I'm debating whether or not to take out my in dash air condioner since I have a roof air with an onan generator. Has anyone else did away with their dash air for this same reason? I'm thinking about replacing the water pump, thermostat, hoses and belts, and its got to come out anyway and I'm sure it would make it a lot easier to work on. I would think that by using the in dash air conditioner that my fuel consumtion would be a lot worse than what it is now, verses using the onan. Appreciate any opinion or comments on this matter to help me decide what to do before I regret something.
Thanks,
Ron H.
Think about further down the road if you decide to sell your rig. The dash air is a good feature to a lot of people. As far as changing your pump, belts etc., the simplest way I found, is to raise the front up on ramps, blocks, whatever and remove the radiator. This allows you to actually see what you're doing and make reassembly a lot easier.
I second Tiger Cat on the belts. I do not think it is reasonably possible without removing the radiator, and it really is not that difficult to drop it out the bottom. I went up a little more than a foot with the RV. A step stool under the radiator helped with getting it in and out on the possitioning. If it has been five years plus on a radiator clean out, I would take it to a radiator shop and have it rodded out. Also, while you have the radiator out, try rotating the little shaft with the circular metal coil on it that sticks out of the fan fluid coupler. If you cannot rotate it, replace the fan coupler.
My in dash AC compressor was making odd noises.. and I wasn't using it anyway. If it was so hot that I needed it, I was affraid to turn it on because of the extra heat and load on the motor. So I took out the rest of the system.. more air to the radiator without the condensor out in front of it. The compressor had to stay though because I was unable to find a pully and bracket that I could use in it's place. So it's now a really heavy duty idler pully (//images/smiles/icon_smile.gif)
Changing the belts and hoses alone wouldn't warrant removing the radiator... but if you're going to do the water pump too and you have to drain the juice anyway.. may as well just pull the radiator and make the rest a lot easier. Also, I changed my thermostat with the AC compressor in place.