Unusual aircon system.. Who manufactured it? (1 Viewer)

[Chamba]

That's a nice write up, thanks. Where did you get the interior unit? Does it look like factory parts inside the box?

 

[73tlcv8]

mystery ac continued

I think this unit was made in the us based on the fact the fan inside is made in Texas. This is what the evaporator looks like out of the truck, before I repaired the tubes and replaced the expansion valve.

 

[lostmarbles]

I have this similar system installed in my truck. I put this system in when I put the 3fe in the truck. The evaporator connections are male flare fittings. I converted to the o-ring style hoses from the 62 using adapter fittings available from advance auto and other places.

The original expansion valve had a manual setting control for the dash but the small tube was broken so I just installed a regular txv.

The fan control is a 4 position switch (off-lo-med-hi), it requires a hot connection to the battery. This switch also supplies 12v to the compressor clutch and the ECU for idle up.

I found a cheap like new condenser on ebay, it is about 13" high x 23" long. It has male flare connections.

I used the receiver/dryer for the 62. The dryer clamp is from a mini truck I had laying around. I fabricated the mounting brackets for the condenser and the dryer.

I used the two long hoses from the FJ62 without modification. The short hoses were made up using the correct ends, one being the flange that bolts to the compressor. A local shop in Wilmington does a good job making these.

One short hose goes from the compressor to the top of the condenser, the next short hose runs from the bottom of the condenser to the dryer. A long hose goes from the dryer to the evaporator at the firewall and the final long hose runs from the evaporator at the firewall to the compressor. I put a few ounces of ester oil in the two coils, dryer and compressor, pulled it down then charged with R134a.

It all plays well together, it puts out cold air. In my opinion, I think the temperature control is not required for this application. I just turn it on high.

I think this unit was made in the us based on the fact the fan inside is made in Texas. This is what the evaporator looks like out of the truck, before I repaired the tubes and replaced the expansion valve.

Thanks.

Similar design to the Aussi version but with the addition of its own fan...



BTW- Nice installation job

 

[byrd39]

unusual-aircon system

I have a ac unit for a 40 series similar to the one's shown here this is for a rh drive. I believe, this is a factory unit as it has all the factory plugs for the wiring and uses the factory blower. I have had this unit sitting in the basement for years looks almost new. If anyone is interested send me an email address and I will send some pictures and then you can post to Mud

Bill

 

[lostmarbles]

I have a ac unit for a 40 series similar to the one's shown here this is for a rh drive. I believe, this is a factory unit as it has all the factory plugs for the wiring and uses the factory blower. I have had this unit sitting in the basement for years looks almost new. If anyone is interested send me an email address and I will send some pictures and then you can post to Mud

Bill

Thanks Bill. I've just sent you a PM so hopefully I'll be able to add your pics to this thread soon.

Toyota has always appeared to me to have been fussy over its documentation. So if these units are ex-factory it's odd to me that no pictures seem to be available of them in official sales literature, in the official Electronic Parts Calalog, or elsewhere.

If anyone out there has seen any official pictures or information about these "inline cooling systems that sit in these swollen plastic ducts" then please post it up here..

 

[Living in the Past]

I think this unit was made in the us based on the fact the fan inside is made in Texas. This is what the evaporator looks like out of the truck, before I repaired the tubes and replaced the expansion valve.

The original expansion valve had a manual setting control for the dash but the small tube was broken so I just installed a regular txv.

The fan control is a 4 position switch (off-lo-med-hi), it requires a hot connection to the battery. This switch also supplies 12v to the compressor clutch and the ECU for idle up.

I found a cheap like new condenser on ebay, it is about 13" high x 23" long. It has male flare connections.

I used the receiver/dryer for the 62. The dryer clamp is from a mini truck I had laying around. I fabricated the mounting brackets for the condenser and the dryer.

I used the two long hoses from the FJ62 without modification. The short hoses were made up using the correct ends, one being the flange that bolts to the compressor. A local shop in Wilmington does a good job making these.

One short hose goes from the compressor to the top of the condenser, the next short hose runs from the bottom of the condenser to the dryer. A long hose goes from the dryer to the evaporator at the firewall and the final long hose runs from the evaporator at the firewall to the compressor. I put a few ounces of ester oil in the two coils, dryer and compressor, pulled it down then charged with R134a.

It all plays well together, it puts out cold air. In my opinion, I think the temperature control is not required for this application. I just turn it on high.

That first picture shows the thermostat to the right. It is not part of the TXV. That would have been wired in series with the compressor clutch. The large part of the tube on the end should sit in front coil and cycle the compressor. I'm missing that part from my setup. The TXV is intact. The sensing bulb on the head of the TXV should be charged with the same refrigerant used in the system so it reacts the same to temperature change. I plan on using my in my FJ45LP-B which I going to use a 3FE would be interested in any information you have on fan motor wiring. Missing that switch for that. As for the 3FE I guessing the thermostat should also sent a signal to the ECU to step up the idle when the compressor is running.

