Tronicsworld

Hi fellas

I have just about finished installing new A/C hoses.

I have tried PB Blaster on a front A/C conderser fitting for the last four days. It won't budge. Looks like I need a solution.

If I want to remove the front condenser, do I have to remove the guard first?

Thanks for any suggestions

rusnak

You have to counter-hold the condensor fitting. We were just talking about the use of heat to loosen fittings and the use of penetrating oils. If you are very judicous, and do not use too much heat, a torch on the hose fitting can get it to expand and release the condensor end. In any case, why did you not remove the condensor with the hose attached? You might find that you have more room to work, and get a better grip and more leverage with it on the ground.

griffiths

Over the years I have found that Kroil seems to work well on many 'frozen' joints
http://www.kanolabs.com/

The issue on the condenser fittings seems to be that maybe 'zinc' plating on the hose fitting nuts has turned to zinc oxide and expanded and thereby is filling the roots of the threads. Rusnak's method of heating sounds reasonable (provide you are careful) since heating will expand the metal. Occasionally I find that by 'tightening' the nut a few degrees and then trying to loosen it (Righty tighty, Lefty loosey) can help break it free. Always use two wrenches when working on the condenser or evaporator fittings, one to hold the fitting port on the condenser and one to turn the nut on the hose fitting otherwise you will twist and possibly damage the condenser port.

You do have to remove the guard in order to remove the condenser, its just three 6mm (10 mm head) bolts, one on the LH side and two on the RH side. If you are R&R hoses it makes sense to simply cut the old hoses off close to the condenser. However, leaving the condenser on the car does have advantages (although not perfect to work under) since the three mounting tabs of the condenser are securely holding the condenser in place (you don't want to use a vise on a bench to hold a condenser or you could crush the refrigerant tubes) and by removing the condenser you are adding more time to R&R and potentially creating more frustration if you find any of the 6mm bolts holding the condenser have their own problems (corrosion, alignment, etc.).

Tronicsworld

Thanks all

I spent 5 days soaking the fitting with Kroil and PB Blaster. Finally came off with visegrips on the holdback and a wrench on the fitting.

Almost all is good now.

Put a 7.5 amp fuse on my noisy front condenser fan. It blew the fuse a few. I was so estatic it prevented a fire. Got a new motor for the front condenser, switched the squirrel cage.

It was 85 here yesterday

40 blowing at the vents R12

It's all good

Thanks all

Tronicsworld