Installing air con into cruiser

Joined: 20 Feb 2008 Location: Gold Coast

Hi guys i have a landcruiser bj73 lx model which strangely came without air conditioning. There is a bj73 lx model (same year) which has air con at the wreckers...could i rip out all the air con components from that and install it in mine?What componenets would i need to take from the car e.g condensor, air con compressor, hoses, belts...anything else?

What is the installation like?

Thanks guys, i really appreciate it.

Steve

Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Location: Brisbane Southside

Hi Steve,
Mate you would need to get the whole lot, right down to the switch and wiring harness, all the plumbing and brackets and idle control and then how do you know if the whole lots gonna work in the end.
best wind down the window and spend your money and an ice cream.
Or if your really keen speak to an aftermarket supplier and fitter of a/c.
Technically you could put in the 2nd hand kit if you knew what you were doing and had the gear and time, but it would be a pretty big job.

Joined: 20 Feb 2007 Location: Gordonvale Queensland

I have put factory aircon on a car that didn't have air on it. (an 81 toyota corona wagon) If you have all the parts and the time to do it, it is not that hard. You will find that most wiring harnesses are the same, yours will probably have provision for the A/C bits. (I can't see toyota making wiring harnesses for individual cars with the amount of options there are).

If you can get all the parts for the right price, go for it. Just remember that you will have to gas it with R143A, and the compressor will need to be kitted to suit. Good thing about putting the system in yourself is that you can renew all the orings with R134A compatible ones.

Joined: 20 Feb 2008 Location: Gold Coast

what do you mean by the compressor having to be kitted to suit?

Thanks mate

Joined: 15 Apr 2004 Location: Out and about

different fill fittings.

I just transfered the genuine Denso aircon from my surf halfcut into my hilux LN106- you will find that if air was offered as a factory option, the wiring will be there in the loom already.

You will need

Evaporator and Condensor
Mounts for both
ALL plumbing
Mounts for reciever drier + New R/D
Compressor
Compressor mount
Idler pulley
MAYBE crank pulley
any other control circuits and other bits.

the best bet if your keen would be to arrange for the wrecker to remove everything for you- he would know whats what.

As for your O-rings, Just pull all the old o-rings out of the existing system and take them to an aircon place- most of them should be able to supply you with new rings for minimal cost. Make sure you label where they go when you pull them out though! Laughing

Joined: 15 Feb 2003 Location: Shed.

it's not rocket science, and all the parts in a BJ are very accessible. just make sure you get everything. when you take it to the shop to get it charged up, explain what you have done, and ask for a new receiver dryer too.

Joined: 15 Apr 2004 Location: Out and about

i paid $18 for a reciever drier at a car parts place- good JayAir too.

Last time i got the aircon recharged by a chain (profix- now get it done by a mate whos an aircon mech) they charged me $60 for a Reciever Drier!

Joined: 02 Aug 2008 Location: kiribati

It is definatly worth it a very easy job
have a look at your car first take a heap of mental pictures then go to the wreakers and get any thing that looks diferent to yours
some times there may be a small sub loom for the air con it may go to the the air con amplifier and ac switch
a lot of those early aircon systems were flare fittings and did not even have o rings to change yours may or may not
I have done the same job to many hiluxes of the same era and never kitted the compressor all you need to do is flush everything the lines ,tx valve, condenser ,evaporator with isoprople alcohol then blow out with dry nitrogen or a dry source of compressed air .This is to remove the mineral oil because 134a uses pag oil which does not mix with the r 12 mineral oil
another good thing to do is some how pressurise the condensor with compressed air and putting dish washing liquid with water in a squirty bottle and spray it all over to check for leaks before installing it as
if the donor car has done beach work it may have a pin hole in it that you could waste a fill of gas on

as far as the fill points are concurned there are screw on adapters no need for mods

ferrit is on the money
get the receiver dryer from jay air or even repco
they are less than 20 bucks

hope that helps

thrashlux

Joined: 20 Feb 2008 Location: Gold Coast

It will cost $660 for all parts...thats without fitting or gas?Is it worth it or should i just get an aftermarket air con system?

Thanks

Joined: 15 Apr 2004 Location: Out and about

Grab it!

My experience with a $1800 aftermarket aircon in the hilux was it was a piece of shyt from day one- noowhere near as efficient as the toyota genuine air in other trucks i drove in.

The denso air is regarded as being one of the best out there.

Gassing shouldnt cost you more than $150.

Joined: 02 Aug 2008 Location: kiribati

That is top dollar for a second hand aircon for a car of that age

Still the nippon denso is far superior to any thing else

most after market aircon is spam (not as eficient or reliable)

for that price you would insist on a full waranty

Is the system still full of gas (this is a good indicator to its health)?

Joined: 22 Oct 2002 Location: Your Mummas House!

dumbdunce wrote:

it's not rocket science, and all the parts in a BJ are very accessible. just make sure you get everything. when you take it to the shop to get it charged up, explain what you have done, and ask for a new receiver dryer too.

EXACTLY!

As long as you can get the aircon kit CHEAP from the wreckers, and get EVERYTHING! There is even some vents that are different (doodle cooler under the steering wheel)

There is lots of parts including idle up and electric switches and solenoids for the dash and engine bay that you will need to get too.

Ive done it on a 75 series, and it was pretty straight forward.

Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Location: Australia

Hey mate, if your keen bloke at work wants $700 for a BJ73 aircon setup. He bought it brand new from toyota as a retro fit kit for his one, just never got around to fitting it.

cheers

Joined: 15 Sep 2007 Location: New South Wales

I just picked one up for $300. Came with everything. Little bit dusty but otherwise perfect.