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So after almost many years I finally have my full built motor up and running. Big single with V mount setup but the issue is I live somewhere that is super hot. I tried to find something on the forum but didnt see any threads on it, and just wondering if anyone knows of a smaller (preferably electric) aftermarket air conditioning system I can somehow fab into the car. I miss having AC so damn much on hot days....great having an aerodynamic car but I cant stand even no wind coming into the car haha. I do still have most of the stock parts but I just dont see any of it fitting. Any ideas or kits known would be amazing!
its a long story buy we looked HEAVY into doing a full electric kit and it just wont work. you're v mount so it would be pretty easy to make a kit off an rx8 condensor and rx7 everything else. you can use an rx8 compressor too if you wanted.
Another option to consider since you're V-mount is if you still have the OEM FD evaporator core is to use an FD compressor (can still be sourced used or new), and use a generic aftermarket condenser and dryer, and fabricate your own A/C plumbing lines with AC hose & fittings. For the condenser, you'll want to find the largest one you can fit, and for the dryer, find one that fits in the OEM bracket (or make your own) that also has a port to install the AC pressure switch. That's the general route I took with my FD, which is a larger than OEM SMIC setup & single turbo. Because of the turbo, the OEM hard lines would not fit, so I had to fabricate my own lines. That AC restoration adventure is in my build thread here, starting around post #12: https://www.rx7club.com/build-thread...oject-1149941/
The JP3 kit is hands down the nicest and easiest way to go. The only OEM part you need is the evaporator box under the dash, then you buy their kit and buy a new RX-8 compressor and condenser. Bolt it on and done.
Rocketeer Bandit's build thread has some pics and reactions on that kit. And they make a version of the kit for V-mounts.
It can be spendy of course, but it's an easy bolt-on.
There are ways to make some of it yourself like Pete did, that will cost less but will be a LOT more effort and fabrication involved.
Really depends on how much you want to spend and your comfort level with doing fab work.
^This. Had the JP3 kit been available when I started to restore my AC system, I most likely would have went for that. The easy availability of the RX8 parts and plug & play nature of the kit would have saved me lots of time in designing the custom plumbing needed. Though I'm not sure if the JP3 kit would have solved the problem I had with the OEM FD hard lines (assuming JP3 kit still retains those?) - my single turbo got in the way of the OEM low side hard line, so I had to do away with that part to plumb around it.
^This. Had the JP3 kit been available when I started to restore my AC system, I most likely would have went for that. The easy availability of the RX8 parts and plug & play nature of the kit would have saved me lots of time in designing the custom plumbing needed. Though I'm not sure if the JP3 kit would have solved the problem I had with the OEM FD hard lines (assuming JP3 kit still retains those?) - my single turbo got in the way of the OEM low side hard line, so I had to do away with that part to plumb around it.
The JP3 kit does away with the OEM hard lines. And for a small charge they sell a heat shield for their lines specifically for the case of having a larger single turbo that gets close to the new lines.
This is great news. Have spent enough on this car at this point whats a few thousand more for comfort. Is the rx8 condenser able to be laid horizontal? Im guessing thats why it works with a vmount or am I missing the reason? I should have the room to get the stock pump back on the pulley system but was really hoping to go electric. This winter will be making it look better under the hood (plz ignore the bashed pipe...it was hitting my hood)
This is great news. Have spent enough on this car at this point whats a few thousand more for comfort. Is the rx8 condenser able to be laid horizontal? Im guessing thats why it works with a vmount or am I missing the reason? I should have the room to get the stock pump back on the pulley system but was really hoping to go electric.)
There's a few good reasons to use the RX-8 AC condenser -
- It's generally the right shape and size
- It's easily available
- It's CHEAP, like $80
- It has a built-in drier. The OEM MANA drier hasn't been available in YEARS. Also cleans things up since you don't have to find a spot for that can somewhere.
You will most likely need to have a condenser at a bit of an angle, it's not dead flat. Refrigerant comes in as a gas, is cooled by air, goes back to liquid, then is sucked into the compressor from the bottom.
I don't see a good reason to try and do an electric compressor. Belt-driven is SO easy, it makes for very little drag, the pulley is disengaged at load/high RPM so it isn't turning when it shouldn't, and it's tucked down low and out of the way.
An electric compressor would require an engineering effort since no one has done it, you would probably need a higher output alternator (which is pricey and many times heavier), heavy gauge power wiring to the compressor (weight), custom lines.....it's a nice idea but not immediately practical.
