Air con pump.

[meathumper]

Hello all, Ive got a rrc v8. The air con didn't work when i bought it and when i did a engine rebuild a while ago i pulled it all out. I'm now thinking about using the air con pump for another application say maybe a air line. All i will need to do is put a filter on the inlet and a air line on the outlet, or maybe put a quick connector on it so i can put a air line on only when i need it. Anyone else tryed anything like this? cheers dave

[stevepage3]

Hi Dave

I have onboard air on my disco, I have a filter on the intake and a pipe coming off the outlet onto a air tank, this was from an old 240v air compressor so still has pressure release valve and pressure gauge fitted.

I can get 100psi and this is more than enough to operate air gun for removing wheels, will put a BFG back on the bead, and has saved my bacon on several occasions.

Probabley the best mod I have done to my Disco.

I have and air line from the tank to a fitting mounted next to the petrol filler so that I can just plug in a length of air line

[meathumper]

Oh great, well ive still got my air suspention tank on, will that do? i would think that has a blow off valve of some kind?

[stevepage3]

Don't see any reason why the air suspension tank won't be ok, as long as it does have a valve

[trecfive]

Oh great, well Ive still got my air suspension tank on, will that do? i would think that has a blow off valve of some kind?

The air tank will not have a pressure relief valve,if yours has an electrical connection on the tank it is for the pressure switch for the air suspension that talks to the  EAS ECU.

[meathumper]

Oh ok so would it be easyer to use another tank. I just thought it is a was a waste to just chuck it.

[meathumper]

Hello, Ive now fitted the pump back on, Ive decided to just keep it simple and put a filter on the intake and a quick connector on the other side, keeping it all in the engine bay. Ive made a little bracket that sits on top of the pump to house a switch and a fuse then wires straight to the battery. This way i can simply flick the switch and airs on.
  The question is Ive tested the pump and some oil type fluid came out when the pump was pumping, so I'm wondering does the pump need lubrication of some kind as some air tools do? does anyone know what the fluid is?
Thanks Dave.

[clbarclay]

The pump will need some form of lubricant. In the origional aircon setup the lubricant was circulated in the refrigerant gas.

Some people have used inline oilers on the inlet to provide a steady supply of lubricant to the pump, though some people and what I'm doing on mine is to just fill the back of the pump with grease (sedan compressor). A filtre after the pump is a good idea to prevent lubricant entering the tyres.

When I ran mine for the first time a quantity of crup was exhausted which looked line the remains of the lubricant from the refrigerant and moisture that had crept in since the rest of the system was removed.


You could still use the air suspension tank. I would just fit a couple of T pieces in the line to the tank it from the pump, to fit a safety relief valve incase the pressure gets too high and a pressure switch to turn the compressors clucth on/off to automatically controll the pressure in the tank. Many onboard air instalation I've seen had check valves between the tank and compressor as well to prevent air leaking out back through the pump when no running.

[wizard]

If you run an air line direct from the pump you will have air at a very high pressure, but a very low flow.
You really need a storage tank of some kind with a saftey relief valve and a pressure switch mounted on it.
Also the air coming out of the pump will be very hot ( hot enough to melt plastic pipe). You should use a bit of copper pipe from tyhe pump to the tank.
For more ideas have a look atwww.onboardair.com Its an american site but it will give you some ideas.

I put this sort of system on my Disco about 6 years ago and its still one of the best mods i have done.

Regards
wizard

[meathumper]

Thanks guys ill mull it over for a while. But Ive got a bigger problem at the moment, I think my engines pressuring the cooling system again. :(