Conversions & Swaps LSX Engines in Non-LSX Vehicles
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Take me to school for A/C swaps.

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Old Mar 8, 2025 | 01:04 PM
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Default Take me to school for A/C swaps.

I've got a Ford Dryer/Accumulator with the Ford Condenser.

Compressor is for the LS. I've tried to make a diagram and include pictures.

I'm trying to figure all this out, Ive never messed with ac stuff before. Sorry for my ignorance.

My biggest questions are.
1.) Where do i need to add the service ports? The High and Low?
2.) Do I need a trinary switch in this setup, if so which line needs it?
3.) The service port on the accumulator is for what?





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Old Mar 8, 2025 | 01:48 PM
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It might be helpful to know what kind of vehicle you are working on.

Andrew
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Old Mar 8, 2025 | 01:51 PM
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Originally Posted by Project GatTagO
It might be helpful to know what kind of vehicle you are working on.

Andrew
1988 f150
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Old Mar 13, 2025 | 11:49 AM
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Hot gas discharge out of compressor runs to drivers side of condenser put a high side port inline when you are fabbing the pipe.
The orifice tube is in the liquid side inlet side of the evaporator it will stay there. You can use the factory evap to condenser liquid line. The suction side of compressor will be piped to the receiver dryer. The ford factory receiver drier has a low side fitting on it from factory already. I would order an evap and drier for a 96 F150 it will go right into your existing case and is set up for 134A.

I highly recommend switching all the ac components to 96 f150 parts as they are designed for 134A. The factory R12 condensers on those trucks cooled terribly when converted to 134A because their efficiency was terrible. You can order all the parts at napa or oreillys for the following
96 F150 with a 302
evap
orifice tube use blue or aqua colored
receiver drier
condenser
condenser to evap liquid line
Use 9 oz refrigerant oil
2Lb 6 oz is OE charge. I'd weigh in 2lbs see how everythings looks and if pressures are right and it's cooling good leave it alone. If not add in 2 oz increments and sneak up on full charge amount.

If you are running an LS pcm and engine it will have control over the fans if you are running an Efan setup.
What kind of fan setup are you running?
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Old Mar 13, 2025 | 01:06 PM
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Originally Posted by 01WS6/tamu
Hot gas discharge out of compressor runs to drivers side of condenser put a high side port inline when you are fabbing the pipe.
The orifice tube is in the liquid side inlet side of the evaporator it will stay there. You can use the factory evap to condenser liquid line. The suction side of compressor will be piped to the receiver dryer. The ford factory receiver drier has a low side fitting on it from factory already. I would order an evap and drier for a 96 F150 it will go right into your existing case and is set up for 134A.

I highly recommend switching all the ac components to 96 f150 parts as they are designed for 134A. The factory R12 condensers on those trucks cooled terribly when converted to 134A because their efficiency was terrible. You can order all the parts at napa or oreillys for the following
96 F150 with a 302
evap
orifice tube use blue or aqua colored
receiver drier
condenser
condenser to evap liquid line
Use 9 oz refrigerant oil
2Lb 6 oz is OE charge. I'd weigh in 2lbs see how everythings looks and if pressures are right and it's cooling good leave it alone. If not add in 2 oz increments and sneak up on full charge amount.

If you are running an LS pcm and engine it will have control over the fans if you are running an Efan setup.
What kind of fan setup are you running?
Thank you for your help, makes it a lot clearer. And I'm on the Holley Terminator Max with camaro fans. Its controlled with it. The a/c will be as well. I have a harness from Current Performance Wiring that I'll be using. It mentions a trinary switch in one setup, and I didn't know if I needed to add that in my setup or just use the pressure switch I have. Thanks again.
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Old Mar 13, 2025 | 08:08 PM
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I'm not familiar with the holley system so I cannot help you there. Will you be running a single speed or a low and high speed fan setup.
Depending on how the holley is configured you may be able to set it up so when the pcm sees an ac request it automatically commands cooling fan on if you are using a single speed setup or high speed if you are using a dual speed setup.

Since you have to fab the pipe from the compressor to condenser on the drivers side. Have conversation with whoever is building it cause they know what fittings they have to get you a high pressure access port and a port to run either a trinary or binary switch. You want to be sure you have a high pressure safety in to shut it down if things get outta range.

The other reason to make the switch to newer 96 up stuff is a reliability deal. The 88 trucks used springlock fiittings and man those suck they always leak you cant keep gas in those systems even when they were brand new. The 94 up 134 trucks went to single oring threaded fittings and they never leak. The only spring lock you will have is at the evap for the liquid in by the orifice tube
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Old Mar 14, 2025 | 08:52 AM
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This is a good book about AC swaps and older AC systems. He mostly works on BMW stuff, but this was helpful in a couple of LS into G-body swaps.
Amazon Amazon



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