Redhummer.Com's Blog

Belts! & Water Pump

2007-08-19T21:28:00.000-07:00

Well while sitting in a parking lot enjoying my new AC system that has my Hummer down to 67F in side and windows all fogging up on the outside, a belt broke. It was the alternator belts. No biggie, drive it back to the warehouse. Next morning I got new belts.

Two belts broke, both for the alternator. Found a second belt had jumps to the wrong pulley and was also twisted. Removed all the belts. Then found that the water pump is now very wobbly. I think one of the broken belts got under the other belts and caused the pump to break. So, I will have a shop fix it, I don't feel like messing with it right now, just too hot out!

You Know the A/C works when ......

2007-08-04T15:44:00.000-07:00

Yes! Finally the A/C is in service and you know it is working when all the windows (except one) are all fogged up on the out side. Only the armored window was not fogged up. The A/C blows cold air even on a hot 90F day like to day while sitting idle. And on move it chills the vent air down to 43F before the compressor will shut off. It normally blowing between 43F and 48F.

Some time back in June , I got a new A/C compressor. Then finally in mid July I got it mounted. Then finally the first of month, August I took it to the A/C shop to have the connectors fitted and connected. Ran in to a problem, 2 problems, 1) I did not have the connectors for filling the system, and 2) the new inside A/C core had a hole in it. So Monday it was not completed due to lack of the fittings for filling. Tuesday it was not completed because of a hole in the coils we found when filling the system. Called up RedDot and they sent a new coil over night and so Wednesday it was finally completed.

I want to take it back because the connectors and hose are not in the right place and as a result, the side cover does not fit right and the hose is on a sharp edge under the hood. And I also have no low pressure switch in the system.

But other then a few minor issues, the system works great. The system sits between the rear sits, but the air flow you can feel up front with out any problems.

Setting the temperature is limited to 3 settings, you set the fan to low, medium, or high and once the coils get so cold, the compressor will shut off. So, so far I know the high speed setting is 67F before the A/C compressor shuts off with it being 90F outside. Also with the new fan on the outside, you can feel the air being sucked in under the hood scoop.

Now I have to make a few other changes in the wiring, since this system has two blower motors, it pulls more current then the older unit which had a single blower motor. Then I need to make a new cover for it to dress it up some. All in time.

A/C Shop: $450 for installing the fittings and charging the system.

Fuel Tank Sending Unit

2007-05-25T17:10:00.000-07:00

Well last weekends work was not a waste, last night I checked out the resistance and all looked good. I got about 192 ohms from the sending unit and once I plugged the connections back located near the tank under the truck, I checked the gauges and it was reading 3/4 of a tank. Drove around, went to the gas station and filled up, and now I can see, I have a real full tank of fuel. I ran out once, and believe me, I don't want to do that again, cause it took me a while to get it primed and I ended up using a half can of WD40 as my primer to get it started.

Discovery info: I figured it out, Since a empty gauge means an open or high resistance, the full gauge must mean very little resistance. And I tested the old unit and it was still working. I have a feeling that there was a short on the last cable clamp next to the sending unit since it was crushed and was corrected before re-installing the tank.

Now this weekend I just got to get the wiring completed and then maybe next week If I have time, I will take it to the A/C shop to get the hose fittings installed and system charged, oh, one more thing, I need to change out the compressor, don't want to take a chance that it too was bad.

Hoses Installed!

2007-05-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

Well this weekend I finally got the hoses all installed and just about ready to go. I figured I would have to drop the fuel tank in order to get the hoses where I wanted them. But I found out that there was no room under the tank, so I really did not have to remove the fuel tank after all. But since I had the tank down, I replaced the fuel level sending unit.

I bought 25 feet of high and low pressure A/C hose, and only 26 of heater hose that is only equal to 13 feet per run. And my new A/C unit is in the rear between the rear passenger seats. I figured that I was only going 9 feet, so 4 extra feet to cover it, end to end. Well I was about a foot short on each run for the heater hoses. So, no big deal, I can add on that those lines with out a big issue. In the end, after all the looking and figuring out where the best place for the hoses to go and to enter the cab at, I ended up going in on the right side, behind the right rear seat. So the lines come up the same side and the fuel fill line is also.

Now I need to go and get a new A/C compressor since I have a feeling that this one may not be all that good, I think it has poor pressure when I am rotating it. And I then also need to make the electrical connection, and that will be next weekends project. Then it should be off to the A/C shop to get the hose fitting put on and freon put in the system.

On the fuel sending unit, well after replacing it, at first it looked good, I saw 3/4 of a tank of fuel, then the next time I looked it was reading EMPTY. So now I have a second electrical item to check out also.

My HID Boobies!

