Passat B4 A/C parts into Corrado

[Trev16v 0]

Hello all,

 

Today I discovered an N-registration 8V Passat at the scrapyard which has got air conditioning. I immediately wondered if the blower box unit, and the rest of the parts, could be retro-fitted into my wife's 1993 Corrado 16V. When I say this, I am mainly concerned with the RHD blower box, which is the 'holy grail' part. (I realise that different brackets, pulleys and so forth would be required to mount the compressor to the 16V engine, but not being LHD/RHD specific I'm not worried about obtaining those.)

 

I fired up ETKA, hoping to compare the part numbers for the A/C blower box unit for a RHD Corrado and RHD Passat. However, ETKA doesn't seem to show air conditioning parts for the RHD Corrado, only LHD. I am a little confused about this because I've actually sat in a RHD Corrado with A/C - I wonder if that had an aftermarket system? Anyway, instead I compared the LHD part numbers for the main A/C blower box units, and they are different. Corrado AC blower housing: 191 820 024A, 1995 Passat AC blower housing (LHD): 3A1 820 024B.

 

I just checked ETKA and found that the Golf MK2's A/C blower box is exactly the same part number for LHD; the RHD one is 191 820 024B. So looks like the Corrado and Golf MK2 share the same blower box.

 

Does anyone know if the Corrado and B4 Passat blower boxes - AC or non-AC - are physically very similar anyway?

 

I have A/C on my Golf G60 Syncro and my Toledo, and it'd be nice to have it on the Corrado!

 

Many thanks

 

Trev

[dukest 0]

the Corrado aircon was only ever a dealer fit option in this country (so therefore for RHD) and it makes a bit of a mess of the area behind/underneath the glove box (i've never seen how good/bad a factory LHD install looks) due to the size of the box. I think to fit anything from a bigger car you'd be looking to sacrifice more and potentially struggle with the glove box. if anyone has one out of their car then if they could measure that would be best i guess.

 

I might have one out in a few weeks time or ed on here might do sometime soon too.

[tonedef 8]

I can say with a fair amount of confidence that it will fit, I know this because I've done it myself, my 95 Corrado has climate control from a 96 Passat.

 

It is however much bigger than the standard heater box, you'll loose probably around 100 to 150mm from the back of the glove box and almost all the space from the passenger lower shelf, my shelf is maybe 20mm deep at the deepest point, handy for storing a pen and that's about it!

 

The ducts all line up, the bulkhead needs one extra mounting bolt hole drilling as the Passat box has 4 bolts over the Corrado's 3, those 3 are in the right place though! You also need a big square hole cutting through the bulkhead for the coolant pipes to come through. Then you'll need all the controls (Passat one cut down and slotted straight into the hole left in the dash by the Corrado one), wiring mods, piping, compressor, drier and condenser.

 

The benefits are immediate though, not only does it blow nice cool air in the summer but the blower is up to the job of clearing the windows on wet winter days.

[_leon_ 0]

Did you fit that yourself tonedef?

[tonedef 8]

Yup, there's a fair few pictures on here plus a big write up somewhere IIRC. It was a big job and I'll have to do it all again when I convert to OBD2, the wiring part anyway!

[vwgti 0]

yep the blower part could fit a Corrado, thats what I have in mine (VR6)from a Passat but the compressor mountings etc is different on the engine side from 16V to 8V, so ideally you will need the MKII(KR) or passat (9A)16V engine compressor mounting, alternator mounting etc..

 

As tone def says your glove box will be smaller but the plus point is in the AC itself. so its doable with the right combination of parts.

[Trev16v 0]

Gents,

 

Many thanks indeed, it's great to hear that someone has already done the conversion. I shall search for the thread shortly as I'm keen to see the pictures.

 

I removed the blower box assembly from the Passat this morning. Unfortunately someone had already been along to remove the compressor, and this was the type of cretin who has to destroy the rest of the car just to remove the component he wants. As a result, the pipework to the evaporator within the blower box was destroyed. So I have only come home with the complete (and undamaged) blower box and controls; I shall need to source another evaporator, compressor, etc. I forgot to take note of the condition of the condensor at the front; I shall have to go and look at that.

 

But I'm quite happy though as it's the RHD blower box assembly that's probably the most difficult thing to get hold of. Sourcing another evaporator, pipework, compressor etc. shouldn't be a problem. It is a shame, however, that the RHD engine bay pipework was also damaged. However, no doubt I can source replacements.

 

There doesn't look to be much wiring associated with it. From what I could see, one small loom from the fusebox to the blower unit, and I could see another going to a valve of some sort on one of the compressor pipes. Couldn't see any wiring for the compressor; wonder if it had been removed.

 

Cheers,

 

Trev

[_leon_ 0]

Trev, would you mind keeping track of whatever you end up doing? Would be keen on this myself. Cheers!

[Yandards 0]

Gents,

 

Many thanks indeed, it's great to hear that someone has already done the conversion. I shall search for the thread shortly as I'm keen to see the pictures.

 

I removed the blower box assembly from the Passat this morning. Unfortunately someone had already been along to remove the compressor, and this was the type of cretin who has to destroy the rest of the car just to remove the component he wants. As a result, the pipework to the evaporator within the blower box was destroyed. So I have only come home with the complete (and undamaged) blower box and controls; I shall need to source another evaporator, compressor, etc. I forgot to take note of the condition of the condensor at the front; I shall have to go and look at that.

 

But I'm quite happy though as it's the RHD blower box assembly that's probably the most difficult thing to get hold of. Sourcing another evaporator, pipework, compressor etc. shouldn't be a problem. It is a shame, however, that the RHD engine bay pipework was also damaged. However, no doubt I can source replacements.

 

There doesn't look to be much wiring associated with it. From what I could see, one small loom from the fusebox to the blower unit, and I could see another going to a valve of some sort on one of the compressor pipes. Couldn't see any wiring for the compressor; wonder if it had been removed.

 

Cheers,

 

Trev

 

 

If you find 2 evaporators I would be interested as my wife's Passat needs one and they only come on B4s!

[Anton Sobriquet 0]

I'm up for doing this, too.

 

Haven't a clue about aircon, so a 'How To' would be really cool, especially if it lists every single part you need!

[Rocket Ron 1]

I know this is rather late in the day but I'm interested any link to how too and pics would be useful.