AC Install - Update

[tsm1@domain.elided (Tom Mandera)]

Well, I was fairly un-productive this weekend on my hand-throttle /
compressor install..

I spent Saturday collecting yet MORE parts and fittings (I have plenty of
left-overs for when I do my '72), but somehow, after arriving at the office
this morning, I forgot to buy a check-valve.. gotta grab one of those tonight.

All I managed to do was get the compressor mounted.. which was fun enough.

I had to EZ-Out an existing (and previously broken) alternator bracket
bolt.. just enough room to get the drill in there at an angle..

With the bolt out, I popped the new AC Bracket onto the block, and put one
bolt in.  I then mounted the alternator up-side down, flipped the bracket
back down the way it's supposed to be, and put the other two bracket bolts in.

Problem one: The alternator-only configuration uses an arm for the
tensioning bolt of the alternator.  This arm has a "kink" in it to bring the
bracket out from the engine block.  (bracket is on the outside of the alt.
tension bolt hole.. or mebbe not. :-) )

Flip things upside down, and that same bracket, when bolted to the lower
bolt on the AC bracket (this is the right spot, right?) has the "kink" going
the WRONG WAY.  So, it looks like I'll need a 1" or so spacer between the
"inside" edge of that tension bolt hole, and the actual bracket.

Of course, before I came to this conclusion I rumaged around in the garage,
and pulled out the slide/tension arm piece from the '73 Buick I stole an
alternator and p/s setup from (before I went to the demo-derby).  It's a
flat bar, without any "kink" in it.. 

Of course, it didn't fit.. so I took the hacksaw to it.

Fine.. now the bolt hole is too small.. DRILL!

After all that, I put the bolt through the bracket, only to find the bracket
doesn't have enough arch in it.. it would work just fine if the bracket had
enough of an arch where the slot is, to wrap around the alternator!

d'oh.

That's when I went back to the stock (wrong-sided) arm, and conceded to use
a spacer and such (which I need to buy today as well)

Got that resolved.

Then I needed to remove the old hoses from the York pump.. It was on a shelf
at the wrecking yard, but they had cut the hoses.. just past the steel tube
fitting!  Not 'nuff room for a barb.

Naturally, the hoses would NOT come off.. with pliers, a few screwdrivers,
nothing.

After 1/2 hour of trying, I rumaged around and dug up the Propane Torch, and
burnt the cursed things off.. still took a while (*THICK* hose with webbing
and other garbage in it).

Just before torching the hose ends off, I decided it was getting close to
5pm on Sunday, and needed a few new belts..

At first I thought I wanted to run a 70" belt around the Compressor, water
pump, crank, and alt.  Champion didn't have it, but had a 51" stock AC belt..

That's when I realized the AC only goes to the water pump.  Fine.

That still left me needing a belt for the alternator.

Now, my '77 is somewhat unique.  Original 304 was yanked for the 196.  It
has power steering, though it's mounted on some funky bracket, outboard of
the engine block.

I have *two* pulleys on the crank, and the water pump.  That's it.  Neither
of my Scouts (or the 4 alts I have) have/had 2 pulleys on the alternator, or
3 pulleys on the crank/waterpump.

So, I had to change things up a little bit.

At the moment, I have one belt for the PS, Water, Crank.  This is the
outside pulley.

One belt goes from the AC to the Water pump
And one belt from crank to alt.

Not an idea situation but...

After getting home, I put the stock belt around the AC, and still needed the
alt. belt.  Another length of string around things, a quick borrowing of my
brother's car, and a trip to Checker (since Champion had just closed)..

Bought another belt.

Get home (now it's after 6), and find the belt I bought at Checker, which I
had *thought* was an inch or so longer than the string (which was measured
at full "rest", without the alt "swung out" for tensioning) turns out to be
TOO SHORT.

Without the alternator adjustment arm even hooked up, and pushing the alt
all the way "in", I couldn't quite get the belt around everything..

So, I did a no-no (hey, I may have compressed air now, but I really *do*
need that alternator to function when I drive to work (or at least, I don't
want to destroy a brand new battery)).

I put the belt around the alt pulley, and as far around the crank as I
could.. then I blipped the starter, and it all slipped right into place.  It
was JUST the right length to *use*, just not enough slack to hook it around
the pulley.

That's how my belts stand at the moment.. gotta go get a slightly longer
belt after work.. and a longer tensioning bolt for the alt, along with a
spacer to use.

Back to the AC.

