110 CSW factory air-con

[isuzubob]

Does your Australian-spec One Ten County Station Wagon have factory-fitted air-con? Air-con was an option on County's in the 1980's however as it was integrated into the dashboard and required a different firewall without the iconic ventilation flaps it had to be installed on the assembly line, either in Solihull (V8's) or Moorebank (3.9D's). Most dealers it seems ordered this from the factory hoping that (or strongly encouraging/convincing) customers would tick the a/c option, as many did. However, if you didn't, it sometimes was a bit of a search to find a One Ten without it and in the colour that you wanted. Hence there are not many non-air County's around.

As it turned out over time the a/c unit had a number of flaws. It struggled against the typical Australian heat at the best of times, had hot water circulating through the heater matrix which resulted in warm air flowing through the weak vacuum controlled internal ventilation flaps, intruded into the engine bay substantially as well as making it hard to fit aux gauges/radios or wiring/cables behind the dash. At least it didn't rob front seat passengers of leg-room!

Rob W

[Bigbjorn]

It is a pretty inferior piece of kit. As you say it struggles with our climate, and leaks hot air into the passenger accomodation. I blocked off the hot water supply to mine with a Bowden cable operated heater valve in the supply line from the thermostat housing.

[JDNSW]

After voting, I note that we have three with and two without, the percentages being 75% and 50% ??????

I spent quite some time looking for one without factory air, and then added airconditioning after getting it.

John

[rar110]

Some Australian 120 utes and some Perentie's had a aircon unit fitted where the center console normally is located. I saw one on ebay recently.

[JDNSW]

Some Australian 120 utes and some Perentie's had a aircon unit fitted where the center console normally is located. I saw one on ebay recently.

You could say that about my 110 - but it did not come from the factory like that, and I would need to see some definite evidence that they did before believing it. After all it is twenty years since the last 110 was built, and mine has been like that for sixteen of those years.

John

[jerryd]

Mine has the factory fitted air con, it seemed to work okay until about 3 weeks ago I'll have to get it booked in and have it checked out before the next heatwave. It seems a bit on the warm side.

My heater has had a tap fitted under the bonnet and is permanantly off

[Bearman]

Seems that the heater is a common problem with factory aircon. I too have taps on both heater inlet and outlet to ensure that it is not working when the aircon is on. The aircon just copes with the summer heat. I did notice that it used to get a lot colder when it was run on R12 instead of the 134A that is used these days. Still better than nothing though.

[isuzubob]

After voting, I note that we have three with and two without, the percentages being 75% and 50% ??????

John

Ah, yes that may have been my fault. I voted twice, because I have one of each!
The % figs will be incorrect but that's easily worked out by the total figs.

Rob W

[wovenrovings]

They work quite well on the coolgas that is the alternative to R134a. It is much more like R12. That is the coolgas is the lpg based refigerant.

[Bigbjorn]

They work quite well on the coolgas that is the alternative to R134a. It is much more like R12. That is the coolgas is the lpg based refigerant.

Mine is currently in need of regassing. Who in Brisbane does this using the lpg refrigerant. I can not locate anyone.