Farrar's car blog

[stevedmc]

For what its worth, I pulled my old wiring a couple of weeks ago and ran 12v to my electric choke from the RPM relay plug. The RPM relay quit working anyway so I trashed the part and installed a jumper wire into the plug. I am running 12v from the jumper wire straight to the choke and things are working, and looking great.

[Farrar]

Here are some more pictures of the engine compartment with the new wiring loom installed; I had some sunlight today so I took advantage of it.

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One thing that bugs me is that giant thick loop; originally there was a good reason for it to be that long -- it stretched over to the cold start valve and control pressure regulator. Now the only thing exiting that giant loop on the left side is the otterstat, but I don't feel that shortening the wiring that is left is in my best interest, so it's simply tucked out of the way for now.

Farrar

[sean]

Not to shabby, reminds me of Doc Ock
octarm-doc-ock.jpg

[Farrar]

Never heard of Doc Ock, and although my nickname is Doc, it is from Severinsen... whom probably most folks around DMCTalk are too young to remember.

Anyway, I have yet to hear back from John Hervey. Although I wish him the best, I need to get my air conditioning fixed pronto, so I will be ordering a low-pressure switch, heater core, and evaporator from Houston. I hope they all work, since they're 30-year-old parts.

Farrar

[Farrar]

I called up Dave & Julee this morning about my evaporator/heater core replacement project. Dave said that the heater core rarely fails, but that I do have the classic symptoms of a heater core leak (foggy windshield in heat, slowly disappearing coolant), and that I might as well replace both while I am doing the work. Makes perfect sense to me. So I ordered a heater core, plus -- instead of just the evaporator -- an evaporator "kit" which contains an orifice tube and accumulator. I figure the system has been exposed to the humid air so long by now that I might as well replace the accumulator; it is, after all, relatively cheap.

I also ordered a low pressure switch because I accidentally threw out my old switch when I removed the accumulator -- oops! Fortunately, also a relatively inexpensive part.

Now I have to find some appropriate closed-cell foam to replace that which surrounds the box and has probably disintegrated over the last thirty years (hm, I wondered where that black fuzz was coming from when I turned on the a/c after a long time!), plus some adhesive cork tape, and I should be ready to do the job! I know it will be a pain, but I am excited to get it done so I can drive with a/c, which is generally necessary nine months out of the year in this climate.

I'm pretty excited!

Farrar

[Farrar]

...or perhaps not a heater core.

Dave doesn't have any new ones, Houston doesn't have any new ones, and the used ones don't look so great.

So I'm not sure how to proceed -- find a radiator shop and have them pressure-test the heater core I've got once I have it out of the car?

I could also simply remove the heater core I've got and bypass it with a length of hose... I don't drive the car much in winter at all and have used the heater maybe once -- but if memory serves I have used the defogger a few times over the years, and I wouldn't want to lose that function -- in fact I was thinking today that while I'm in there it would be a good idea to re-wire the mode switch to run the compressor when the defroster/heater is engaged.

Oh dear, what to do?

Any suggestions?

Farrar

[DMCMW Dave]

If you modify it to run the compressor in defrost mode you won't need heat. (Applies to New Orleans, not Milwaukee!).

[Farrar]

If you modify it to run the compressor in defrost mode you won't need heat. (Applies to New Orleans, not Milwaukee!).

Dave, that's what I was thinking... I will have to study the wiring diagram for the HVAC system and see how I can modify the routing behind the switch to make this happen -- unless you already know how, in which case I'm ready to take notes!

Farrar

[Farrar]

Okay, I found it. I sure hope I can do this without destroying the switch... I'm not the best at soldering but I think I can do this.

Farrar

[stevedmc]

It appears someone has a heater core for sale:

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?97...0401#post10401