Air conditioning in R4

[petak]

Hi folks!

As weather is getting hotter here every day idea of putting AC in R4 came to my mind.

But of course there are many questions that i do not have answer to.
So i decided to see if any of you here went that road or know little bit more about whole matter.

Car is 1992 GTL model

Is it possible to install AC on this car?

How much of the power will compressor take from engine?

Where to locate cooling matrix for cabin? I would like to hide it so that my dash board stays intact.

This is just the star of idea, and will see how far will end up.

Thank you for reading and conversation

H!

 

[Piet]

Hi Petak,
I assume it is possible and I believe late model Renault 4s were sold in Japan with air conditioning. It was quite possibly an aftermarket unit and nothing to do with Renault.

Nippon Denso made air conditioning for a lot of small Japanese K size cars cars like the 1000cc diahatsu charade etc, so it would be possible to build a setup using parts from something like that.

As far as cooling matrix location, I would imagine the usual place would be under the passenger side dashboard, with outlets fitted below the dash.

When I was doing a regular commute in mine I considered it but at 850cc might be a bit unfair. An 1108 or bigger would be able to cope though.

 

[jjad]

Hi Petak, I thought that I'd seen a photo of a R4 in South America fitted with an air conditioning unit under the dash, but I can't find the photo now. I don't think that the car came fitted with A/C, but was added later.

Some South American R4s were fitted with more powerful engines.

Let us know how you get on

EDIT: See here (but no photo): http://www.renault4.co.uk/forum/threads/air-conditioning.5512/#post-33462

 

[petak]

Jjad... thank you about that topic...i have alreday saw it. And it looks like aftermarket A/C but aranged for R4.

Piet....thank you for shearing info. Something similar was going throu my mind.... I know that there are cars on market with small cc engines and A/C but they all have more kw than R4.


Next step is to find local company who is instaling AC in cars, and talk to them.
I have found already kits that you can buy for self build cars, but did not went throu it ald the way to the botom.

Any news, info that i find will shear with you here.

Any other idea is more than welcome

 

[angel]

I have a friend / customer with an air conditioned R4. He bought it with the A/C already installed so I don't know much about its origins.
The compressor has been fitted directly over the gearbox, with its pulley facing towards the rear of the car. There must had been no other place to fit it, and this made it necessary to omit the typical R4 gear lever and fit a floor mounted R5 setup. As engine is a 1400 R5 TX unit, you don't feel any power loss at all...
The evaporator is located under the dash, on passenger's side. Air is distributed by flexible ducts and circular vents fitted on either side of the dash. Not the prettiest setup, but I think there is nowhere to fit all of these in a R4 interior.
Its performance is stunning, you freeze inside the car, even during our hot summer.

 

[petak]

Angel: Thank you for info....

Can you take some pictures of all this AC in R4. I believe that you do not feel difference in power as it is bigger engine

I am aware that space is tight but would like to camouflage it as much as possible.
And would like to keep all characteristics of R4...especially dashboard gear lever

 

[angel]

When it comes to me again, I will take some photos of the engine bay and interior.

 

[mr-reno-139]

Bearing in mind it would need to be driven from camshaft pulley end of engine
There is a double timing chain on the 5 tx engine same as gordini which would probably be necessary to cope with extra torque needed to drive compressor

 

[petak]

Mr-reno-139....did not understand you correctly...What side of engine you are talking about? water pump end?

Also you think that timing chain would be necessary to change?

 

[mr-reno-139]

Yes water pump end
Once you've found a space to mount pump I think that a timing chain upgrade would be a good idea
All gordinis have double chain as lumpy cam creates more loading and keeps timing accurate
Tx with pas has double for reliability I guess
Later 82 on ha 0 box sometimes has 3 extra bolt holes In top of box to mount pas pump which could be useful for a c brackets
Edit thinking a bout it further most a pumps same size pulley as crank meaning designed to turn same speed as crank
Driven off cam. It would be 50 per cent slower already even if a c pump had same size pulley as cam shaft