Citroen CX Air Cond Options

This company says you can tint the windscreen without making it darker, so presumably this is a tint film which mimics the Athermic windscreens. I presume there is some law against it in Oz? But surely this would be cheaper and maybe as effective for the front screen as an Athermic screen? Tint Questions: Does Window Tint Reduce Heat? | Tint World
What can you tell me?
 
meinkiev said:
This company says you can tint the windscreen without making it darker, so presumably this is a tint film which mimics the Athermic windscreens. I presume there is some law against it in Oz? But surely this would be cheaper and maybe as effective for the front screen as an Athermic screen? Tint Questions: Does Window Tint Reduce Heat? | Tint World
What can you tell me?
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure it's illegal to tint a windscreen. Having said that, look at the curvature of the screen. It would be incredibly difficult for anyone to lay tint on that without creasing!

seeya,
Shane L.
 
Shane, I think a professional could lay it on without wrinkling it, but I think you are right, it is illegal in Oz. Apparently they can do it in the US. So that leaves us back with Athermic windscreens I suppose.
When I get to it I want to see if it is possible to put a bigger/faster fan on the A/C to get more air through.
 
meinkiev said:
Shane, I think a professional could lay it on without wrinkling it, but I think you are right, it is illegal in Oz. Apparently they can do it in the US. So that leaves us back with Athermic windscreens I suppose.
When I get to it I want to see if it is possible to put a bigger/faster fan on the A/C to get more air through.
Click to expand...

My new windscreen has a dark blue tint band at the top. It helps. A visor is next. I'm also constructing a secondary fan unit to go under the dash at the recirculating air intake. I have seen both series 1 & 2 Cx's with an under-dash a/c unit where the glovebox goes. This makes the most sense. Maybe tilting one so it is hidden by the glovebox feeding into the existing ducting would look better?


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meinkiev said:
The Secondary fan sounds like a goer. I will be interested to know how it works, and if it does, how you constructed it?
But will it tend to force air out in another direction, like towards the main intake shute?
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There is room in the tower for another fan to draw in fresh air. For A/c recirculation obviously less space to play with. Intake is behind oil level indicator. A 12v computer fan too feeble yet fits. Sending cooled cabin air back into a hot bulkhead/engine bay is not brilliant. We had a '74 Merc 280CE which had the evaporator placed last just behind the main face vent. Didn't help with defrosting the windscreen yet used to blow a white Arctic haze on hot days. Even got hit with shards of ice on really humid days! My 2200 has had a secondary evap behind the eyeball vents. (An Aussie delivery modification) Air flow is too pathetic. I'm thinking of completely doing away with the tower & anything engine side. But then backdraft vacuum would cause the cabin to become dangerous with exhaust gases. (Recirculating air in most cars is set @about 70% when engaged to avoid this) all solvable with money no doubt but that would be extremely over investing. Home designs underway.....


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meinkiev said:
This company says you can tint the windscreen without making it darker, so presumably this is a tint film which mimics the Athermic windscreens. I presume there is some law against it in Oz? But surely this would be cheaper and maybe as effective for the front screen as an Athermic screen? Tint Questions: Does Window Tint Reduce Heat? | Tint World
What can you tell me?
Click to expand...

On of my customers has clear, uv barrier tint on all the Windows of his d s. Works great but cost 3 times as much as ordinary tint.

Doing the Daffyduck dance with the Aussiefrogs app. woohoo wooohooo wooohooo
 
Jinandfonic, I would have thought a bigger fan in the intake tower may be a better alternative than all others? why didn't you attempt this?

DaffyDuck, thanks for the info. As I understand it, even ordinary windscreens block most (possibly 90%) of UV rays. It's the infra-red rays we want to block, so a good window film needs to block as much of these as possible. Some claim to block up to 70%. Some of the latest type use ceramic material I think, and others a metalic coating. I would be happy to try a clear one if it were legal here, which it appears not to be. Probably no one would know until you were involved in an accident and the insurance company and the law got involved, in which case it would cost you more than you were worth.
 
meinkiev said:
Jinandfonic, I would have thought a bigger fan in the intake tower may be a better alternative than all others? why didn't you attempt this?

