Hi Guys,

I’m happy to say I’ve got my 94 B350 camper mostly fully built out. Lots of power, water, outdoor shower, new 5.9L engine, new exhaust, all new front end, new shocks, new tires, propane and the inside is really cool. Even patched and painted the body and roof last summer. Love my baby. But here’s my predicament…

Last summer my AC died (slow leak) and I’m working on getting some components replaced before it gets too hot.

I put in a new compressor with the engine and the mechanic used the old lines, evap, condenser, etc.

The main issue is the lines in and out of the compressor are rusty and pitted. I’ve spent over a month researching and ordering parts and I cannot find replacement lines with fittings that connect to this compressor. I’ve called a bunch of AC shops and everyone tells me they are no longer made. I’ve been to custom shops and called the big national AC dudes and nobody has been able to point me toward info

I’ve even ordered like 5 hose assemblies (4 seasons brand) for similar year Dodge and Chryslers just to see if I could find anything that fits. No luck, except Four Seasons 55760, which fits the Evap on my 1994 B350, but doesn’t run all the way to the compressor. I’ve ordered a few adaptor sets and manifolds. Nothing fits. Been to pick and pulls, but these vans are rare and Ram trucks use a different system…

I just can’t find anything that fits my compressor.

From my research, the compressor I have is:

Four Seasons part number 57556

Sanden/Sankyo TRF105 Compressor w/ Clutch

They are peanut fittings, with very shallow lips. See the photo shows how the suction and discharge connections are offset from each other? That’s kind of a unique style which makes finding a manifold impossible.

Anybody have experience with this compressor? At this point I’m considering bending my own aluminum and cutting the old fittings off and having them welded on at a shop. It happy about this though, because the fittings themselves are worn and a bit rusty so having new ones would help me sleep better lol.

Sorry for the long post, I’m just in dire need of guidance and y’all are probably the only people out there who have experience with the AC system for this van. Thanks a lot as always!

 

I know your compressor is new.... but, have you considered taking the compressor from a truck, along with the lines, and adapting from there??

 

I had considered that. It isnt a bad idea… I was trying to avoid removing the compressor. Is it a difficult job?

 

On the trucks, no, it's pretty easy, right up front, easy to get to, four bolts and an electrical connector. On the van though..... I think the biggest problem is access.

 

That’s what I thought. I think I remember someone here recommended putting the new compressor in when I had my new engine put in for that reason.

I’m going to try removing the old fittings with a torch and brazing them onto some new aluminum hard line.

I had one other AC challenge… getting the Evaporator out of the box. Some of the screws that hold it in place are super hard to get to on the back.

The service manual is confusing, but it seems like it was suggesting removing the glove compartment and accessing the screws from the passenger area through the dash.

Ever done this?

Gotta get mine open! It’s full of leaves and debris 😂

 

Will brazing aluminum stand up to the pressure? ARE the lines aluminum?

Never pulled the evaporator out of a van..... On the trucks, you have to pull the dash, and physically remove the heater box from the truck.......

 

Aluminum brazing is pretty standard with AC lines I’ve learned. Just torch and braze. I found a place nearby that’s helping me make everything connect and fit. They have a crimper for beadlock fittings so I can basically connect everything with minimal brazing. A lot of the fittings are SAE threaded too so I can just screw them together and rely mostly on rubber AC hose instead of aluminum.

Here’s hoping all goes well and I can pull a good vacuum!

 

Good Luck. Let us know how it works out.