Topic: TJ Onboard Air Using XJ Aircon Compressor (Read 7074 times)

Nexus · « **on:** July 15, 2008, 06:46:48 PM »

Hi,
This is a mod that I built to remove the ARB electric compressor. It still runs the air lockers in the front and rear diffs but allows me to reinflate my tires from 15/16 PSI to 28 PSI in about 1 minute per tire.

Aircon pump manifold / Bracket

Alternator mode to run pump

Mist oiler + Coalescing filter

Storage Bottles under floor

Relay + Pressure switch + Solenoid Valves

Gauges in cab

The gauges are going to be moved into a pod when I get chance to fibre glass one, and at the same time I will incorporate some LED's to illuminate the gauges in the dark.

Thanks for looking

Cheers
Nick

Roland · « **Reply #1 on:** July 15, 2008, 07:54:30 PM »

doublej · « **Reply #2 on:** July 15, 2008, 09:57:45 PM »

mate you have the perfect timing! I am trying to piece together the parts todo this to my a/c compressor right now. I got the basic ideas, but for the coalescing filter and oil mister; will any spec do?
Im going to try and rob the other parts from a ele. air compressor.
thanks

Mike Pavelin · « **Reply #3 on:** July 15, 2008, 10:31:11 PM »

I have had have a similar setup on Mk.1.for a couple of years. It is very effective but I found that running the compressor for extended periods made the compressor and the air output very hot indeeed. This actually melted the polycarbonate bowl on the coalescing filter a couple of times while inflating tyres. I remedied this by making a cooler from a coil of copper tubing fitted immediately after the compressor. Also bear in mind that an a/c compressor is designed to have refrigerant in it which keeps it cool running for extended periods can cause it to overheat and fail.

Nexus · « **Reply #4 on:** July 15, 2008, 11:42:38 PM »

The heat has not been a problem for me as the coalescing filter on mine is die cast, but I do tend to let it have a breather for a few minutes between the front and back tires, just to hedge my bets, the polycarbonate tube would probably fail first as it is directly attached to the manifold on the AC Pump. DoubleJ I can check to see if their is a make on the parts tomorrow if its any help but I think they are pretty generic parts available from any pneumatics supplier.

The oil mister has a polycarbonate bowl which is why I have it up front between the headlight and radiator to help keep it in a hopefully cooler section of the engine bay. All the bits have been on the car for about 18 months without any problems, although you need to keep an eye on the oil mister to make sure it always contains oil or you run the risk of seizing the AC pump.

Also the pressure relief safety valve is currently removed it was on the elbow with the brass blanking plug just after the one way valve before the regulator, it tended to vent the system when the weather was cold. I am in the process of getting a couple of new connectors to put it before the release solenoid so that it is still their for safety purposes but is then vented when the pressure switch shuts the magnetic clutch off.

Cheers
Nick

doublej · « **Reply #5 on:** July 16, 2008, 12:12:06 AM »

that'll help mate. i have found very few write ups on this and they didn't really cover all the bases. so any help is better than what im working with. lol
turning a wrench and slicing metal i can do all day, but this fries my brain.

Roland · « **Reply #6 on:** July 16, 2008, 06:29:01 AM »

JJ
might be of help . . . :roll:

http://http://www.jeepaholics.com/tech/OBA2/

Nexus · « **Reply #7 on:** July 16, 2008, 07:14:15 AM »

Here's another write up using a york air compressor as a basis.

http://http://www.stu-offroad.com/otherwriteups/oba/oba-1.htm

Cheers
Nick

Roland · « **Reply #8 on:** July 16, 2008, 09:49:08 AM »

:roll:

http://http://www.j33p.org/_club/forums_view_thread.cfm?forum_id=3&start=1&thread_id=2367&search_string=ukjeeper

doublej · « **Reply #9 on:** July 16, 2008, 10:09:55 AM »

thanks guys, those parts listings are HUGE. lol

Nexus · « **Reply #10 on:** July 16, 2008, 11:29:21 AM »

If its any help From memory, the cost for building mine was about £140 all in. I think about £35 was for the two stainlessgauges. The aircon pump and addtional pulley off of the XJ alternator was £15, although I had to remove it myself. Not that I mind dismantling things but it was also piddling down with rain at the time.

The rest of the cost was for the filter / mister / regulator / Soleniod valve to unload the pressure before the non return valve / safety valve and pressure switch + assorted fittings + Pipe, I already had the relay and locker soleniods from the original ARB setup, and managed to scrounge the two bottles, I welded the cage up from some angle I had out of the local steel stockists skip.

