A/C Heater Box Issue

[DC_1]

Well my hope is to finally get the A/C working in the car this year. I will probably buy one of the conversion kits and upgrade to a more efficient compressor and system. That being the case I also need my A/C heater box to be redone. Since I had an extra one kicking around I thought I would restore it and then swap it out with the one in the car. I searched and read all the threads I could find on those who have already done this process and have been kind enough to post pictures and detail. Today I started to take the spare apart and I have a few question that maybe someone can help me with.
1. In the first picture I circled what looks like some kind of temp sensor for the evaporator. Where is it suppose to go ? Right now it is just dangling out there.
2. It appears that one of the tubes broke off the evaporator. Do you think just soldering it back on will be a lasting repair or should I buy a new one?
3. These tubes just slipped apart. I am assuming they should have been soldered, correct?
4. The tubes coming out of the back of the heater core, are they supose to have these collars on them? I am guessing I need to heat them up to melt the solder to be able to get the heater core out of the housing. Correct?

[Hemidog]

I've restored mine, and maybe able to help:

1.  That is the capillary tube that goes from the box to the heater valve on the firewall. It does not disconnect from the heater valve, so it's probably broken. It's somekind of  a temp sensor, but it is not an important piece. Chatt69chgr might chime in on this.

2. That is not the evaporator, that is the heater core.You might be able to solder it back on, but pressure test the whole thing first, you might need a new one (I did). Classic Air sells them.

3. No, those were not soldered, they should disconnect. The male ends should have had some rubber o-rings on them.

4. Yep, the should be there, they are for draining the condensation that happens around the evaporator. They are not soldered, but have little dents in them that holds them to the tubes. Carefully remove them with a plier.

Let me know if you have more questions. I'll see if I can dig up some threads that helped me during my rebuild.

I definitely recommend buying this kit!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DMT-Mopar-66-70-B-Body-AC-A-C-Heater-Box-Resto-Kit-Set_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem53da6f110bQQitemZ360146997515QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

[DC_1]

Thank for the advice and I planning on picking up the kit from Detroit Muscle which is who I think that ebay add is from.

So, is that capillary tube suppose to run on the inside of the box somewhere? Did the kit include the "O" rings?

As far as cleaning things up, I planning on bead blasting the box but was wondering what others did to clean up the squirrel cage and the vacuum pods?

[Hemidog]

Yep, that is the DMT kit, and new o-rings are included with good instructions.
As posted in a previous thread, test the glue you're going to use on the Styrofoam, it might melt.

The capillary tube runs on the outside, alongside the box (no attachement).

I sanded the box, and painted it with some chassis satin black, the squirrel cage and pods just got a thorough wash.
One of my pods had a rust hole, so I had to buy a new one.

[Hemidog]

Here's some threads:

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,39712.0.html
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,10464.0.html
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,2218.0.html
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,5759.20.html
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,56650.0.html
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,52394.0.html
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,50985.0.html
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,52190.0.html

I needed much info on the install, since the previous owner ripped out all the ducts and other parts.

[DC_1]

Excelllent! .....thanks!

I did a thread search of "A/C heater box" but didn't come across some of those links because of my wording. They will definately come in handy.

[Hemidog]

No problem.

Searching for A/C means you're searching for every thread with the letter A and C in them  .

[twodko]

Hello Sydmoe ,

When I did my non-A/C box resto I just cleaned the case with soap and water the sprayed it with SEM satin black. SEM products are Bullet proof IMO. All of the metal parts I media blasted, primered and painted. Top this all off with the kit you bought from DMT and you're good to go. Post up when you can and good luck!

Tom

[Chatt69chgr]

The capillary tube extends from the Ranco Water valve on the firewall to the interior of the heater box.  It does not come apart and is often broken in two when the heater box is removed.  The water valve is effectively a part of the a/c system.  When the temperature slide lever on the dash is moved, there is a bowden cable that goes to the heater valve that closes off or reduces the flow of hot water to the heater core.  This is necessary since the a/c box circulates air through the evaporator and the heater core all the time so if you are letting hot water get to the heater core when you are trying to air condition the car then the a/c won't be very effective.  The factory service manual doesn't have much of anything concerning the actual function of the capillary tube and nobody on the internet seems to know it's exact function either.  The same valve (not always physically the same) was used by lots of different car manf. over the years.  Ranco out of Ohio made the valve.  I think the one in the Chargers is the H-16 type.  The best I can figure, the capillary tube is a thermostatic sensing device that is constantly measuring the air temp passing over it in the heater box.  You may set the desired temp with the slide lever on the dash but the capillary tube allows the water valve flow to be modulated so that the selected temp can be more precisely maintained.  Obviously, the system will work without the capillary tube.  It just won't work as well.  I don't know of anyone who has the capillary tube as a separate piece.  The following link has info on getting the water valve rebuilt:
http://www.imperialclub.com/Repair/Air/control.htm
I am kind of surprised than nobody has ever reproduced this part.  Seems like everybody needs it.  And they have repoped just about everyting else.

[DC_1]

Thanks for the info Chatt69chgr.

Anyone know the trick to getting these off?

[Hemidog]

They are probably stuck from corrosion.

Try soaking them in rust penetrator and pry them off with some pliers.
I had a fun time removing them too, really tested my patience.

[roger440]

Thanks for the info Chatt69chgr.

Anyone know the trick to getting these off?

Mine were heavily rusted on too. Penetrating oil and lots of brute force got them off. Theres a few pics of mine here, http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,55363.60.html

[DC_1]

Thanks for the reply. I ended up getting them off. I used a little butane torch and heated up the cooper pipe. A little wiggle and they came right off. I thought I would ask though before I attempted to take them off and there was some kind of trick.

I will post pics of my progress later, had to take a break and get someother non-car things done this week.

Cheers!

[PocketThunder]

Progress pics?  I'm going to start this project with my Charger next. 
Paul

[gtx6970]

The purpose of the tube off the water valve is a temerature probe and it's purpose is to monitor heater box temp and  open the water valve  incase of evap freeze up , thus defrosting the evap core.