Installing Air Conditioning in a 240D
 

The car is 1984 euro 240d that was purchased brand new in Germany by my father. The car has 90,000 kilometers, 4 spd manual transmission, crank windows, manual moonroof, and no AC. I would like a factory looking appearance if possible. Is it possible to install a factory AC setup in this case?

Thank you in advance!!

Yes it is possible. Rather than using a R-4 GM compressor, review the items on the diesel forum and get a Sanden unit for better HP and efficiency.

Look around for a junkyard donor for brackets, if you ne3ed them. But research the threads on this forum and you should be ok.


This is a long process but worth it if you have a good car.

So you are saying that you have nothing with regard to AC...
NO evaporator under the dash ?

Installing the evaoporator under the dash is a giant pain. I had one converted.

I am just trying to establish a base line....
I have a way around the evap under the dash... which is just too much to expect any normal human to be able to accomplish....
Still not easy... but a solution from the 1950's..... when many cars did not come from the factory with AC....

Well the car was built without AC, is there an evaporator in a car when you do not have AC?

What other parts would I need?

How involved was the process?

How involved... you really don't want to know...
except if you really had a good idea.... then my idea will be much more impressive...
The reason that MB AC has SAE threads is that the AC was installed in the US .. that is what I have read.... some kind of trade restriction or something .....

When a car was built without AC, you will need a compressor with brackets, receiver/drier, expansion valve, condensor, evaporator, hoses with proper fittings, underdash duct work, and AC controls. Best estimate for parts alone in good condition is $1000-$1500. Unless you are an experienced technician you are probably looking in excess of $1500 for labor.

Another option: Vintage Air in Texas makes an underdash unit called a Mark IV. If it will fit, you would need the underdash unit, compressor with brackets (not available from Vintage Air for a Mercedes -but is available from forum member Rollguy) hoses, condensor, and receiver/drier. Very efficient AC system. Does require drilling some holes in the firewall. The Mark IV unit has built in controls and expansion valve.

It has been my experience that the Mark IV unit will actually cool the car better than an MBZ system, IF it will fit and you don't mind an aftermarket AC system.

Wouldn't the duct work essentially be the same as the heat uses?

No, the duct work is different on an AC car versus non AC car.

I suggest finding a 240d at the junkyard and pull the ac from it. DMorrison has a great writeup with good pics on how to do this; coincidentally Leathermang has a link to it in his signature line just above. Learning how to pull the console and the dash and figuring out how this all goes together is best done on a parts car at the junkyard rather than on your own car. The air handler, controls, etc.would probably be 80 to 100 at a pic and pull yard.

Also get all the ac hoses - take them to an ac shop and have all the rubber hoses re-done; they'll use the existing fittings - but think this through if you are going to change compressor type - that will change some of the hoses.

The job looks horrible but it's not that bad and you can keep driving the car while you're working on it - just hook up the instrument cluster and prop it up there. Gives the car Kind of a post- apocalypse styling with the insides exposed like that - pretty hilarious.

With the dash and the air handling equipment out you have an opportunity to add sound deadening in places you'll never be able to reach again.

I'd recommend getting Rollguy's Sanden bracket - around 200 without a compressor; 400 with the compressor (those are old prices could be more nowadays). The Sanden is much more efficient than the GM R4. I stuck with R12 for the refrigerant - lower pressures than R134 and much better cooling.

no.