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Ok I just realized that I am missing the power servo for my Toronado. Is there an option? Can the system be wired so that the ac can be used without the vacuum system? I realize that the air doors are vacuum operated, are there any options for that? Are there any power servo options with any other type?Thanks in advance…Mark
Ok I’m seeing that there is not too many options. Has anyone ever successfully got a comfortron system to work without the original parts? I’m pretty good at figuring out this stuff but any input is appreciated… Mark ps I have searched this forum and all over and am not finding much of what I need to know
Sorry, it’s a 68..,Mark
A bit more info, I don’t need it to be perfectly restored to all original things that it does. I just want cold when it’s hot (I live in Phoenix) and hot when its not. I have a factory manual and am now reading that section. It seems that what is important is to get the fan on and figure a way to open and close the doors.
One other thing is that the service manual shows thing in places where it is obvious on my car that there has never been anything installed there, that can be really confusing. An example is that it shows the ambient switch and sensor to be mounted right next to and above the fan. Nothing has ever been installed there.
Last edited by Maybe368; Jun 30, 2022 at 10:28 AM.
The fundamental differences between the Comfortron system and the manual A/C system on the Toro are temperature control and motor speed control. The other flapper doors and vacuum diaphragm controls are the same. With the manual A/C, temperature control is performed with the sliding lever on the control panel that uses a cable to operate the temperature blend door inside the HVAC box. Fan speed control is accomplished with the multi-position switch on the control panel. With Comfortron, a "power servo" vacuum actuator moves the temperature blend door in response to the temp sensor readings as commanded by the control head. The vacuum valve in the control head modulates the strength of the vacuum signal to position the power servo as necessary. Fan motor speed is similarly controlled by the control head in response to sensors.
The best way to do this is to locate a parts car with the manual A/C system and swap the necessary parts. The bare minimum would be the control head, wiring harness, vacuum harness, and outer part of the HVAC box on the firewall hat has the temperature blend door. Yes, this is an invasive process, but when you're done it works. All the other vacuum diaphragms and flapper doors remain the same, but now they are controlled directly from the manual control panel.
Even if you can rig up a variable vacuum control valve with a manual **** to vary the vacuum signal to the power servo to control temperature, the other vacuum-actuated controls such as defrost and mode controls won't work. Similarly, the fan motor speed control won't work. Sure, you can mickey-mouse some way to manually lock those in one position for summer and a different one for winter. Is that really how you want to drive this car?
Visit www.toronado.org and look around. The group has a Comfortron tech advisor who can diagnose and answer any Comfortron question you might have, as opposed to here where the focus is primarily A-bodies, which Comfortron was never offered on.
DK if you can make one function without the power servo and master switch. It's tied to everything from fan speed to door position to temperature control.
It appears to me that my 68 has that system from the factory but it appears that someone came in and took everything that was bolted to the heater core box when it was in the mud. What bothers me is that in the chassis service manual it looks the same except it shows an ac device in a spot that has never had anything installed.
Also, I would love to have this working correctly, but it seems that I don’t have the most unobtanium parts. The good news is that I don’t have a ton of money into this yet and I may get lucky and find what I need, or not, either way leaves me still living at least.
Just a little about the car: It has 67000 original miles and I know that because it has all of the clues, the rubber pads on the pedals have very little wear, the brakes appear to be factory with about 67000 miles on them. The back seats have never had kids in it because the plastic seat backs appear to be brand new. With a few sun cracks near the windows, the upholstery looks pristine. I am trying to keep it as original as I can but that is really tough and some compromise is necessary.
Last edited by Maybe368; Jun 30, 2022 at 01:29 PM.
Your car does not have comfortron. it has a manual A/C system as described above by Joe. What do the controls in the dash look like. In the photos below you can see the comfortron controls and underhood components in my car:
This picture shows the manual A/C HVAC box. The cable and linkage assembly are the controls for the temperature blend door. There is nothing in this photo related to the Comfortron system. If you look at figure 1EA-8 in your Chassis Service Manual, you'll note that the diagram shows two different heater assembly options, the upper one for "C61 ONLY" which is the Comfortron configuration and the lower one for "C60 ONLY" which is the manual A/C configuration that you have. Also look at figure 1EA-11 that shows the Temperature Control Cable, which is what we are looking at in the figure above.
Here is a photo showing manual A/C controls in a 68 dash. Notice the push buttons above the temp lever vs. the comforton system that has a single lever to control everything. Also, the manual system uses the black **** under the left side vent to control the fan speed while the comforton system uses that **** to set the desired temperature.
It appears to me that my 68 has that system from the factory but it appears that someone came in and took everything that was bolted to the heater core box when it was in the mud. What bothers me is that in the chassis service manual it looks the same except it shows an ac device in a spot that has never had anything installed.
How much work have you put into trying to make the system work. In the photo you can see a new expansion valve and the factory POA valve hase been replaced with one of these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/15258422702...YAAOSwpnVgnyif
This replaces the POA valve with a presure switch to contol the operation of the compressor. The car has likely been converted to use 134a refrigerant vs. the original r12. It is likely the system may just need a charge if it is not working already.
