1995 Plymouth Voyager Turbo

[StraX22]

Worked on the AC stuff this weekend...
I'm upgrading it to the newer Nippedenso 10PA17C compressor. This identical unit was used at least until 1998 judging by the cars in the JYard. It even used the same mounting holes for practically all of the Neon stuff and the 3.5l SOHC. It was also used extensively on 3.3s and 3.8s of the same time period with different mounting tabs. Not to mention many Toyotas.

To do the swap I needed the complete compressor, bracket, tensioner, and the line connectors. I got this from a R-12 2.5l Spirit. There was another Spirit with a R-134a setup, but I wanted to have the earlier connection block with the service port and I didn't have the Allen key needed to swap them. They should be the same internally anyways.







Here's the previous setup. It worked, but you can see the line interference issues caused by the re-located radiator. Also, the condenser has the input / output ports reversed. Because of this I had to do some creative "adjustment" of the older Caravan line set.







Here's the brackets compared.





The alternator bushings are a smaller diameter on the newer style bracket. I had to figure out how to re-size the polybushings I had laying around. So I MacGyvered up an arbor to chuck it into the drill press. Then I used a regular file to re-size it to the proper diameter.







The new compressor mounted up.





I just mangled the hoses to connect and get some ideas of what to do.



The radiator hose still interferes but not as bad. I can probably adjust the line so it goes down at a steeper angle.



Either way some custom hoses are needed. Unless they made a later year model van with that style compressor I could get the lines off of.

[turbovanman²]

Very cool,

I have to figure out a new rad, with the temp in the 30's here last week, I was overheating with the A/C on,

[RoadWarrior222]

Maybe give it a blast out, discovered mine was so clogged from road grit and dead flies it was like turning an electric blanket on over top of the rad.

[StraX22]

Update!

Currently I'm battling valve stem seal issues. The #3 exhaust seal to be exact.
So, I finally bought the correct KD Tools valve spring compressor and got a chance to use it last night. I replaced the umbrella style seal that keeps popping off with the positive LS1 type. Boy was it nerve wracking!
There was no smoke until I got into boost for the first time and now it smokes worse than ever. I didn't have another seal off to compare valve guide heights but I'm really doubting that it's a valve guide problem as it was recently rebuilt with the locking type guides.
So I'm thinking about giving up and starting all over with a different cylinder head. Either that or I might try to crush the metal body of the new seal to get it to grip better. I don't know, I'm willing to try anything at this point.
I've NEVER had this kind of problem before with any TD.

[forcedfedmopar]

why are you not just using the stock style rubber ones? i havent had any issues with stockers? or am i missing something?

[Vigo]

Because the stock style one was popping off repeatedly and it was easier and cheaper to try different seals than to get another head done with different guides and install it..


I guess the first step is to verify that the new style seals didnt pop off as well. If they didnt, then it gets more complicated. Id say more smoke in boost was related to crankcase pressure pushing oil past the turbine seal, but IIRC you have a completely open crankcase vent and if it was pressurizing the crankcase on top of what that could flow id think it'd be so bad you'd have a puddle of oil on your intake and see smoke under the hood too. So.. not sure.

[Vigo]

Random Update: Van still exists and still functions. Hooray!

[turbovanman²]

I thought it was parted out?

[Vigo]

Nah this thing is intact and running, boost is set to 18-20 psi. Still has an unresolved smoking issue but gets driven some anyway.

[Reaper1]

That's actually cool to know!

[StraX22]

Sorry for the inactivity, the van is still alive and hauls butt! The smoking problem is a real downer. It only starts smoking after the engine has reached operating temperature, appears to only do it at idle, and sometimes after its been sitting cold for a while it will emit a brief puff of smoke when it first starts up. The last thing makes me think its a valve guide issue. It barely consumes any oil for the amount of smoke it puts out. The other downer is the weak and cracked attachment points for the drivers door, which I hear is a very common problem for this generation. I have to slam the door pretty hard for it to close all the way. Apparently the only real way to fix it is to weld in extra support in the door frame.

Other than that its extremely reliable and can still break the tires loose halfway through second gear at >20 psi!

[Reaper1]

Sounds like valve guides or seals.