97miatam

Hey guys,
I have been researching for a couple months now and surprisingly haven't come across a detailed explanation of how the A/C cars are plumbed. Maybe I am over thinking it but what kind of adapters are needed to run a for compressor with the rest of a Miata system? I don't plan on power steering as of now but any insight into making that system work also would be great. Sorry if this stuff has been covered before, I haven't found any answers though.


I started my build this past week. Got the engine, tranny, and diff out of the Miata and sold already and got the ford engine torn down for inspection. This is just some sideling research as the build progresses. Thanks in advance for any guidance.

mrmustang

Not hard at all:

You'll need a Ford compressor, and these custom lines.

McCully Racing Motors- Now your V8 Miata can have Air Conditioning!

A few minor bits and pieces after that, all over the shelf.


Bill S.

charchri4

And having shopped for AC lines in an LS let me tell you that McCully price is very good and if you don't know the company there is no one better doing swap parts. I wish he would make them for LS cars...

97miatam

That's just to easy lol. There gotta be some budget creative solutions.

mrmustang

That is the budget creative solution. See what happens when you take it to a local hose shop and they quote you $500 for two custom lines

charchri4

What he ^ said is fact and why I have yet to finish up my AC. I tried to buy some splice couplings to join the 2 systems together but it leaked down in a day. Where you live I wouldn't mess with it just do it right the first time and McCully is the right way to do it.

tbone heller

I was able to make mine for less than $10. I guess it all depends on who you know.

Dave Tibbitts

I went to my local auto A/C repair place and the owner made me a set of custom lines for $100. He handed me some random fittings and some new hose, allowed me to use a bay in his shop and just told me to mark the length of hose and draw a line from the hose to the fitting so he could properly clock them while crimping. We did have to get creative with the dual fitting at the back of the pump, though. The dual fittings weren't clocked right for my application so I cut them apart to allow them to rotate. Once I had the lines, I asked a local machinist to make a clamp block to keep the fittings pressed against the back of the compressor. He charged me $7.

97miatam

Thanks for the info. As a DIYer I would prefer to save money and find a solution than to buy off the shelf. Of course if it becomes to much of a hassle then off the shelf it is! Living in Texas I will have to have AC for the car to be enjoyable.

V8MiataMike

I think I got really lucky with my setup. I have the SN95 accessory drive. The compressor sits about right where the original Miata compressor was. I carefully bent the tubes near the compressor connections to line up nicely, used new o rings, and made a clamp to hold the two lines to the Ford compressor so the entire A/C system is original Miata parts all the way up to the compressor. Added oil, did a vacuum, held vacuum, charged and for a week now its been working great. Cost of A/C V8 conversion - $20 for Miata and Ford o ring kits (+ the R134A and PAG 100 oil...)

Mike

97miatam

I too have a complete sn95 set up. I will have to look more into this!

charchri4

Mike are you saying the factory NA Miata lines bolt up to the SN95 compressor?

V8MiataMike

Yes (sort of...) The Miata has two individual lines that each bolt on separately to the original Miata compressor. The original Ford SN95 compressor uses a single block with the two hoses integrated into it and bolts onto the back using a flat o ring seal. I simply bent the Miata tubes to route to the Ford pump the way I wanted them (staying low and "out of sight"). The miata tube ends have a small step so I got two machine washers that fit nicely over the protruding tube ends to make it work.

So, I used an o ring that is integrated into the inside of a washer (so it can't expand due to pressure), put that on the Miata tube that just fits over the step, then a machine masher that will smash up against the washered o ring and the tube "block" area, then put that into the appropriate compressor hole which will have the machine washer smash up against the original SN95 compressor o ring. Made a 1/4 thick plate that pushes the flats of the Miata hose tube "block" ends into the compressor with the center bolt and there you go. The clamping plate is slotted to fit around the tube that comes out of the suction side fitting so it can not rotate.

I did not take any pictures during the fab phase as I was in "proof of concept" mode ( I did not think it would work) at the time but as things went, after vacuuming the system, I went ahead and charged and now I hate to open it up or anything else until I really need to (bit the bullet on $24 dollars of freon potential waste...).

I may acquire a specific 95-97 condenser ensuring it is a parallel flow type (they really are different and designed for R134A) so that may be when I finesse the clamping plate and paint it to look better...

These are after the fact pictures.