Defender Air-con improvements

[pawal]

Hey guys,

this is my first post on what I think is a great forum, I have a question which I hope someone may be able to help with, so here goes, I was wondering has anyone made any upgrades to the airconditioning in the Defender, I love the vehicle, but the poor functioning air-con is of some concern, if you have not upgraded the air-con, does yours currently work well enough to cool the vehicle down? Any help would be appreciated than you.

[lewy110]

I crossed the simpson in october 2000 in a 300tdi defender and the aircon seemed to work ok in that. We had a few days over 40deg. I just wind the windows down in the county.

[Bushie]

Originally posted by lewy110
I crossed the simpson in october 2000 in a 300tdi defender and the aircon seemed to work ok in that. We had a few days over 40deg. I just wind the windows down in the county.

You must have been there around the same time as me, They had just airlifted a young girl out of Dalhousie when we arrived.

Unfortunately without airconditioning though due to a leak (always talking about leaks with landrovers) when all the gas let go at Oodnadatta earlier in the day.


Bushie

[lrdef110]

Pawal if yours is a 2002 onwards Defender you will have a catalytic converter located just under the passenger side footwell. These operate at something like 500 degrees and to say they up the heat load of the firewall in a Defender is an understatement. I got rid of my cat by getting a replacement engine pipe out of a wrecked TD5 and this has made heaps of difference to the efficency of the air con but it's still not a patch on the Disco 11 system which has to be one of the best going.

It is possible to fit an overhead 20 BTU system above the rear passenger seat which will chill you out even in the hottest summers. These are fitted to Troopy's in the Bowen Basin coalmines and work very well.

Hope you find a solution. Barry.

[Pirate]

I have spoken to a couple of people on this subject and also want to improve the temp inside so the "cook" will think about coming with me.

There are a couple of thoughts:

1. Insulate the firewll. Would be a bugger of a job but may well be worth it (anyone out there done it?

2. Insulate the transmission well. Heaps of heat entering the cabin here. Bloody handbrake gets damn hot.

3. Have spoken to Jordan Rover Tech here in Perth and have seen TSR's RR that have a bonnent scoop from a 3 ltr Nissan Patrol installed on the bonnet. Kev from Rover Tech reckon it really cuts down the amount of heat entering the cabin by passing cool air down the firewall and over the transmission into the transmission well. Is a fairly cheap exersize but involves cutting a bloody big hole in the bonnet!!!

4. Modify the aircon inside the car? Could another unit be installed under the rear seats? with a seperate fan?

Anyway a couple of ideas to think about.....

[Gidget]

I cut that very big hole in my bonnet & it has cooled the fire wall down allot , but my air con still seams to give up working about 2 hrs into the drive still.I allso reinsulated the a/c pipes near the exhuast manifold?????

[Bushie]

Originally posted by Gidget
my air con still seams to give up working about 2 hrs into the drive

Gidget - How/what does the aircon go/do when you say it gives up?


Bushie

[Gidget]

well it works great when you first turn it on & for 1 1/2 too 2 hrs then it gets hot & you have to wind the window down.(I think I was lead up the garden path & back with the scoop Idea,it has made the fire wall allot cooler but hasn't helped the a/c at all)