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One Piece at a Time: My 1985 Diesel Suburban

MBRP 4" quiet tone is installed; louvers are facing backwards. I videotaped it on this Googley walkie-talkie and sent it to the YouTubes.

Internal louvers with packing:
image.jpeg

It's a 24" case, and 30" overall. It's not difficult to find a straight section of exhaust that long on a suburban.
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So far, I'm a fan. Significant decrease in drone, and it's throatier with more whistle.

David
 
It is pretty quiet...would be great for the long haul.
Thanks for posting the video.
 
Work is underway, but I had to share this snap of the Vintage Air unit compared to the bulky factory setup (which is complete, and I'll make available if someone can use it).

image.jpeg

David
 
Work is underway, but I had to share this snap of the Vintage Air unit compared to the bulky factory setup (which is complete, and I'll make available if someone can use it).

View attachment 210837

David

It's certainly is a huge size difference for sure. I need to come up with a fresh air door of some sort for mine but otherwise I'm happy with how it works.
 
Work is underway, but I had to share this snap of the Vintage Air unit compared to the bulky factory setup (which is complete, and I'll make available if someone can use it).

View attachment 210837

David

Wow. That's a bunch of difference. Do you have numerical specs for how much square footage of heat exchanger space each of the setups have? I recognize that the factory A/C setup is laid out fairly poorly (my ancient aftermarket A/C setup is much more compact), but that looks like it just can't be as much heat transfer area. :thinking:

What is the part number for this setup?
 
It's certainly is a huge size difference for sure. I need to come up with a fresh air door of some sort for mine but otherwise I'm happy with how it works.

So you don't have a fresh-air function? How do you blow non-hot air? I've seen HVAC systems that simply cut off water flow to the heater core and called that fresh air instead of diverting air back and forth.
 
Vintage Air part number is 754181. It goes best with a strong cup of the coffee. Read it twice!
image.jpeg

I upgraded the condenser to one that's rated for dual air, but we'll see how it does cooling the suburban's cavern. The 'fresh air' comes from your passengers not gassing up the interior. You actually block off the fender draw as a part of the installation.

As well, I've noticed my firewall insulation has delaminated from the firewall itself - this might explain some latent noise and heat transfer. Glad I had Dynamat in inventory.

Onward.

David
 
When your done with the firewall template, mind sending it to me?
I think I'm going with an aluminum panel instead of what the kit uses.
 
There's not really a template. They ship you a steel plate that you install.

David
 
So you don't have a fresh-air function? How do you blow non-hot air? I've seen HVAC systems that simply cut off water flow to the heater core and called that fresh air instead of diverting air back and forth.

The factory fresh air vent is blocked off. So the system always runs in recirculation mode basically. If you need/want fresh air you have to crack a window open some. You can have to fan blow non heated/cooled air by setting the temp switch in the the center position.

It does have a valve for the heater core flow as that's how it's regulates heat temperature. It's gets pretty hot or cool in my truck but it's a standard cab. Course there's almost no insulation on mine after sinking it in a river years back but it keeps up nicely.

The big mounting/block off plate they give you has to be in the correct spot as the evaporator mounts to it. Having a small right angle drill is helpful too for a couple of the mounting bolts that go in the very top of the inside mountain at the very top of the dash. The vent hoses can be fun to hook up to when the units in place.
 
Having a small right angle drill is helpful too for a couple of the mounting bolts that go in the very top of the inside mountain at the very top of the dash.
This is true.
The vent hoses can be fun to hook up to when the units in place.
This does not match my experience.

So far, I really like the fit and finish of the system. My only real negative is the hardware - cheap sheet metal screws are out of place on a system this nice, so I'm using 1/4-20 on everything. As well, I've slotted the upper mounting bracket and reversed the firewall mounting screws to be studs so it can be a one-person install and adjustment. Other minor tweaks I'll post here when I'm done.

What kind of vent temps are you getting when cooling?

David
 
This is true.

This does not match my experience.

So far, I really like the fit and finish of the system. My only real negative is the hardware - cheap sheet metal screws are out of place on a system this nice, so I'm using 1/4-20 on everything. As well, I've slotted the upper mounting bracket and reversed the firewall mounting screws to be studs so it can be a one-person install and adjustment. Other minor tweaks I'll post here when I'm done.

What kind of vent temps are you getting when cooling?

David

I agree fit and finish is good. This was the first time installing one of the systems so might of just been my learning curve for it. Yeah some of the hard ware they include is kinda cheesy considering what the kits cost.

Temp wise only getting around low 50s degrees when at a fast idle of 1500. Should be in the lower 40s but I'm having some minor issues, thinking a dryer change and recharge will fix my problem. It does work pretty good othe then that.
 
Low 50s will be a vast improvement from the not-so-cool 74 on the factory setup.

By the way, I have an extra VA drier. PM me if you want to work something out.

David
 
Wow, only mid 70s, that's really bad. I remember my factory setup would blow ice cubes it was so cold.

Might take you up on that, have to see if I need anything else first so I only have to open the system once.
 

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