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This is a bear with the radiator in, but (from above) I would undo the suction hose at the hardline along the fender, and the pressure hose at the drier. But this usually assumes the radiator is out of the car.....
Maybe you could undo the upper radiator hose to get some space to work with (?) - drain the radiator a little bit and undo the hose from the radiator, then fold it up out of the way.
The pressure line is harder since it snakes around the radiator and to get it out I'm 99% sure you'd need to remove the passenger side radiator shield, the upper screw of which is a PITA.
Any downside to just cutting the hoses and getting them rebuilt (or getting the complete barrier hose line from Griffiths)? Other than the trouble with feeding them past the radiator that Rob mentioned...but since I can't get the damn thing out right now anyway, one pain is as good as another. I guess I'm wondering if it's going to do significant harm to have the system opened to the elements and driving around, vs sitting in my driveway still intact until I get the new hoses? It's still holding some pressure at the moment, for what that's worth...but I'd rather have it driving if it's not going to ruin anything.
If they're 30 years old, and you're going to keep this car, and A/C is important in Florida, then I would bit the bullet and pull the radiator. Even if you only cut the pressure hose to get it out, you'll HAVE to pull the rad to reinstall it. So bite the bullet and do it right. Someone (Kevin?) just showed a pair of locally rebuilt hoses for 160 for the pair. Do it once, do it right!
For some reason, I thought that the two lines attached to the compressor were supposed to be fairly easy to change, with another line requiring a rebuild while on the car (or pulling the engine). I suppose pulling the radiator is easy relative to pulling the motor lol...
(*sigh*) You're right of course. And not the first person to give me that advice (about doing it once, and doing it right)
I only mutter that meme based on every time I have ever tried to cut a corner on anything having to do with a 928. I have learned the lesson several times over the years, fortunately with decreasing frequency of late....
It's [edited: 27 and 32mm [was: either 26 and 32, or 32 and 36] on the wrench sizes. HF has some stubbies that work, just put them ahndles next to each other and squeeze. The nuts really shouldn't be on there that tight.
Be Sure to bag and seal the open hose ends so you keep moisture and crud out of the system. You'll replace the drier (at minimum...) once the system is open to your humid air JIC. Do you have a pool of AC tools down there yet? The bigger AC fitting wrenches are the same ones needed to pull the oil cooler hoses off the radiator -- same squeeze-the-handles technique. If you decide to pull the radiator for better compressor access.
They probably aren't on there that tight, I'm guessing it's a lack of proper tools and a lack of proper technique with no leverage.
I have a new drier and expansion valve, next to my new compressor, that I was planning on putting on. I'm not aware of any pool of AC tools, but I do have a manifold gauge set and I just bought a vacuum pump. Sounds like I need to get those HF stubbies...my current stubbie set only goes up to 19mm.
Man, I really do not want to pull that radiator :-(
Get used to pulling the radiator and you'll get better at it along the way. It comes out for virtually anything serious on the front of the engine. Left in, they often gat damaged inadvertently.
I have a set of quite vintage K-D AC fitting wrenches that do these jobs nicely. Mine at least are thin enough to grab and counterhold the oil and trans coole fittings in the radiator. Of course these are no longer made. But you get the idea, I hope.
I actually found a set of "service wrenches" at Harbor Freight that will do nicely I think. Single-ended, fairly thin, and all the way up to 36". Plus, since they're single-ended, you can slip a pipe over the handle for extra leverage.
I actually found a set of "service wrenches" at Harbor Freight that will do nicely I think. Single-ended, fairly thin, and all the way up to 36". Plus, since they're single-ended, you can slip a pipe over the handle for extra leverage.
That's the set you want, if you are buying from HFT. The AC hoses and the oil/ATF cooler hose fittings are probably the only places you'll use them, but having the correct thin wrenches makes these hose connections a lot easier, with less chance of radiator damage in the case of the cooler hose connections.
Most criticism in the various reviews (HFT site, GarageJournal) seem to focus on the case and the crossbars that hold the tools in place in the lid. I enjoyed one review that suggested that the stubby ends are good so you can slip a pipe over them. The fittings they get used on, at least on our cars, are easily in the "hand tight" range. But they also fit the tie rods, which can use a little help when loosening.
Those are the ones...my case was black and the wrenches were not polished, but otherwise appear identical. For whatever reason, my AC line to compressor fittings were a bit more tight than hand-tight. but I got them off with these wrenches plus a length of pipe.
05-02-2015, 05:14 PM