I'm actually yet to travel in any CX with a working A/C. I prefer to re-cool recirculated air for efficiency. I could reverse the system so fresh air is drawn in via the cabin intake with the firewall closed off but can see that getting very complicated. The underdash unit is looking sensible. I'll just have to put up with hot feet.



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Click to expand...
 
meinkiev said:
Jinandfonic, I would have thought a bigger fan in the intake tower may be a better alternative than all others? why didn't you attempt this?

DaffyDuck, thanks for the info. As I understand it, even ordinary windscreens block most (possibly 90%) of UV rays. It's the infra-red rays we want to block, so a good window film needs to block as much of these as possible. Some claim to block up to 70%. Some of the latest type use ceramic material I think, and others a metalic coating. I would be happy to try a clear one if it were legal here, which it appears not to be. Probably no one would know until you were involved in an accident and the insurance company and the law got involved, in which case it would cost you more than you were worth.
Click to expand...

The stuff I saw was a relatively new product. He told me he had had it put on and I really had to look to find it. Completely clear. I was impressed. Came out of Phoenix, Arizona, USA.

Doing the Daffyduck dance with the Aussiefrogs app. woohoo wooohooo wooohooo
 
Is the A/C relay (compressor clutch etc) under the left headlamp? I have one with two yellow wires joining to one connector going to no where presently & guessing it's for the compressor?


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meinkiev said:
Shane, I think a professional could lay it on without wrinkling it, but I think you are right, it is illegal in Oz. Apparently they can do it in the US. So that leaves us back with Athermic windscreens I suppose.
When I get to it I want to see if it is possible to put a bigger/faster fan on the A/C to get more air through.
Click to expand...

As ever, I'd be interested if enough people were out there to get a batch of athermic screens made up. Might need a cuppa tea, a Bex and a good lie down when the price comes in though.
 
daffyduck said:
The stuff I saw was a relatively new product. He told me he had had it put on and I really had to look to find it. Completely clear. I was impressed. Came out of Phoenix, Arizona, USA.

Doing the Daffyduck dance with the Aussiefrogs app. woohoo wooohooo wooohooo
Click to expand...

It IS interesting. The way I read the WA law, tinted films are forbidden on windscreens. So if this one is NOT tinted, it might actually comply with the law.
 
daffyduck said:
The stuff I saw was a relatively new product. He told me he had had it put on and I really had to look to find it. Completely clear. I was impressed. Came out of Phoenix, Arizona, USA.

Is it possible to ask him what's its name is and who supplies it?

It is possible that it is the newer type of Ceramic coated tint products. These are said to be clear films as well. Here is the blurb from this supplier: Automotive Window Tinting
"The Ceramic film is the next generation of automotive window tinting films. The Ceramic film is one of the best films on the market today offering an incredible 90% or better infrared reflection. The quality and clarity of the Ceramic film is the best in the business. We offer the 80%, 60%, 45%, 30% and the 20% infrared reflective films. The Ceramic film has a lifetime warranty, superior performance and a wide range of scientific data backing it up. The Ceramic film is 100% non-conductive. It will not affect any of the electronic devices in modern cars.

And check this out: Crystalline Automotive Films - Clear automotive window film for cars, trucks - Crystalline - 3M US
And: Advanced Ceramic
Tell me what you are thinking :)
Click to expand...
 
Does anyone know what alternative condenser can be fitted in the available space on a Series 1 CX? Part number or model from which it is sourced would be good?