 

[MoCoNative]

I saw a very similar unit on Ebay some time ago, it looked to just be the duct with the condenser in it. Actually a very simple setup if you ask me. I didn't really need it, so I didn't bid on it, I think it went for less than 100 bucks. Actually a person could build something very similar from sheet metal.

The listing I saw on Ebay said it was OEM too.

 

[lostmarbles]

Thanks for all the responses.

• OEM?... or
• Non-OEM but fitted by the dealer to the brand-new vehicle on the showroom floor (perhaps as a country-wide or state-wide Toyota-endorsed accessory)?

Who knows for sure?

Anyway here are the pics Bill gave me today of the unit sitting in his basement in Atlanta Ga USA.








(Sorry for the poor quality of some of the photos.)

He reckons the plastic is more of a gloss black than what Toyota used elsewhere in that area and so far he's found no identifying/manufacturing marks.

 

[73tlcv8]

That first picture shows the thermostat to the right. It is not part of the TXV. That would have been wired in series with the compressor clutch. The large part of the tube on the end should sit in front coil and cycle the compressor. I'm missing that part from my setup. The TXV is intact. The sensing bulb on the head of the TXV should be charged with the same refrigerant used in the system so it reacts the same to temperature change. I plan on using my in my FJ45LP-B which I going to use a 3FE would be interested in any information you have on fan motor wiring. Missing that switch for that. As for the 3FE I guessing the thermostat should also sent a signal to the ECU to step up the idle when the compressor is running.

What you say makes sense and on closer inspection the two cap tubes are different. I was missing the bulbs on both devices so I thought they must have connected together. The fan switch is like that available from old air products.

 

[JohnnyC]

found these pictures here: https://forum.ih8mud.com/sale-parts/473969-old-school-fj40-air-conditioning.html

 

[JohnnyC]

Tom do we know what it says on the little red sticker (next to the Save Nature one)

 

[lostmarbles]

Tom do we know what it says on the little red sticker (next to the Save Nature one)

I take it to be just another unrelated advertising sticker Johnny and perhaps Bill can confirm this.

Thanks for finding another example in the expired/sold classifieds. (It looks like Bill would have no trouble selling his one if he wanted to.)

I'm getting the impression that all these "inline-ducted systems" we're finding differ from each other and therefore probably have different manufacturers.

So, if I'm right, they are unlikely to have anything to do with Toyota Japan (and therefore strictly speaking shouldn't be described as OEM)?

There are probably automotive air conditioning businesses in both Australia and the USA who specialise in installing aftermarket AC systems in imported new vehicles such as trucks, tractors, buses etc. And they are probably geared up towards making their own plastic ducting. That's not hard to imagine..

Then, because these AC systems are purchased with a brand-new vehicle and have no separate branding identification, some owners start assuming they're OEM...

Just thinking out loud..................

 

[JohnnyC]

I hear you with every point... They are for the most part ... Different ... Very unlikely now that we see these are they oem

 

[Chamba]

I hear you with every point... They are for the most part ... Different ... Very unlikely now that we see these are they oem

Very unlikely indeed. Where every Nippon Denso unit is absolutely identical in every respect rhd or LHD and used the same compressor used in the 60 series, 70 series, early 80 series, crown and some hiluxes. Further items of note are that every Nippon Denso unit mounts in exactly the same way, where all of these appear to mount in different ways; not what one would expect for an assembly line the size of Toyota City, where uniformity would seem to be paramount.

 

[JohnnyC]

Not the same system... But... Very cool

Found this in an old Downey catalog

 

[JohnnyC]

Better pic

 

[JohnnyC]

This system was made by 'Mark IV' air conditioning ... They made this one for Hickey Offroad as wall as for Downey

Wonder if anybody here has one?

 

[Chamba]

I actually remember seeing one like this in high school ( '85 or '86 I think) which was in a pre-'75 rig (I only remember it had a lift gate, but the doors were off. It was rust-free and I'd never seen a rust-free one before...it was awesome and I wanted it) from Arizona or California. Growing up in Colorado, it was the first air con I'd ever seen in a Cruiser and I am almost certain he said it was from Downey. I waited to talk to the guy for a while and when he came out he said it was his dad's rig but his Dad let him take it to college with him at CU. I dreamt of getting it for my '76 for years, but then I lucked into my '83 my sophomore year in college, sold my beloved '76, and all thoughts of after market air melted away like ice cream in July in a bone stock '76 fj40.

 

[lostmarbles]

Funny you should mention the "Mark IV" Johnny.

One of their evaporator/fan-coil units was in the passenger footwell area of my cruiser when I bought it in Perth Western Australia back in 1981.

It ran R12 refrigerant and came with a Sankyo SD507 swash-plate-type compressor.

Went well but I dumped the entire system after a few years back in New Zealand where the temperatures don't really warrant having it. (Well not when you're based in Wellington anyway.)

I've searched my folders but unfortunately I can't find any pics of this MarkIV-branded unit.

 

[soup]

This is the unit I have fitted to my '82 BJ42 LX RHD (going by the first pics in the first post). Can't remember the PO mentioning if it was factory or not, either way I am keen to find out. Let me know if I can take any photos that would help.