Wrenchin'

budgetzagato

budgetzagato

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The water pump belt on an '87 Bertone X1/9 is not easily replaced. But it is just this side of humanly possible. No wonder it was loose, it probably hasn't been tightened since, uh, 1987.

Also, now the A/C blows cold again; the magic of Dupont® Suva™ 134a. One side effect— a considerable puddle of condensate water on the garage floor. At least I know the evaporator drain is clear! :woot:
 
Ya know Greg...

Yur a great guy and all... but it really pisses me off ta know someone in Washington State has a working A/C equipped X1/9 while I'm here in 99 degree heat 9 months outta the year, and would haveta rebuild my entire car to so equip it.

ENUFF ALREADY!

HAHAHA... congrats also...
 
It can be done.

If my experience is any help, it can be done. I retrofitted an AC system to my 1982 X1/9.

Pretty much the interior has to come out and you have to redress the pulleys and fittings on the engine. Plumbing is inside and outside the car. I did this with mostly salvaged parts. But at the time OEM parts were still available. From my recollection not everything was available through the dealer anyway. Plus the documentation in the manual and parts diagrams does not tell the whole story, so it is best to have a doaner car.

That said, when installed the system does not cool all that effectively. I am surprised to hear that a shift to 134a did not reduce the performance even more.

Damon Kane
North Wales, PA
 
Funny...

I just charged the system on my '85 and wasn't all that disappointed with the way it cools. The air output is almost nil though-- I've since surmised that the evaporator housing is full of trash. Not looking forward to pulling it and cleaning it out but I'm hoping it'll make the A/C passably effective, even in the daytime. We'll see...

I agree that it's not super-difficult (just time consuming) to retrofit A/C, but a donor car would be a *huge* plus, if only just for all the little brackets and grommets. Besides, it's really nice to see exactly how the stuff was originally routed.

Sounds like a great way for Tony to break in his new million-dollar garage. ;-)

///Mike
 
Tony, I just got my original A/C working

again. I replaced nothing. I just put a vacuum on the system and held it there for a while to check for leaks. Finding none, I purchased three cans of freeze12 from Pep Boys and recharged the system. It cools ok, and seems to be getting better with use. I've gotten it down to 50 degrees or so. I chose freeze12 because I didn't want to go thru the hassle of replacing the dryer if it wasn't necessary.

Question: Why was the water pump belt difficult to replace? I don't remember it being too hard, but the right rear wheel had to come off.

Jim in Atlanta
 
HAHAHA... I KNOW it CAN be done...

... and you detailed EXACTLY what NEEDS to be done to do it.

I enjoy driving too much to tear into it right now... but am at the point, about 10 years now, where my last RESTIFICATION is getting a bit "tired" looking. I could use a complete redo of paint and interior and that would be the time to install a "Vintage Air" Street Rod "sized" system for around 1300 bucks. I have the same thing planned for my '69 Corvette also.

Fortunately, money is NOT the issue, its the time, energy and passion to move forward with it.
 
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