EARLYAIR-CON
Should an early air-con system on a classic Jaguar be removed or can it be kept going? What about retro-fitting one to an E-type? And can old systems be updated? We put these questions and more to Chris Knowles at KWE Cars.
Q We know that modern air-con is a sealed system containing a refrigerant gas that is warmed up, then cooled down using high and low pressure to produce a cold gas, which cools the air travelling into the cabin of the car. Is there a similar set-up in the earlier air-con systems in older Jaguars?
A Yes, all older air-con systems work in the same way – even going back to the DS420 and MkX. The early units were very large, and the kit was sometimes placed in the boot! From the Series I the set-up was pretty much standardised though the control system was much improved over a few variants.
Q Air-conditioning is seemingly straightforward on modern Jaguars, with the main components being a condenser, pump, a receiver dryer and
