If you want the absolute best cooling system in an S10 or Sy/Ty, the following components will give the best results:
1) Change out the stock tube & fin condenser to a parallel flow one from any '96 up S10. It will fit in place of the original tube & fin condenser perfectly as long as you trim the original lower rubber biscuits to a height of around 1/2", and then set the '96 up lower rubber biscuits on top of those. Also use the '96 up S10 upper rubber biscuits with mounting brackets in place of the original upper biscuits & brackets (they are a direct fit up in the Sy/Ty). The later style 96 up parallel flow condenser has approximatly 30% more fin surface area which really helps the heat exchange capacity when using 134a refrigerant.
2) Replace the stock evaporator core with one from a '94 Ford Taurus. It will require modifying the evaporator box since it is about 3" shorter, but it has about 15% more fin surface area than the original core and will pull more heat out of the interior air flow. The good thing about this modification is that the bottom side of the evaporator cover will be flattened out which gives more clearance for a V8 conversion in the S10 (this extra clearance is admittedly not all that helpful on a Sy/Ty that retains the turbo V6).
3) Replace and relocate the Accumulator with a smaller aftermarket one that is made specifically for 134a service. Locate the new accumulator up near the battery area so that more fenderwell area is liberated by the evaporator box (this is mainly to allow using the later style '95 up S10 coolant recovery bottle that a factory ECM can be attached to if a V8 conversion is made).
4) Use a variable orifice as described in the earlier posts.
5) Replace the R4 compressor with a 7 piston Sanden compressor or Seltec compresser (supposedly the Seltec is slightly better due to less problems with front seal leaks). Either of these compressors will mount to the stock R4 bracket when using an aftermarket bolt, spacer, & bracket kit that attaches to the original R4 mounting bracket.
6) Replace the stock pressure cycling switch with one from a '89-'92 S10 that has the center adjusting screw in between the two electrical terminals in order to adjust to a lower pressure setting (adjust to a suction pressure of approximately 21 lbs for 134a refrigerant).
7) Replace ALL hoses with new custom ones made at any AC shop (this will enable all of the components to be adapted together).
After all of this is done, you will be able to achieve an inside air discharge temperature of around 37-38 degrees F when using 134a refrigerant. One other thing, use POE oil and not the PAG oil. PAG oil is extremely bad about adsorbing water in high humid areas, and will cause corrosive acids to be formed if any trace amounts of chlorine is still in the system from the old R12 refrigerant (this really applies to systems that don't have all of the components replaced as detailed above...such as reusing the old evaporator core even after flushing it out).
Hope this helps you all out! By the way, all of the above components can be bought new for about $500 total from the AC supply houses!!
1) Change out the stock tube & fin condenser to a parallel flow one from any '96 up S10. It will fit in place of the original tube & fin condenser perfectly as long as you trim the original lower rubber biscuits to a height of around 1/2", and then set the '96 up lower rubber biscuits on top of those. Also use the '96 up S10 upper rubber biscuits with mounting brackets in place of the original upper biscuits & brackets (they are a direct fit up in the Sy/Ty). The later style 96 up parallel flow condenser has approximatly 30% more fin surface area which really helps the heat exchange capacity when using 134a refrigerant.
2) Replace the stock evaporator core with one from a '94 Ford Taurus. It will require modifying the evaporator box since it is about 3" shorter, but it has about 15% more fin surface area than the original core and will pull more heat out of the interior air flow. The good thing about this modification is that the bottom side of the evaporator cover will be flattened out which gives more clearance for a V8 conversion in the S10 (this extra clearance is admittedly not all that helpful on a Sy/Ty that retains the turbo V6).
3) Replace and relocate the Accumulator with a smaller aftermarket one that is made specifically for 134a service. Locate the new accumulator up near the battery area so that more fenderwell area is liberated by the evaporator box (this is mainly to allow using the later style '95 up S10 coolant recovery bottle that a factory ECM can be attached to if a V8 conversion is made).
4) Use a variable orifice as described in the earlier posts.
5) Replace the R4 compressor with a 7 piston Sanden compressor or Seltec compresser (supposedly the Seltec is slightly better due to less problems with front seal leaks). Either of these compressors will mount to the stock R4 bracket when using an aftermarket bolt, spacer, & bracket kit that attaches to the original R4 mounting bracket.
6) Replace the stock pressure cycling switch with one from a '89-'92 S10 that has the center adjusting screw in between the two electrical terminals in order to adjust to a lower pressure setting (adjust to a suction pressure of approximately 21 lbs for 134a refrigerant).
7) Replace ALL hoses with new custom ones made at any AC shop (this will enable all of the components to be adapted together).
After all of this is done, you will be able to achieve an inside air discharge temperature of around 37-38 degrees F when using 134a refrigerant. One other thing, use POE oil and not the PAG oil. PAG oil is extremely bad about adsorbing water in high humid areas, and will cause corrosive acids to be formed if any trace amounts of chlorine is still in the system from the old R12 refrigerant (this really applies to systems that don't have all of the components replaced as detailed above...such as reusing the old evaporator core even after flushing it out).
Hope this helps you all out! By the way, all of the above components can be bought new for about $500 total from the AC supply houses!!
DAMN YOU WALLER !!