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10-23-2010, 12:37 PM
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#1
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Kmpro
Currently Looking...
1984 31' Airstream310
Lubbock
, Texas
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 301
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ARA Dash Air Conditioners
The Silver Hornet has an engine air conditioner that was manufactured by ARA in Dallas Tx. Many 1970-1989 Motorhomes had these units installed by the manufacturer. My AirStream is a Model 310 Limited 1984. If anyone has an ARA manual, either service manual or owners manual I would like to get a copy and am willing to pay for it. Please let me know if you can help.
Thanks
Mike
__________________
A Man has got know his limitations-Dirty Harry
That's Some Bad Hat Harry-Jaws 1978
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10-25-2010, 10:51 AM
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#2
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Jamie
1984 31' Limited
1983 31' Airstream310
Oriental
, North Carolina
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 180
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Hey! I took the compressor and affiliated hardware off the engine of my '84 310 LTD to reduce front suspension loading, after we had two ball joint failures. Now we have no dash A/C b ut we don't miss it. The generator and roof A/C units are intended for use while driving, and that system works fine.
Jamie
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10-26-2010, 08:53 PM
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#3
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Kmpro
Currently Looking...
1984 31' Airstream310
Lubbock
, Texas
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 301
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ARA Dash Air Conditioners
JKing:
Thanks for the info on the A/C. BTW, which ball joints failed? Upper or Lower? Most common causes of Ball joint failure are Lower (lack of lubrication) Upper (Improper wheel balance) P30 Chassis are loaded pretty heavy but the best I can find out the 310 is not overloaded.
Mike
__________________
A Man has got know his limitations-Dirty Harry
That's Some Bad Hat Harry-Jaws 1978
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10-27-2010, 02:20 AM
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#4
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Rivet Master
1989 34.5' Airstream 345
Silverton
, Colorado
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,102
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We have to manually move the heat/ac gate under the hood on the curbside, under the hood....less a pain than replacing, at this point...works well, but isn't much fun in the rain...the shower curtains hung just behind the front seats DO improve cabin comfort...
i'd call them tacky, but...wait...!!! I AM tacky...m
__________________
Michael & Tracy
1989 345 Motorhome
CHARTER MEMBERS: FOUR CORNERS UNIT, AND PROUD OF IT!!!
We live for the moment, 'cause when you get there, it's gone...
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10-28-2010, 01:32 PM
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#5
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Silver Bullet
1986 34.5' Airstream 345
choctaw
, Oklahoma
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 839
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ScrapIrony-2
We have to manually move the heat/ac gate under the hood on the curbside, under the hood....less a pain than replacing, at this point...works well, but isn't much fun in the rain...the shower curtains hung just behind the front seats DO improve cabin comfort...
i'd call them tacky, but...wait...!!! I AM tacky...m
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I thought about having drapes made to close off the cockpit area when I got drapes made. Then I got new drapes made and just now remembered I wanted to do that too.
The brain is the first thing to go..... I think.
mel
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07-13-2017, 07:10 PM
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#6
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4 Rivet Member
1991 35' Airstream 350
Austin
, Texas
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 298
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This thread seems to be dead since 2010 however, i'm going to see if anyone is still interested or indeed able to provide some "know-how".
(1) How do you get to the blower motor and the under dash AC exchanger? which is housed under the dashboard and paneling without literally removing the whole mess?
(2) I need to replace the front engine mounted evaporator (?) which is leaking from previous attempts to weld/solder connections. anyone know of a replacement source?
(3) I've already replaced the heater valve with a "H" under hood manual diverter valve (living in Texas..who,needs a heater anyway!) as well as a remanufactured compressor but now realize that a wholesale upgrade to a newer system may be the answer. Has any one ever attempted what appears to be on par with a heart transplant without anesthetic!
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07-14-2017, 08:21 AM
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#7
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Silver Bullet
1986 34.5' Airstream 345
choctaw
, Oklahoma
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 839
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Mine has a panel in front of the passenger seat that pulls out. The motors are right there.
This may be your condernsor: https://www.gmpartscenter.net/oe-gm/...MWNRoCfpXw_wcB
I haven't got mine to work after the engine/transmission transplant. But then now I have a dodge compressor that came with the motor, so I don't know if it worked before.
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07-15-2017, 08:00 PM
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#8
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Rivet Master
1979 24' Airstream Excella 24
Tipp City
, Ohio
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 551
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I hope for your sake that it's different on a 1991 than it is on my 1979 but, to get to my a/c blower you have to remove the entire dash.
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07-16-2017, 12:00 PM
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#9
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4 Rivet Member
1991 35' Airstream 350
Austin
, Texas
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 298
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Condenser specs
Quote:
Originally Posted by choctawmel
Mine has a panel in front of the passenger seat that pulls out. The motors are right there.
