Quote:
Originally Posted by resto108
I want to put a Sanden on my 300 SD. Is there a drivability difference between the 5 and 7 cylinder models? How about a difference in cooling?
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I'll take a crack at this question. The Sanden compressors are dramatically more efficient than the the original R4 units that originally came on these cars. So you would see less power used to drive the units and smoother operation. The difference between the 5 and 7 cylinder models is essentially the displacement with the 7 piston units being larger displacement.
As far as cooling differences, I suspect that the limiting factors are not the compressor but rather capacity of the evaporator and condenser which are primary components that remove heat from the cabin and transfer it to the external air. Having excess capacity in the compressor would likely do nothing to increase cooling unless the condenser (and likely the evaporator) were replaced with larger units.
Obviously other factors like debris blocking the condenser and evaporator, clogged expansion valve, leaking monovalve, bad aux fan, bad pods and so forth will affect cooling capacity and effectiveness. Another major factor that has been debated to death is the refrigerant. I won't get into that here other than to say that 134a is inferior to R12 or the other "alternative" refrigerants that are being used.
Maybe someone else knows the actual relative displacements of the R4 vs the 5 cylinder Sandens that would indicate whether the compressor is under-sized for the application. My hunch is that the 7 cylinder units are designed for dual zone A/C as might be used in large vans that have larger condensers and evaporators.
...not speaking as an expert, just someone that has taken an interest in A/C systems and has done extensive informal research and installed a Sanden in his 617 powered 107.