Air Conditioning Layout
 

Would like to know if anyone has an A/C layout using the Ford Mustang compressor. Mainly concerned about which lines enter and exit the condenser. This is basically my question:
Working on a 92' Miata. Would like to know if the high pressure side coming from the compressor goes to the top or the bottom of the condenser. All diagrams seem to indicate high pressure side (gas) should be connected to the top of the condenser and the high pressure (liquid) should exit from the bottom of the condenser. I'm looking at a Mazda parts diagram which seems to indicate the opposite. This diagram indicates that the high pressure line from the evaporator goes through the bottom of the drier and into the top of the condenser. Any info would be appreciated.

I believe the high pressure liquid line from the top of the condensor - this is the smaller diameter line - goes first to the drier then from there to the evaporator at the firewall. There should also be a low pressure switch in the small liquid line tube between the drier and evaporator.

Like Mike said the small line coming from the firewall/evaporator goes through the dryer and then into the top of the condenser. Here is a picture of that area.

Thanks for the quick response. The only Mazda parts I'm using are the evaporator/expansion valve. The compressor is from a Ford and I'm not sure about the condenser, (could be Miata, Ford, aftermarket, etc.). What's got me perplexed is it appears the Miata layout goes against standard A/C convention of gas flowing from the compressor to the top of the condenser.

I have a kit for this that gives you both rubber lines that interface between the Ford compressor and the Mazda parts of the system. The high pressure line goes from the bottom of the condenser to the compressor. The high pressure line is narrower than the low pressure one (its liquid at that point and takes up less volume). The low pressure line connects the ford compressor to the Miata "manifold" of aluminum lines on the passenger side of the engine bay. The narrower of these aluminum lines needs to be manipulated so that the dryer bottle can be connected to it and positioned around the passenger side sway bar mount. The extra thin aluminum line that is left over can be manipulated to go between the dryer bottle and the upper condenser fitting.

Hope that helps,
-Jason

I think you are correct in saying the Miata layout has the gas flowing from the compressor to the bottom of the condenser, not the top. It does sound right to me that this is different than most setups.