This may be your condernsor: https://www.gmpartscenter.net/oe-gm/...MWNRoCfpXw_wcB
I haven't got mine to work after the engine/transmission transplant. But then now I have a dodge compressor that came with the motor, so I don't know if it worked before.
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Many thanks for the link..looks about right but need to check dimensions against the current unit. Unfortunately, the GM spec does not include dimensions so will need to call and see if they have these.
I've attached a couple of pics of the panel you may be referring to. How is this panel held in place as I'm afraid to keep trying to lever it out...seems these are either hidden screws or clips?
Sorry about the pics being rotated but have yet to understand how to load images into this Forum and rotate?
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07-16-2017, 12:19 PM
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#10
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4 Rivet Member
1991 35' Airstream 350
Austin
, Texas
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 298
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Hope not!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gregsch
I hope for your sake that it's different on a 1991 than it is on my 1979 but, to get to my a/c blower you have to remove the entire dash.
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I'm beginning to think you are correct however, there is no way I'm ever going to remove the entire dash to get at the condenser..I'd rather mount a very ugly under dash AC on top of the Airstream dash and supply the rig with equally ugly pipework snaking-up from the engine compartment!
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07-16-2017, 12:24 PM
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#11
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4 Rivet Member
1991 35' Airstream 350
Austin
, Texas
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 298
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Tried this!
Quote:
Originally Posted by jking
Hey! I took the compressor and affiliated hardware off the engine of my '84 310 LTD to reduce front suspension loading, after we had two ball joint failures. Now we have no dash A/C b ut we don't miss it. The generator and roof A/C units are intended for use while driving, and that system works fine.
Jamie
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Even with the rear compartment closed-off with the expanding door panel and assisted by a floor mounted 110v fan, the front A/C is no match for Texas sun beating down through the greenhouse windshield...I really do need the dash A/C to be working a full blast as well.
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07-16-2017, 09:43 PM
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#12
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4 Rivet Member
1965 22' Safari
1987 34.5' Airstream 345
Kansas city
, Missouri
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 443
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On my 1987 345 that panel was held in place by a few screws around the edges. Behind that was a metal box that when the cover was unscrewed contained the heater core, ac air cooler thingy, and the blower in the bottom. I changed out the blower as mine was frozen but the one I got is terribly underpowered. I need to find a better replacement or a booster fan of some sort.
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07-17-2017, 10:24 AM
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#13
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Silver Bullet
1986 34.5' Airstream 345
choctaw
, Oklahoma
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 839
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chriscraw
Even with the rear compartment closed-off with the expanding door panel and assisted by a floor mounted 110v fan, the front A/C is no match for Texas sun beating down through the greenhouse windshield...I really do need the dash A/C to be working a full blast as well.
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I understand the HEAT! W/o the dash air it's just plan hot here in Okla too. Running the generator, both top a/c isn't the same as having cool air in your face.
I replaced the front roof 13,500 Coleman a/c with a Carrier 15,000 btu and it still not enough while going down the road.
Think I'll go squirt some die in my a/c and see if I can see the leak with the colored glasses and the little light. May be a problem being I'm color blind in red and green.
Glad I put more A/C in my shop then I have in the house. But then I'm in my shop more than I'm in the house.
BTW That panel is just stuck in there on mine. Now screw, no clips, just friction.
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07-18-2017, 09:46 AM
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#14
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4 Rivet Member
1991 35' Airstream 350
Austin
, Texas
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 298
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So more thoughts
I suspect these vintage AS motorhomes were never designed to operate in either Oklahoma or Texas. I plan to launch a class action suit against Airstream Using the "Freedom of Information Act" to obtain internal memoranda that clearly unveils a dark corporate conspiracy to limit AS motorhome sales north of the Mason-Dixon line so as to justify the use of the P30 "bread van" chassis A/C components and acres of glass instead of expensive aluminium. My attorneys, "Messrs Sue, Grabbit and Rune are preparing this brief to be filed in El Paso in the middle of next summer!
In the meantime, I've located 2 screws that appear to be holding the panel in place. My hope is to retrofit a blower/condenser from Red Dot (R-9727 Off-Road Air Conditioner (see pic) A/C unit (pictured above) mounted smack-dab in-front of me on top of the massive AS dashboard. As the same time have my front windows LLumar ceramic.
http://northamerica.llumar.com/autom...ic-window-tint
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07-19-2017, 01:53 PM
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#15
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Silver Bullet
1986 34.5' Airstream 345
choctaw
, Oklahoma
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 839
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I kind-a like the idea of a tractor roof mount a/c unit. LLumar ceramic would be a nice touch also.
I just replaced the 3 big shades in the kitchen/living room and the one in the bathroom with cellular shades from 'Steve's Blinds & Wallpaper'. These are real RV shades, not that junk I bought from Lowe's. The price for these new ones is why I had cheap blinds from a box store in before. You get what you pay for.
