air conditioning condensor part3
05-07-2002, 06:08 PM
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air conditioning condensor part3
Sorry - hit tab and machine posted topic before complete .....blasted technology and three left hands.....maybe the moderators can patch it all together into only one post instead of three.....?!
So far - old condensor out!
Clean and vacuum out the bits of leaf, bird small rodent etc that you have found between the rad and the condensor. Blow the rad out if you have access to compressed air (careful not to bend over the vanes though!).
Remember the bit where I said that the two bottom bolts fell out of the holes where they are buried in the front cross member? Well getting them back in is a two person, b***d job. I suggest the following - making careful note of the length of the original bolts - cut the heads off some longer bolts and screw the headless bolt into the captive nut in the bottom mount of the condensor - use a thin nut to lock in position / braze in if you have the tackle (being careful not to overheat the coil etc). This will result in two long studs projecting downwards from the base of the condensor - this will make locating the condensor much easier then messing around trying to push two little bolts up through a hollow front cross member and hoping to hit the two small captive nuts on the condensor mounts! Believe me the effort will be worth it! I lost two washers and one bolt into the space within the cross member whilst trying to do it the hard way!
Having slotted the new condensor in place and pinched up the bottom studs with new nuts and original washers you can transfer the receiver / drier bracket to the front of the condensor (think about the pinch bolt on the clamp - have it facing out and towards the rhs for ease of tightening etc). This then leaves you with the rebolting of the pipework etc and the refitting of the stays and oil cooler, cover piece etc.
The receiver / drier unit will need to be replaced at the same time as the condensor - it has hydroscopic crystals inside to scavenge water and will inevitably be useless if the system has developed a leak as it will have pulled in moist air from outside.
Job done - repair to your friendly air con man and get him to charge system - hopefully no more leaks and icy cold air con......
Hope this helps someone - preare the condensor bottom studs beforehand and the whole job should take no more than an hour.........it took me three doing it the hard way!
Andy
So far - old condensor out!
Clean and vacuum out the bits of leaf, bird small rodent etc that you have found between the rad and the condensor. Blow the rad out if you have access to compressed air (careful not to bend over the vanes though!).
Remember the bit where I said that the two bottom bolts fell out of the holes where they are buried in the front cross member? Well getting them back in is a two person, b***d job. I suggest the following - making careful note of the length of the original bolts - cut the heads off some longer bolts and screw the headless bolt into the captive nut in the bottom mount of the condensor - use a thin nut to lock in position / braze in if you have the tackle (being careful not to overheat the coil etc). This will result in two long studs projecting downwards from the base of the condensor - this will make locating the condensor much easier then messing around trying to push two little bolts up through a hollow front cross member and hoping to hit the two small captive nuts on the condensor mounts! Believe me the effort will be worth it! I lost two washers and one bolt into the space within the cross member whilst trying to do it the hard way!
Having slotted the new condensor in place and pinched up the bottom studs with new nuts and original washers you can transfer the receiver / drier bracket to the front of the condensor (think about the pinch bolt on the clamp - have it facing out and towards the rhs for ease of tightening etc). This then leaves you with the rebolting of the pipework etc and the refitting of the stays and oil cooler, cover piece etc.
The receiver / drier unit will need to be replaced at the same time as the condensor - it has hydroscopic crystals inside to scavenge water and will inevitably be useless if the system has developed a leak as it will have pulled in moist air from outside.
Job done - repair to your friendly air con man and get him to charge system - hopefully no more leaks and icy cold air con......
Hope this helps someone - preare the condensor bottom studs beforehand and the whole job should take no more than an hour.........it took me three doing it the hard way!
Andy