Cheers
Nick

Mike Pavelin · « **Reply #11 on:** July 16, 2008, 09:47:30 PM »

Silly question, but why did you fit an extra pulley? The AC compressor on a TJ mounts in place of the idler pulley assembly and should drive from the same length belt, the same as on my LHD XJ.

Nexus · « **Reply #12 on:** July 16, 2008, 09:56:22 PM »

My TJ did not have aircon in the first place so it was as easy to mount it above the alternator as opposed to sourcing all the pieces plus new serpentine belt, also the AC Pump does not replace the idler but when looking from the front sits below the power steering pump slightly towards the water pump . Also it means everything is on one side high up and accessable + reasonably cheap to do from scrap parts.

Cheers
Nick

Mike Pavelin · « **Reply #13 on:** July 16, 2008, 10:14:37 PM »

Aah, you must have an '01 onwards model. Before this the A/C compressor was in position 1 or was replaced by an idler assembly which bolted to the same mounting.

Nexus · « **Reply #14 on:** July 16, 2008, 10:27:12 PM »

Yep mines a July 2002 model according to the sticker on the passenger door pillar. Probably easier if I had a year older one from the sound of it. The other advantage is that if something goes wrong with the magnetic clutch / compressor I can disconnect it easily.

Cheers
Nick

Mike Pavelin · « **Reply #15 on:** July 16, 2008, 10:52:40 PM »

Here's the original version in Mk.1.....

The red object that looks like a brake servo is a small air tank which is enough if you just want air for ARBs, the cooling coil had not been fitted between the outlet and the filter at that time. The white line from the oil mister takes air from the air cleaner so the system is running via the snorkel. A secondary tank made from a fire extinguisher lurks in the back.....

This can be isolated to store air in case of compressor failure while on the trail to keep the ARBs working.

Nexus · « **Reply #16 on:** July 16, 2008, 11:10:22 PM »

Cool looking setup (now considering painting my bottles red, but would need to run over people for them to appreciate it), I don't need to isolate mine if the compressor fails as the non return valve means air can only flow in not out. My two bottles under the floor used to be for portable liquid oxygen use. Its amazing what you can find knocking around I think they are rated at 230 bar so a pretty good safety factor as the safety valve when I refit it kicks in at 160 PSI.

Cheers
Nick

Mike Pavelin · « **Reply #17 on:** July 17, 2008, 12:06:57 AM »

The fire extinguisher tank is rated at 300 psi and my saftey blows at 120. The cutout is set at 110. There is a regulated supply of 90 psi for the ARBs.

doublej · « **Reply #18 on:** July 17, 2008, 12:19:41 AM »

oooooo u guys just keep adding to it dont ya. lol
so if im going to use my stock a/c com. and something goes wrong one day is the pulley gonna seize? or will it just stop working? cause that would really suck if i didnt have the non a/c belt.

Nexus · « **Reply #19 on:** July 17, 2008, 07:37:03 AM »

If it seizes it will more than likely be the compressor itself that is the problem so as long as you don't supply power to the magnetic clutch it will free wheel and not be a problem.

Mine is at 140psi on the high pressure side and the ARB / Air tool side is set at 85 psi, I think ARB's are rated from 80 - 110 PSI from memory but I tend to keep it on the low side, I can always turn the pressure up. My safety goes off at 160psi. The pressure switch kicks in at 125/130psi to top the system up, it is adjustable hence the 140psi cutoff.

I am toying with running some new pipes to the front/rear bumpers to put an air fitting in each for use for inflating the tires rather than having to open the bonnet.

the release solenoid valve to unload the compressor is fun if you want to get strange looks from people whilst parked in town.

Cheers
Nick

longman · « **Reply #20 on:** July 17, 2008, 09:32:46 AM »

Nexus, were has your snake gone !!

Nexus · « **Reply #21 on:** July 17, 2008, 09:45:38 AM »

Longman, how about this one. Still one of my snakes but a different one.

Cheers
Nick

longman · « **Reply #22 on:** July 17, 2008, 10:04:10 AM »

Thanks nick,
I'm not a snake man, but thats a cool pic/snake. Your mods are pure class. Mine stretch to bolting on bits and taking bits off.But it makes me happy and thats what counts, in-it !
Going to change the spark plug in a mo.

Bubba · « **Reply #23 on:** July 17, 2008, 05:43:28 PM »

a very good thread this and some cool ideas

Author Topic: TJ Onboard Air Using XJ Aircon Compressor (Read 7074 times)

Nexus

Roland

doublej

Mike Pavelin

Nexus

doublej

Roland

Nexus

Roland

doublej

Nexus

Mike Pavelin

Nexus

Mike Pavelin

Nexus

Mike Pavelin

Nexus

Mike Pavelin

doublej

Nexus

longman

Nexus

longman