I managed to mount the compressor, and slide it back to tension things up.
I mounted it with the air fittings "in-board" towards the motor, which
*DOES* leave enough width-room for a Group 24 (regular fullsize) battery
where my shot stock jack used to be.  I haven't measured the length (along
the fender) for clearance yet, but I do still have my old battery (which
worked OK) sitting in the garage.. 

The AC compressor is just sitting there, with the two "bare" hose
barb-fittings on it.  I didn't get any farther.

I need to get the check valve today, and then the Air Filter from Wal-mart
will happen in a week or so ($20 that I don't care to spend after .. I don't
want to know how much already).

I found my local ACE hardware was the only spot to have the pressure switch
(95/125psi @ $23 or so).  Walmart had the best deal on the air hoses (50'
coil @ $10, and a 60'  3/8" hose that I need to cut up for the compressor's
hose-barb fittings).

BTW, for those that DON'T know.. go look at the Air Compressor fittings,
then go over to the water/propane area.. just on the 3/8" --> 1/4" NPT barb
fittings, they were $1.39 @ the AC cabinet, while $1.19 in the
propane/water/whatever area.  EXACT same stuff, in a different package.
That's also the place to get the short tubing and such.. probably want to
stay away from the PVC tho'.

Tonight or tomorrow I'll try to "finish" things up.

I plan on mounting the pressure switch near the hood release (per a John
Landry suggestion).  I think I'll get some L-angle brackets, drill through
the cowl cover plate, and mount the bracket so the outside of the "L" comes
down "outside" towards the engine.  Put the switch between the bracket edge
and the firewall, with a bolt through the large O holes on either side of
the switch and into the bracket.  Should be an alright place.

For my fittings.. I have a 3-1 round manifold, and a T fitting.  This is
only 5 attachment points, which will be OK until I get an on-board tank
setup (at which point I'll add another T next to the current T)

I plan on putting a short piece of tubing between the bottom of the manifold
and the "T" piece.  This will then be mounted using a typical pipe-clamp (U
type thing) to the inner fender.  I think I'll mount it right on the edge of
the "shelf" and the inner fender, between the windshield washer bottle and
the heater.  The manifold has the pop-off and gauge on it, while a longer
extension will be used for the quick-connect fitting to bring it up a little
higher for easier access.

On the bottom side of the manifold is the tube, which goes to the "T".  At
the moment, one side of the T will come from the compressor, the other will
use a chunk of that 3/8" hose to run up to the firewall and the pressure switch.

No inlet filter at the moment, though.. I think I might make a bracket to
mount on the top/side of the compressor, to mount the Air Filter (for
water), and the in-let filter.  

I turned the two hose fittings around on the compressor so they both point
to the rear of the truck.

When I add a tank, I'll put a T between the pressure switch and the current
T, and run a hose down the inner fender and along to the under-side of the
bed.. probably mount the tank right where a second muffler would go (Hey,
it's a 196.. anyone want to take any bets on how much more pep it'd have
with a dual exhaust??)

Then I'll just need to run power for the clutch.

I used a jumper cable to run from the battery around to the compressor, so I
could "jump" the clutch and make sure it all still works.. it puffed out a
good bit of air, so it's functioning at the moment.

Now to just hook it up.

I bought another lighted rocker switch from Champion, along with a 3-rocker
switch panel.

I plan to replace the single rocker panel KC switch (for those Daylighters!)
that I mounted to the right of the steering column, using an existing dash
bolt, with the new 3-switch panel, and put the KC switch and the compressor
master ON/OFF switch in there.  One more switch for something else.  (maybe
I'll move my fog-light switch over)

And I didn't even get STARTED on the install of the throttle lock!

*sigh*

I plan on ordering a 5-1 manifold from Northern Hydraulic for when I do my
'72.. instead of the typical "T" or 3-1 round manifold, this one is a long
rectangle.. just like square tubing.

This one has one hole on the "end" of the rectangle, with 5 holes along one
side of it.  PERFECT for an on-board air setup.

Run the output of the compressor to the "end" hole, mount the whole thing
right along that corner of the inner fender, and you have 5 holes either
pointing "inward" or "upward" (your choice) to mount the pop-off, gauge,
under-hood fitting, pressure switch line, and the air-tank line.  Just what
the doctor ordered, with no mess of Ts and short pipes and other doo-dads.

If anyone has any comments/suggestions.. or a 3-pulley set for the crank /
waterpump... lemme know! :)

I'll make another post when I finish this up, along with the step-by-step
webpage.. sorry, but I forgot to take a "before" picture.. d'oh.

-Tom Mandera, Helena MT
http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout
'72 and '77 Scout IIs