Retrofit aircon to UK NA?

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Xavier R3V
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Retrofit aircon to UK NA?

Post by Xavier R3V »

I'm sure this has been asked before but i've not had much luck on the topic in searches and on facebook.

So has anyone done this before? Any idea on cost if having a garage do it? Are there aftermarket options with uprated parts or is it simply a case of getting a system out of a parted car and replacing worn parts? Can it use the existing wiring loom etc?

Just trying to see how complex it would all be to do.
shinny
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Re: Retrofit aircon to UK NA?

Post by shinny »

This is something I intend to seriously look into at some point.

My current idea would be to use the Toyota compressor, evaporator and control unit, and consider non-standard condensor and drier. I'm expecting most of the wiring is already in place but personally I would expect to construct and run brand new, custom lines.
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toxo
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Re: Retrofit aircon to UK NA?

Post by toxo »

Mechanically it should be straightforward. The AC system consists of a LOT of parts though, and the electronics are different between UK and JDM cars so I don't think you would be able to take controller units from a JDM car if you were retrofitting to a UK car. Likewise I don't think the right wiring would be in place on a UK car to run the JDM parts.

Fundamentally you would want a compressor and at least the frunk hard pipes from an R134a car (so rev3+) and all new R134a o-rings at every joint point. New condensor up front, you could probably lift the rest from any old parts car though.

The electronics are fairly well documented in the workshop manuals.
Last edited by toxo on Mon Aug 06, 2018 10:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Xavier R3V
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Re: Retrofit aircon to UK NA?

Post by Xavier R3V »

Yeh I thought as much. As well as their being an AC and a different Climate control system.

Guess it's probably far easier to find a JDM car with it in place and repair it if needs be.

Let us know how you get on shinny. :)
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toxo
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Re: Retrofit aircon to UK NA?

Post by toxo »

Is this to be our next joint project Mark, after the ST205 ECU nonsense? I was just re-reading those threads this morning :lol:
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pbmr2
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Re: Retrofit aircon to UK NA?

Post by pbmr2 »

If it helps I have many of the AC parts that were removed from my UK rev4 car. The front rad (condenser?) died so it no longer ran cold but the pump still worked and all pipe work was removed without destroying it.

Not quite removed the under dash part but I have the non AC part to replace it with.

Not looking for money for these parts, they are just in the way anyway.

I may even have a second pump from the gen4 swap, but I don't remember if I kept it or binned it.
shinny
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Re: Retrofit aircon to UK NA?

Post by shinny »

toxo wrote:Likewise I don't think the right wiring would be in place on a UK car to run the JDM parts.


If you take a look under the dash on a UK car without aircon, you'll find the plug for the aircon control unit with a shunt in it to convert the wiring to non-aircon. I've not checked all the wiring, but it's a promising start...
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toxo
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Re: Retrofit aircon to UK NA?

Post by toxo »

shinny wrote:
toxo wrote:Likewise I don't think the right wiring would be in place on a UK car to run the JDM parts.


If you take a look under the dash on a UK car without aircon, you'll find the plug for the aircon control unit with a shunt in it to convert the wiring to non-aircon. I've not checked all the wiring, but it's a promising start...


Yeah, but that's the plug for a UK aircon control unit which was my point. A JDM control unit will be different because it will be a climate control unit
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Odin_S
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Re: Retrofit aircon to UK NA?

Post by Odin_S »

Of the few UK cars I've seen with AC they've all had the JDM unit. I.e. AC and Econ button.

It's only the US market that I'm aware of that just have the one big AC button.
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toxo
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Re: Retrofit aircon to UK NA?

Post by toxo »

Odin_S wrote:Of the few UK cars I've seen with AC they've all had the JDM unit. I.e. AC and Econ button.

It's only the US market that I'm aware of that just have the one big AC button.


That's not the difference. The JDM unit has a scale of degrees Celsius on the slider rather than just cold to hot. The controller unit then opens and closes the flaps behind the dashboard with servo motors as opposed to UK cars where it's done with tension wires.

UK aircon you set it to heat or cool you. JDM climate control you set a target temperature and it does the rest for you. JDM cars have light sensors in the dashboard to calculate solar gain and air temperature sensors in the footwells to work out how the air is being distributed. Hence, the electronics and control units are going to be quite different between the two.
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Odin_S
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Re: Retrofit aircon to UK NA?

Post by Odin_S »

Very interesting, I'd feel cheated if i had a UK car :shock:
SonicSW20
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Re: Retrofit aircon to UK NA?

Post by SonicSW20 »

https://www.mr2oc.com/63-interior-modif ... ntrol.html

Sounds like you're best off fitting a HVAC unit.
Rob66
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Re: Retrofit aircon to UK NA?

Post by Rob66 »

Odin_S wrote:Very interesting, I'd feel cheated if i had a UK car :shock:


:lol: ha ha I do feel cheated now, interesting though.

Mine gave up blowing cold a year or so ago, car is in for MOT and Service on Saturday so it's on the list for them to look at.
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