Topic: Sanden AC conversion to OBA

[95 Lowbuck]

There have been a lot of write ups on this conversion, but not a lot on why they fail.
They seem to run great for a year or so and eventually seize up and get replaced.
I had done the standard conversion to use grease instead of the oiler and filter to remove it.
Didn't want to deal with the extra components and maintenance.
And like everybody else it had a melt down about a year later.
Did an autopsy and found a needle bearing on the clutch side that controls the wobbler failed.
Everything else was happy and properly lubricated.
This bearing, 25mm x 18mm x 25mm, is not standard and impossible to get,
so I turned up a bronze bushing to replace it.
Originally it was designed so oil would be slung up to a small hole to lubricate this bearing,
but grease won't have a chance.
To lubricate the bushing I drilled an 1/8" hole from outside of the casting to intersect
the original oil passage and topped it off with a fitting.
Then I plugged off the center chamber side of the passage with a set screw.
This should get grease to the bushing or the original bearing and solve the problem.
With out this mod it is only a matter of time before it fails.

[aw12345]

Pics, I would love to built one of those for my yellow Jeep.
But the failure rate has kept me from doing so

[sharpxmen]

is there any advantage over a York? (just wondering why going thru the trouble vs. using the proven one).

[Jeffy]

is there any advantage over a York? (just wondering why going thru the trouble vs. using the proven one).

Typically, it's easier to find. They are move compact as well. Not to mention if you find a Sanden with the right mounts, it will bolt up without any brackets.

[sharpxmen]

how's the flow compared to a York (cfm) and what's the pressure it puts out? (for my personal curiosity)

yeah, from a  bolt-on perspective (including the belt) it's lot easier although sounds like the oiling is a hurdle.

[aw12345]

biggest advantage is the stock mounting location and stock belt setup.
Getting a York to work well with a serpentine belt takes a bit of doing, since belt alignment is really critical

[Jeffy]

how's the flow compared to a York (cfm) and what's the pressure it puts out? (for my personal curiosity)

yeah, from a  bolt-on perspective (including the belt) it's lot easier although sounds like the oiling is a hurdle.

8 cfm for the Sanden while you have 8-10cfm for the York.

The other advantage is that many people comvert their AC over to OBA so they already have the compressor.

Kilby sells a $35 bracket that allows you to mount a York on the stock AC mount.

[95 Lowbuck]

My reason for the Sanden was for the simplicity of install and no oilers or filters.
Even the York needs a filter to remove oil from the line. Kilby spec's one as standard.
Thier are different Sanden compressors out there and usually the model number
will tell you the capacity. Most of the Jeep Wranglers came with the SD 709.
The 7 tells you it has 7 pistons, the 09 tells it has 9 cfm.
The best York has 10-11 cfm so the Sanden is pretty close.
Just about any York you will find in a junkyard today will be at least 30 years old.
The new ones can be very expensive and you should modify them too,
did one for a friend of mine with a Bronco.
You have a much better chance of finding a good used Sanden in the yards,
they are a bolt on with any YJ or TJ as the mount is already there,
and it takes a standard belt everyone carries.
The problem with the Sanden conversion has always been the lubrication,
but no one has really addressed it, they were just too cheap to replace.
Being the cheap S.O.B. I am and with resources I wanted to make it work.
Will post if it fails again, and I will try to post pictures later of my setup.

P.S. Sorry Jeffy for posting in the wrong spot.

[95 Lowbuck]

Well I hope this works.
In one of the pictures you can see the second zerk fitting behind the pully.
I also have one on the original oil fill plug.