I found someone who seems to know his Air-Con work well. He wants to put 134a gas, replace hoses (to handle the higher pressure), receiver drier (not up to scratch he says), compressor (which is adequate but has a slow leak), condenser (bigger with more tubes per sq.in),... for starters, and then look at a fan option after that. I am in the process of insulating from front to back, and then will have ceramic tint fitted to side and rear windows (60% total solar reduction, 97% infra-red reduction). Progress report after that!
 
shane, why not convert to hychill (similar pressure to r12) and get an increase in efficiency of 10%
Brian
 
meinkiev said:
Does anyone know what alternative condenser can be fitted in the available space on a Series 1 CX? Part number or model from which it is sourced would be good?

I found someone who seems to know his Air-Con work well. He wants to put 134a gas, replace hoses (to handle the higher pressure), receiver drier (not up to scratch he says), compressor (which is adequate but has a slow leak), condenser (bigger with more tubes per sq.in),... for starters, and then look at a fan option after that. I am in the process of insulating from front to back, and then will have ceramic tint fitted to side and rear windows (60% total solar reduction, 97% infra-red reduction). Progress report after that!
Click to expand...

Back to another question. Do we have a few who'll pay for an athermic windscreen?
 
martook said:
shane, why not convert to hychill (similar pressure to r12) and get an increase in efficiency of 10%
Brian
Click to expand...

I'll grab the numbers I used for mine tonight. It was the most efficient condenser we could find that would fit (it's *not* the cheapest though!).

The drier will need to be changed everytime you open the system. An A/C place will likely refuse to use Hychill, all the recovery gear will be setup for R134a, and they won't want to contaminate it with different refrigerants.

Why don't you fix it up yourself ?? You issue is going to be airflow in the end.

seeya,
Shane L.
 
I think the easiest way to get the airflow right is the rear unit. I am lucky that I managed to score a factory rear unit but I think the Windsor rear unit is just about as good at moving air, although a little noisier. Make sure it has good wiring there, a relay might be a good investment. The factory unit has a power transistor controlling speed but we put an extra position on the switch to bypass the tranny and when set to that there is a nice breeze falling on your head in the front, and this on a Prestige which has about 250mm more distance to the back unit. I have sealed all openings to the boot except those covered by the rear unit. There is plenty of gap to draw air in especially from around the armrest.

Mine is still gassed with R134a. When it was first filled with that for the first time, many years ago, the TX valve was changed to suit. If you are going to use Hychill, suitable TX valves for that should be fitted. At the last refill before our trip out west I don't think as much gas was put in, the compressor used to really growl on hot days, now it is quieter and the system works just as well I think. At one point I got the A/C guy to put 850g in, I think it got about 560 at the last fill. Overfilling probably not a good idea. Still kills car performance more than any other car I know on a hot day.

The other thing to look at is the water pump. There are two easily available units, an Italian unit and the SKF/Valeo one. The Italian unit has 100mm diameter main pulley, the SKF 85mm. According to my calculations, the drive ratio for the A/C compressor goes from 1:1.22 to 1:1.44 compared to engine revolutions. So at 2,000rpm engine revs the compressor is doing 2440 or 2880rpm depending on the pump. I have an Italian unit on the car now and the difference, although small is noticeable. Every bit counts.

Those who think the A/C on a CX is that bad it is not worth having should have been in the car when the electrical power split device fried itself several years ago. It was a warm day and the A/C was coping. When the incident happened we had engine and indicators but nothing else, no fans no A/C. It was alarming how quickly the heat ramped up in the car and you could not wind the windows down. The CX A/C does shift an amazing amount of heat out, just that other cars do even more.

The other thing to check is make sure the recirculation motor is working. You have to wait until the system has got the cars temperature down a bit but when you engage the recirculation (turn A/C thermostat past 8 o'clock) you should notice a difference to the temp oozing out of the front vents immediately. If not you are too early. The other day we had to use the CX on a hot day and it was parked in the sun for about an hour when we left. After running for about 2-3 minutes we could engage the recirculation and with the front fans on full, the air from the rear dropped noticeably as well. Some of the air had oozed its way the the inlet on the rear unit and helped it. It was a very humid day so the act of removing some of the moisture probably helped more.
 
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