York/Tecumseh Compressors
A popular choice among manufacturers for coolness
BY JIM O’CLAIR
York and Tecumseh air condition- ing compressors have been used in many original equipment applications since 1958 up into the 1980s on both
American-built and imported makes. The
York and Tecumseh compressors were
used from the factory and in many dealer-installed air conditioning systems. They
are the same in basic design, and it is relatively easy to exchange between them for
replacement of an OE unit. These compressors are also popular as the basis for
an add-on air conditioning system.
You can locate a York or Tecumseh 8-10-
cubic-inch compressor on these produc-
tion vehicles:
1958-’ 82 AMC
1973-’80 IHC light trucks
1958-’ 84 Mercury
1958-’ 71 Lincoln
1970-’ 79 Jaguar
1972-’ 75 Mazda
1970-’ 83 Dodge
1979 Dodge trucks
1975-’ 79 Chrysler
1980-’ 82 Eagle
1958-’ 84 Ford
1965-’ 85 Ford trucks
1962-’ 90 Jeep
1974-’ 83 Plymouth
1974-’ 77 Porsche
1973-’ 84 Volvo
1971-’ 87 Audi
1959-’ 79 Mercedes
1963-’ 88 Volkswagen
The easiest way to tell the difference
between a York and a Tecumseh is by the
type of casting used. Tecumseh compressors are cast iron, and York compressors
are aluminum. Both units will interchange for the same applications. Each
of the York units can also be identified by
the original 2-inch by 3-inch aluminum
tag that is attached to the compressor. The
top line of the tag will be the unit serial
number. Just below the unit serial number, a part number will be stamped into
the tag. Full-size units will start with a
letter “F,” “R” or “T” designating the type
of air conditioning hose connections on
the head. “F” is for flanged fittings using
a small 2-bolt flange similar to an exhaust
manifold connection, with a flat metal gasket. The “R” stands for “Rotolock,” which
is a thread-on connection using a nylon
O-ring to seal the fitting to the head. The
“T” represents tube O-ring connections,
which are also thread-on connections and
similar to the Rotolock; however, the cylinder head ports are machined to accept
a rubber O-ring. The next digit is a “ 2,” as
all York compressors are 2-cylinder. The
next two digits are the compressor displacement. All full-size compressors are
either 9 or 10 cubic inches. The last digit
in the part number tells you which fitting
on the top is the suction line when looking
at the compressor from the front shaft.
Tecumseh units are identified as HG850-
1000, which were used in full-size car A/C
systems, or HG500 units that were used
in compact car applications. As we stated
earlier, York and Tecumseh compressors are interchangeable; however, swapping cylinder heads will work only if the
replacement unit is from the same manufacturer. So, a York flange mount compressor will work in a York Rotolock application if you swap the heads. This will be
relatively easy, since you will want to retrofit the A/C system for R-134A refrigerant anyway. R-134A retrofit kits are found
at most auto parts retailers. Because the
tapered and keyed output shaft is similar on both units, reusing your old clutch
and coil assembly or purchasing one that
meets your requirements for pulley diameter and number and width of belts is also
any easy process.
You can test one of these compressors
to see if a found unit is still in working
order. Plug the output port and turn the
pulley by hand; if there is pressure built
up when you remove the plug, the unit is
good. Once you have found a good unit,
converted your compressor to R-134A and
mounted the appropriate clutch assembly,
plumbing the rest of the system is limited
only by how much space you have. Hose fittings are easy to obtain, and most hydraulic hose merchandisers can custom make
A/C hoses to fit your size restrictions.
Another popular use for the York compressor is as an onboard air compressor
for inflating tires, using air tools, blowing
up air mattresses, etc. on off-road and on-road trucks. York compressors are perfectly suited for this type of use because
they have a separate oil reservoir which
allows you to suck air in, compress it
and force it back out without having to
separate the oil out of the pressurized
air. A good York 10-cu.in. compressor
can deliver over 20 CFM at 3,000 engine
RPM. There are several articles online on
how to do this at www.rockcrawler.com
and other Internet sites. A company
specializing in installation kits for
these on-board York air sources is
www.kilbyenterprises.com.
Used compressors are available from
almost any salvage yard and sell for
between $45 and $100. Both new and
remanufactured compressors are still
readily available from auto parts stores
and online air conditioning parts suppliers such as www.oldairproducts.com.
Expect to pay between $195 for a rebuilt
unit and $400 for a brand-new compressor.
Clutch and coil assemblies are offered new
or rebuilt in the $150 to $220 price range.
Whether you are building an air conditioning system from scratch that
duplicates the OE option, an onboard
compressed air source or just trying
to restore an existing A/C system, the
York and Tecumseh compressors are still
readily available on thousands of salvage
yard cars as well as from A/C component
manufacturers. Its longevity in use as an
original component with many American and imported production cars and
as an add-on unit for many aftermarket
A/C system installers, indicates how reliable a unit these compressors can be and
how adaptable they are to varying space
limitations.
80 HEMMINGS MOTOR NEWS • NOVEMBER 2009
