Re: Your compressor set-up

[jlandry@domain.elided (John A. Landry)]

Dirtball@domain.elided (Paul Brakefield) scribbled in the sand:

>...could you detail
>for me EXACTLY how you went about setting up your a/c to be a compressor?
>I know the basics, and I have seen the web pages dealing with it, but I
>have not seen anything dealing with an IH compressor.

Not a problem Paul.

I can tell you some of the details, but really a lot of it is simple
improvising.  You just have to buy or scrounge the needed parts first then
find a place to fit it all.  I sketched a sort of blueprint on paper first so
I could better visualize how it would work.  But even then I still had to make
several trips to the hardware store to get it all right.  The fun thing about
this project is that everyone does it a little different and they all work the
same in principle.  I'm sure the way I did mine is far from being the best
way, but it fits and works so hey... I'm satisfied.  You can probably do it
cheaper by combining or eliminating some of the devices I installed.

Here's a list of the major items you'll need and the sources where I got them.

Description               Source            Part Number    Approx. Price

Air intake filter         McMaster Carr     4401K12        $7.50 ea
Speedaire filter          Grainger          2Z766          $15.07 ea
Unloader valve            Grainger          5A703          $8.60 ea
Pop off valve             Grainger          5A709          $5.90 ea
Air pressure gauge        Grainger          1X754          $4.10 ea
Pressure switch           Grainger          5B419          $13.65 ea
3/8" air hose             Local hydraulic supplier
Various brass fittings    Local hardware or hydraulic supplier
Various hose disconnects  Local hardware or hydraulic supplier

See www.grainger.com and www.mcmaster.com to browse their catalogs for
additional ideas and pictures of the items above.  There are many different
sizes available, but I used 1/4" NPT fittings pretty much everywhere (except
as explained below) and 3/8" air hose.

Of course you'll need a IH York or Ford (marked Motorcraft) compressor to fit
the IH compressor bracket which you need also.  Certain years of Ford products
used a compressor which looks almost exactly like the IH compressor.  You
*can* make just about any compressor from any vehicle fit... if you have a
welder and you're really into that sort of thing (fabricating brackets).  I
took the easy way out and grabbed both the compressor and bracket from a
Travelall in a wrecking yard.  I knew that would fit!

Here's the rough outline of how everything is hooked up.

The method used to hook the intake filter up to the compressor is going to
depend on what sort of fittings you get with the compressor.  From a wrecking
yard you usually get some sort of metal fitting with a couple of inches of
hose that was left when the thing was wacked off.  In my case, I installed a
hose barb to female NPT fitting on the few inches of hose left on the intake
side of the compressor so I could thread the intake filter right on.  The
filter has a 3/8" male NPT fitting on it.  On the discharge side, I sawed off
the crimped coupling where the hose attached to the metal pipe.  I then
installed a flared tube to NPT fitting so I could thread on a hose barb and
connect the air hose.  If this all sounds confusing, then just take your
compressor down to a good hydraulics or pneumatics supplier (look in the
yellow pages) and explain to them what you want to do.  They will fix you up
in minutes.  Hint: In the Tacoma, Washington area, go to Williams Oil Filter
Service.  Those guys can handle any project you can cook up.

I should mention that I wrapped my intake filter with a thick layer of
disposable air filter media and I replace *that* (as needed) verses the
expensive filter itself.  I keep the filter media in place with a couple of
wire ties.

I routed the hose coming from the compressor around to the passenger side
firewall (just above and inside of the heater blower) where I mounted the
filter.  I again used a hose barb to NPT fitting to connect the hose to the
filter housing (which has female NPT fittings).

From the filter I threaded on the unloader valve, which in retrospect I
probably should have put the unloader valve *before* the filter.  The reason
this makes a difference is because when the compressor stops the filter isn't
under pressure any longer (because the unloader valve "unloads" the pressure
from the line prior to it).  There's a threaded valve on the bottom of the
filter to drain it, but this only works effectively if it's under pressure (to
blow any accumulated liquid out).  So in my case, the compressor has to be
running before I can properly drain the filter.  If I had thought to put the
unloader valve before the filter, the filter would be under pressure any time
the rest of the system is.  I thought having the filter free of pressure would
be better for it in the long run (and well it may be) but I think easy
draining is a higher priority.  I'll move things around someday when I run out
of other projects to do.

From the unloader valve I used a cluster of various brass hydraulic fittings
to create a sort of manifold that angles around the bend in the firewall
toward the center of the truck.  To this manifold I attached the pop off
valve, a female quick disconnect, the pressure gauge, and two hose barbs.  One
hose barb is connected to a short length of air hose that runs over to the
Square-D pressure switch mounted on the firewall just to the driver's side of
the hood catch.  The other hose barb connects to a hose which leads under the
truck to the rear cargo area where it can be connected by means of a quick
disconnect to an air tank and / or 25 foot length of air hose I carry in the
back.  Long term plans call for installation of a retractable air hose reel in
the side of the rear cargo area.  The quick disconnect on the manifold under
the hood points up and at an angle toward the passenger side of the truck and
is covered by a plastic dust cap when not in use.  So I connect my air hose
either in the rear cargo are or up front under the hood.

That's basically it!  All that's left is to connect the wiring so that current
comes from the electrical system, through a master switch under the dash, to
the Square-D pressure switch and on to the magnetic compressor clutch.  It's
recommended to use switched current so the system is disabled when the
ignition is off.  Otherwise if you accidentally left the master switch on one
night and the system pressure dropped, the compressor clutch would be
energized and happily drain your battery!

Future plans for me include the previously mentioned moving of the unloader
valve and installation of the air hose reel.  I also plan on mounting a
pressure gauge inside the cab under the dash so I can monitor the pressure as
I drive.  Why you ask?  Because someday I plan on having the system power an
ARB Air Locker both front and rear and I'd like to have some warning if I
start loosing air.

I hope I didn't forget anything.  I'm going to try and make the 2nd IH Western
Regionals in Tulare, CA in April and the NW Binder Roundup outside of Seattle
in August if you want to see the setup.

Happy holidays,

John
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