2007-05-17T23:51:00.000-07:00

This week I got some new HID lights that look like a set of boobies, and they seem to be drawing the attention also. With just a few minor changes to my old HID system, they where installed in less then 15 minutes. Then driving with them was a big change compared to my other HID lights that I had installed in the past on the Hummer. This set came from SUVLights.com like most of my other HID systems. And unlike the others, this set I am very happy with and they are going to be staying on the Hummer for a long while to come, Oh, and they are 100% DOT approved.

New Front LED Turn Signal Lamps

2007-05-13T17:50:00.000-07:00

I found some new front turn signal LED lamps on eBay that I likes and this is a move back the civilian style lights once again. I never really liked my half ass make shift front lights using the military light housing and at the time back when I did the change, the military LED lights also did not meet DOT codes and they where not so bright looking. Since then, the military LED lights have changed, so have the civilian LED lights too. And while driving on the highway, I saw a number of trucks with this new square LED turn signal lamp that was a replacement for the stock ones that came with the Hummer back in 93. Well thanks to eBay once again, I found the same LED lights and had to get them.

A/C unit Condenser installed

2007-05-05T13:18:00.000-07:00

Okay, got the new condenser coil mounted, and between pulling the old one out and getting the new one in, it took more time then I counted on. Got new bolts and just got to paint the new mounting hardware now.

Just for grins, I pulled out the luggage rack, so now no more rear HID lights and no over head lights up front. Need to find a good place to mount a siren speaker, since it too was on top. I love the electronic horns that the sirens have.

Welding the ABS plastic console together

2007-04-01T22:08:00.000-07:00

Well, I started on the welding of the console and it has been a while since I had done the last one. I get my stuff together, plastic welder all connected, air compressor and regulator connected and started to weld, but got too hot. I had to lower the heat and the dimmer that I once had on it before (Many years ago, like maybe 7 years) was gone and used on something else. So I had to go to Lowe's and make an in line dimmer control. Got it all together and started to weld once again, this time is worked out great. Was able to get all the welding done with out burning up the plastic.

Cut the holes in the new console where I wanted the AM/FM radio and the hole for the Jotto Desk Adaptor plates. Mounted some of the equipment in place to see how things are fitting. So far, all is going as planned, Next weekend I will have to work on the new A/C unit.

New A/C delivered

2007-03-31T12:11:00.000-07:00

Just got the new unit in and now looking at how I am going to install it and wire it all up. The unit looks great, but the optional Louvered Plenum Assembly is in gray and I will need to paint that to match. Also got the outside condenser coil that I will also have to install. Have not 100% figured out how it was untended to be wired up to the controls. The controls come with limited number of settings, Fan:L High, med, and low, and A/C or Heat. No adjustments for temperature.

Shocks

2007-03-17T23:33:00.000-07:00

Got some new shocks this week and was planning on installing them this weekend. There is a big 1 1/2 nut on the top par of the shocks that you need to remove. I tried ! I tried with a 1/2 impact wrench, and no luck, went and got a 3/4 impact wrench, and guess what, no luck either. I think I am taking this to a location auto shop to have changed out.

Found new AC unit

2007-03-13T23:36:00.000-07:00

Today I went to South Texas Truck Air Conditioning Co., NE side of town and saw the unit that I wanted, it is the Red Dot 9520-OP. It's not too big and will fit great in the back between the two rear seats. I was thinking on a roof mounted unit, but it was just a little too big, and it would block the rear view mirror and people sitting in the back would have to duck down to see one another.

Also we found a replacement serpentine condenser coil to replace the unit under the hood that I have now. I will have to just figure out just how to get it mounted, but that does no look all that hard to do.

I should have all this equipment later next week. This replacement of the A/C seems to be going well so far.

Time for a change - Mods, Console 2007

2007-01-22T22:29:00.001-08:00

Okay, my old console it out of date and is due for a change. Something I had planned on doing a long time ago after building the first console. This unit will be slimmer and less equipment in it, and I think easier too.

No more satellite TV (DirecTV), No more DVD or VCR. That all has become a lot smaller and my equipment that was in it, is now way out of date. I may still use the Alpine Radio that has a built in monitor, but I will see if the is still room for it in the new console. The old Alpine has a head end unit and a control box that I would have to install if I still us it.

While removing the old console, I also had to check on why my A/C stopped working back in 2005, yeah, no A/C for a while and maybe one of the many reasons I have not used it much since getting it back. While checking it out, I found the system had lost it's charge, and so I opened up the lines since I was also planning on moving it. I found the high pressure side was blocked with junk from the drier. So I removed all the A/C equipment and hoses.

Went to Custom Car Cool on North Post Oak, here in Houston, and they directed me to Red Dot A/C systems http://www.rdac.com/ and wow, I think I have found a nice unit for my truck there. Was thinking about a unit to sit in the back area between the two rear seats, or maybe a roof unit in the rear, got to do some planning and checking on my space in there.

See the mods page, Console 2007 for more info (Click Here)