I was wondering how hard and expensive it would be to add a/c to my 96 3.0? I know you have to have a compressor and lines and a condenser and a control panel. Anything im leaving out? Has anybody done this? How simple is it?

Thanks,
Kyle

 

you need the heater core with A/C inlet.

 

false. heater core isn't any different. you need the compressor, condensor, engine bay side of the heater box, the lines, hoses, belt, heater control(bypass) valve, hvac panel, and a piece of wiring that goes from the starter solenoid, alt, and to the compressor.

the easiest way to do it would be to find a complete truck and pull all that is connected to it.

 

That thing, my bad

 

I'd just sell yours and find one with A/C to buy.

 

it's not too bad to do. i swapped mine about 5 years ago. used a walmart recharge kit and it worked great til this summer. had to have it charged again. i paid $400 for a complete truck, pulled what i needed off it, and sold the rest, making my money back and getting all the parts i wanted.

 

Anybody have a wiring diagram of all the plugs under the hood of a 96 w/a 3.0l. I have all the a/c parts, just wondering what some random plugs are that i believe could be for the a/c option. I believe ford uses all the same wiring harnesses for all their rangers, hooking up what options they have.

 

the only harness i had to change was the one that went from the starter solenoid to the a/c compressor, to the alt. everything else should be there.

 

I added a/c to a 98 and didn't have to change any wiring or the heater control valve. I had to convert the heater control on the dash to a cable from the old heater control panel.

 

Any pictures or diagrams of the harness your talking about? Basically i have a heater box, compressor, condesnor, lines, and a wiring harness out of a 99 2.5l and im trying to put it in my 96 3.0l. I have the heaterbox in, and the bracket for the condensor, the lines are wrong and like i said, im confused on the wiring. I also have the dash controls out of i believe a 98? Same as mine but with a/c.

Thanks

 

you will probably need to get the hoses and wiring from the same engine as you have. they aren't all routed the same way.

 

You will need the 3.0 hose that attach to the compressor. The one from the evaporator to the condenser is the same. I don't have a picture handy of the plugs but you will have a round plug by the battery for the high pressure switch, a round plug by the evaporator for the low pressure switch, and a rectangular plug for the compressor. Like I said when I converted a 98 all the wiring was there and I didn't even need to add a fuse or relay, they were already in it.

 

Well i found a round plug that was just dead ended that when the truck is runing with or without the a/c on has power, and a rectangular plug that is the same on the drivers side, however there is a plug that is retangular on the passenger side that current turns on and off with the a/c panel switch. So im guess the ones on the drivers side are for the compressor and the sensor for where the a/c would go? and as for the line from the compressor i agree, need it off a 96 3.0l. heard they didnt change compressors till like 00 or 01 so id assum that either 93-99 or 95-99 3.0l hoses would work?

 

I would say all 3.0 hoses are the same from 93 up. Sounds like you have the wiring.

 

I would think so, but i originally got a blower box w/the evap and dryer out of like a 94, and it was wrong. I think when they changed the dash they changed the box. but idk about the lines. and would the two wires have power to them constantly whether the a/c control was on or not? Thats why im confused. Like i said, i believe one is for the compressor while the other one is for a sensor on the line? Im new to this so im not sure.

 

I don't have a wiring diagram handy but The power has to travel thru the control to the pressure switches I think. I'm not sure where it goes first. If you have a hard time finding a hose I have some spares.