Attention all previous buyers of my Sanden retrofit kit!
 

To all previous buyers of my Sanden A/C compressor mounting/retrofit kit. I have an addition to the kit (will be in all kits sold from now on). The new part is a lower plate brace that is mounted on three of the lower pan bolts, and is bolted to the lower part of the mounting plate. There are three different models (turbo shown):
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k1...y/DSCF0005.jpg

The 5 cyl turbo model (617):
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k1...y/DSCF0003.jpg

The N/A 5 cyl model (617):
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k1...y/DSCF0002.jpg

The 4 cyl model (616):
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k1...y/DSCF0004.jpg


If you have a Gen 1 kit (solid mounted compressor with idler), you will need to weld the brace onto the mounting plate. Removing the cad plating is essential for a good bond.

For Gen 2 applications, you will need to drill a 1/2" hole in the plate 5/8" from both the lower and left edges of the plate:
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k1...7/100_1615.jpg

All of the kits sold from now on (Gen 2 & 2.1) will have the hole, and will have included in the kit the particular brace for the engine it is being installed on.

I am offering the brace kits to all previous buyers of my Sanden retrofit bracket kits at no cost for the part, but I would like to get $5.00 each to cover the cost of packaging and postage. Please PM your engine model and address, and I will prepare your package for shipment, and send it out when $5.00 arrives. Thanks, Rich

I have sold quite a few kits, but have only heard from 3 people. I may have to go back in my private messages to figure out who bought one!

Just my $0.02, but keep in mind that a lot of folks are irregular visitors to the forum. You will probably need to bump your announcment a few times a week, for several weeks, to even have a shot at reaching your audience.

Even when folks have stuff posted for sale, in many cases I have to resort to sending them an email before I get a reply. And you would think once people post an ad, they would visit the board regularly....

What is the purpose of this bracket? How much load/ stress will it be carrying? Those oil pan bolts are not very hefty and the lip is aluminum. Any cracking there due to stress will end in oil leaks and not easy to fix.

Congratulations on providing good customer service. LOTS of people make products, but only a portion of them provide good customer service to back them up during their life cycle.

This whole system is still evolving, so improvements will happen along the way. No product is 100% perfect from the start. The brace is needed to help support the lower part of the plate. On the turbo models, there is a part of the casting just above the upper pan that supports the lower part of the plate. The 617N/A and 616 do not have this casting, so more support is needed. I have had to adjust the belt tension more often on my 240 until I installed the brace. Knowing that the turbo engine may not need the brace, I made the three different models anyway. It is more expense for me, but I want to improve the product in any way I can. The Gen 2.1 improvements are a prime example. My goal is to make a better and less expensive solution than the competition to the curse of the GM R4.
I also have plans (LORD willing) to make a trap-ox bypass pipe and a 123 trailer hitch receiver, and make them better and less expensive than the competition as well...Rich

Thanks for your .02, I thought I may indeed have to "bump" this thread a couple times in order to get everyone covered.

Not sure what I need- but both kits I bought from you are for a 617-95X- turbo'd versions. Can I paypal you the postage?

Install questions
 

I have had a couple install questions, and I offer these tips to make the installation easier. When installing the brace, tighten all 2 pan bolts snug to the pan, and then slide the brace on the bolts. You may need to loosen the 3 plate to block bolts to move the plate slightly away from the engine, as it should be tight. Insert the 3/8 bolt and then put on the 3 nuts that hold the brace to the pan. Tighten the pan bolts first, and then the 3/8 bolt. Also, there was one installation where the pan bolt closest to the crank hit the tach pin. A shorter bolt may work. However, I did not have a problem with my own installation (first photo), so this one instance may be an anomaly. No issues with my 240 (616) installation either...Rich

Make that 2 incidents. I even ran across a similar "bent pin" incident while searching: www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/103834-where-rpm-sensor-w123-diesel-2.html
I should have read the latest posts to this thread to avoid this. I installed the Sanden kit a few days ago. I didn't notice the bent pin until checking cam timing today. I know it wasn't bent when I started (even have photos). I am lucky it didn't crack the upper oil pan, since a nightmare to repair and that was my main concern with this new bracket. So far, 3 incidents prove the pin bends first without damaging the oil pan.

I don't actually need the indicator pin since this car is a 1985 CA, with the tach off a sensor in the tranny interface plate. The pickup for the indicator pin goes to an unused connector (for dealer diagnostics?). I will leave the pin bent as a conversation piece, and maybe ammo to rib Rollguy in the future. As a caveat, this is a replacement engine (I think 1981). My notes from last January say I installed a crank damper from a junkyard 300SD, but I barely remember that, nor why, though I do recall comparing it to the original 85 damper. BTW, is the indicator pin truly at 5 deg BTDC? I know I should have sprayed rust preventative after cleaning the engine purty. In NorCal, we get some condensation in the winter.

Getting the nut on that inner pan bolt was not easy. You must get the crank damper in just the right place so a cutout allows you to barely swing a 10 mm wrench one notch at a time. Not enough room for my ratcheting wrench. A shorter bolt would not only miss the indicator pin, it would require fewer spins on the nut.

My bracket didn't quite reach the main plate (better than too long). I added a big nut as a spacer. I don't understand the instructions to loosen the 3/8" bolts to the block, since seems you want the plate tight up against the block, regardless. Anyway, everything is tight now and the compressor works fine, with no vibration. I'll post more details on another thread.

240D does not have a tach thus no pin to bend.

Good catch. I can't believe I did not have a problem with the tach pin on my 300D. I have to admit though, I have not checked it. My '81 300D has a turbo engine from an '84, so no tach in the cluster. It is possible that I did not notice a bent pin (no tach). I am away from the car now (Mexico), so I will check when I return. If a shorter bolt is needed, I will provide one with each kit.....Rich

I replaced the turbo drain tube grommet and Orings the other day, and checked the tach pin. Sure enough, it was completely gone. It must have broken off the first revolution of starting the engine, and I did not notice it (no tach in the '81 300D). I will get some shorter bolts, and supply one with each turbo brace.

What is your paypal address again? I really appreciate your follow through on this.

PM sent