through the heater core ? :4-dontknow:
 
#15 ·
i have the assurance from a friend of mine who is a heavy line diesel mechanic/shop foreman that there is no adverse effects. heavy trucks have the same setup as far as shutting off the coolant to the core.
fords have a vacuum operated valve that does the exact same thing when you turn the ac on.

took the truck 400 miles each way through the desert and mountains in so-cal last summer with no problems.
 
#19 ·
Has anyone tried this in the Southern part of the USA with some significant humidity? I am curious if you need to crack the ball valve a bit in the evenings and early morning to get the windshield defogged while in defrost mode? I usually have to dial in some heat to get to see in those conditions.
 
#20 ·
My '78 Ford Thunderbird had a valve similar to that was vacuum controlled from the factory. I found that is wasn't shutting all the way due to age and or failing vacuum motor, so I replaced it with a manual valve and presto.
 
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