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07-21-2017, 03:45 PM
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#16
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Silver Bullet
1986 34.5' Airstream 345
choctaw
, Oklahoma
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 839
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I took the cover off the coils and looked inside. I must of been thinking of another motor home when I said 'two motors' I guess I've never been in this before.
No wonder so little cold air is delivered. One little motor driving two squirrel cages. Was surprised in the lack of junk in the coils. Lots of FOD on the bottom. The foam is all turned to powder. I cleaned it up, put new foam on the door and around the return, bolted it all back and hope for the best.
Can't find my leak in the coolant lines, so next week I'm hoping to get some help.
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07-21-2017, 05:44 PM
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#17
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4 Rivet Member
1991 35' Airstream 350
Austin
, Texas
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 298
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Choctawmel...(interesting nom de plume...Mel from Choctaw??)..Many thanks for pic of what I am to expect after removing the front panel (yet to do 'cause of the Texas heat!) however, from your pics, I'm sure a replacement motor/fan and evaporator could be found that fits in the same space. As i look around, I'll keep you in the loop as a higher volume/speed blower and motor seems to be needed as well as a more efficient evaporator.
I'm also going to have to chase a leak..I am told that a good A/C shop can trace leaks with a fluorescent dye injected into the pressurized A/C system and then, using a ultra-violet light source, any leaks become visible. sound like the way to go.
Your blind cellular replacements also solve another of my pet peeves i.e flapping, noisy and swinging blinds. Would you please share with me the order you placed on Steve's blinds and Wallpaper so as to compare your measured sizes and the color you chose (very nice too!). How did you secure the blinds (did you need to take of the wooden surrounding frames and how are the new blinds mounted in the frame and controlled for vertical operation?
See what you've started now!!!
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07-22-2017, 01:20 PM
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#18
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Silver Bullet
1986 34.5' Airstream 345
choctaw
, Oklahoma
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 839
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The shades came in any color you want as long is it 'Buff'. No choose, but matches good. This coming for a color blind person mind you.
I order three- 65 3/8"X33" ($825) and one 32"X25 1/2" ($104). Not the cheapest to use, but the right thing to use and i hope I never have to replace them again.
I'm sure the heater core and a/c core are a standard size. The heater core would just slide out with the cover off.
If you noticed I've put the clear plastic storm window cover over all but two window. Couldn't get the double sided tape to stick to the corner windows or the back window in the bedroom. It made a lot of difference keeping it warm inside when we got stuck in Les Cruses, NM with temperatures in the mid teens w/snow and ice. Helps a lot with cooling too.
I have re-wired it to a 50A plug too, so I can and do run both a/c's. In the cold I can run both roof a/c's on heat and 2 plug in a portable electric heater too.
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07-25-2017, 01:24 PM
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#19
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4 Rivet Member
1991 35' Airstream 350
Austin
, Texas
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 298
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Many thanks
Thanks for the measurements.I still need to know if you removed the window surrounding woodwork to install the blinds as it seems to me that this would be necessary to both mount the replacement blinds and ensure a snug horizontal fit?
As my issue is Texas heat, I just need blinds that reduce the interior heat load..i have no desire or plans to explore the colder climes of the US.
I'm going to investigate replacement blowers and evaporator coils over the next few months and will keep you informed of and items that I think might replace the crappy gear Airstream installed but hey..that was a quarter of a century ago!
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10-05-2017, 05:50 AM
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#20
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4 Rivet Member
1986 34.5' Airstream 345
Londonderry
, New Hampshire
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 287
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You might want to reconsider replacing the
evaporator fan motor if it is working
properly. I have been doing a lot of
reading on A/C units in the hopes of fixing
my unit.
Concerning the fan; the capacity of the fan
is balanced with the capacity of the A/C
system. The airflow through the evaporator
must be sufficient to boil the freon before
it returns to the compressor. Otherwise
you will get slugging (my problem). You
want the freon gas exiting the evaporator
to be about 20 degrees above the boiling
point of the freon at that pressure.
The original fan will be designed to do that.
Too large a fan will raise the 20 degrees
to something higher. That is OK with the
rest of the system. Too small a fan or
airfow restrictions can produce slugging.
The downside of a larger fan is the cooled air
temperature will be higher. This will result
in less water condensation in the core and
there less humidity reduction. Humidity
reduction is a big part of why A/C makes
a living space comfortable.
One test of an auto A/C system is measuring
the air temperature from the vents. It
should be about 40 degrees in a properly
working system. If you increase the airflow
the vent temperature will rise.
Remember that you get no additional cooling
from changing the fan, the system cooling
capacity is determined by all the
components working together. The fan is
only one small part.
Pete.
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