Thread: TD5 Airconditioner efficiency.

Originally Posted by Captain_Rightfoot

ok breakthrough. Removed the clutch fan despite it "feeling good".

Hit the bimetallic spring with heat and it doesn't move the shaft. Win. Explains the running hot and maybe the AC. Tomorrow job!

Common problem at 20 odd years old, replace with the OEM unit ( Borg Warner ) Part number PGG500340

Originally Posted by discorevy

Common problem at 20 odd years old, replace with the OEM unit ( Borg Warner ) Part number PGG500340

Unfortunately a lot of sellers are calling "bearmach" and "allmakes" OEM, which is slightly naughty to say the least, and most still charging just under $500au.

Caveat emptor I guess.

Originally Posted by shack

Unfortunately a lot of sellers are calling "bearmach" and "allmakes" OEM, which is slightly naughty to say the least, and most still charging just under $500au.

Caveat emptor I guess.

Yep, you'd want to ask if Borg Warner is stamped on the unit.

Allmakes is owned by Britpart, but they are resellers rather than manufacturers.

These were B.W. units, last time I got one:

Viscous & Fan Td5 2.4 Puma (Britpart OEM) PGG000180 PGG500340.

or Locally:

Fan & Viscous Coupling TD5 PGG500340

So it's hard to test extremes of heat when it's just not that hot. I took the car for a drive last week with the new thermo fan. It was probably high 20's. I think it's definitely running cooler. You can hear the thermo fan... which I haven't heard for a while. So I think at least it's addressed the engine cooling.

The AC was running 5-7 which is is pretty reasonable. Cabin temps were pleasant. I'm not game to call it yet though. Need a stinker.. I see we've got 37 forecast later this week (WTF Brisbane). I think i'll go for a drive at lunch.

So any thoughts on this? It looks like it would help. At the very least the old one is looking a bit like a 20 year old condenser. These are sold as drop in "performance upgrades". They switch from serpentine to parallel flow.



LR025985 - High Performance Air Con Condenser for Land Rover Defender TD5 and Puma 2.4 and 2.2 Vehicles - Air Conditioning Condenser and Fan - by Coolair Logan

There are much cheaper upgraded condensers available for the late TD5 Defenders, I can't find any in Australia at the moment though.

I have one in my work bus, but it is most definitely NOT bolt in, I can't remember exactly what I had to change though.

It seems to work ok.

Originally Posted by shack

There are much cheaper upgraded condensers available for the late TD5 Defenders, I can't find any in Australia at the moment though.

I have one in my work bus, but it is most definitely NOT bolt in, I can't remember exactly what I had to change though.

It seems to work ok.

Interesting. Would you say the upgraded condenser helped the AC?

They are saying the landed price would be 1700 AUDs. If it's "drop in" extra purchase cost could mitigate paying people to modify aftermarket solutions.

Am I at the stage of being prepared to just throw money at this problem? Not quite. But nearly.

I really couldn't say if it made any difference over the stock condenser as the AC want working when I got it, the first time it worked was with the new one.

I think the new one is parallel and it is a bigger unit than the stock one, it covers the whole radiator from memory.

I can tell you with the viscous fan removed and just the electric one on, when pressures in the system gets high and the fan cuts in, the pressure drops rapidly over a number of seconds and the fan cycles back off.

Originally Posted by shack

I really couldn't say if it made any difference over the stock condenser as the AC want working when I got it, the first time it worked was with the new one.

I think the new one is parallel and it is a bigger unit than the stock one, it covers the whole radiator from memory.

I can tell you with the viscous fan removed and just the electric one on, when pressures in the system gets high and the fan cuts in, the pressure drops rapidly over a number of seconds and the fan cycles back off.

Thanks. In the testing I've done - when the fan is on it seems to just stay on. I'll have an extra close look on Thursday when I take it out for a run on our hot day. It's won't be desert hot, but should give me some idea. Birdsville forecast is 45 today, 44 tomorrow!