A/C Condenser
07-05-2011, 06:22 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2010
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These are the steps I took:
Take the car to a garage to get the A/C system sucked dry of any gas.
Jack car at front left side and remove road wheel. Put axle stand in place.
Remove inner wing plastic mud guard.
Remove front left plastic under cover.
Remove windscreen washer reservoir and cut the two pipes joining the pumps on the bottle. This allows you to release the pipe which feeds through the fan surround nearest the bumper.
Remove bar between wing and inner wing to improve access.
Apply plenty of WD-40 to the bolt threads holding the fan to the condensor body. Remove bolts. Disconnect motor plug. Remove fan by pulling down.
Remove two bolts holding condensor housing to inner wing nearesr wheel. Then one nearer the front bumper underneath, and a small one from a support bar.
Disconnect resistor wire plug.
Unscrew pipe connectors.
Pull off and down the condensor unit.
On a bench inspect the condensor.
To remove the condensor, remove 3 screws and pull it out upwards.
Things that can go wrong:
Bolts holding the fan to the condensor housing can snap. This means sawing off the stub and drilling a hole etc.
Screws holding condensor in housing may be rusted so need drilling out.
The rubber "shockers" between the condensor housing and the triangular bottom support plate can shear needing subsequent replacement
You can easily break the washer pump ends on the reservoir when trying to remove the pipes.
Make sure you get the condensor pressure tested. They are robust and made of copper pipe. I think they are better quality than the new replacement aluminium ones. A leak may come from the seals where the pipes join the unit.
When refitting or fitting a new condensor, be VERY careful when screwing on the pipe connectors from the car. These are brass (I think) and the condensor is aluminium which will strip very easily. If you ruin the threads on the new condensor you might be faced with fitting yet another unit!
Its a bit of a pain but it is straight forward to replace if you go about it methodically. Make sure you print off a copy of the parts diagram to remember where everything fits - and to replace the seals where the pipes fit onto the unit.
No you don't take the headlamp out.
Regards.
Take the car to a garage to get the A/C system sucked dry of any gas.
Jack car at front left side and remove road wheel. Put axle stand in place.
Remove inner wing plastic mud guard.
Remove front left plastic under cover.
Remove windscreen washer reservoir and cut the two pipes joining the pumps on the bottle. This allows you to release the pipe which feeds through the fan surround nearest the bumper.
Remove bar between wing and inner wing to improve access.
Apply plenty of WD-40 to the bolt threads holding the fan to the condensor body. Remove bolts. Disconnect motor plug. Remove fan by pulling down.
Remove two bolts holding condensor housing to inner wing nearesr wheel. Then one nearer the front bumper underneath, and a small one from a support bar.
Disconnect resistor wire plug.
Unscrew pipe connectors.
Pull off and down the condensor unit.
On a bench inspect the condensor.
To remove the condensor, remove 3 screws and pull it out upwards.
Things that can go wrong:
Bolts holding the fan to the condensor housing can snap. This means sawing off the stub and drilling a hole etc.
Screws holding condensor in housing may be rusted so need drilling out.
The rubber "shockers" between the condensor housing and the triangular bottom support plate can shear needing subsequent replacement
You can easily break the washer pump ends on the reservoir when trying to remove the pipes.
Make sure you get the condensor pressure tested. They are robust and made of copper pipe. I think they are better quality than the new replacement aluminium ones. A leak may come from the seals where the pipes join the unit.
When refitting or fitting a new condensor, be VERY careful when screwing on the pipe connectors from the car. These are brass (I think) and the condensor is aluminium which will strip very easily. If you ruin the threads on the new condensor you might be faced with fitting yet another unit!
Its a bit of a pain but it is straight forward to replace if you go about it methodically. Make sure you print off a copy of the parts diagram to remember where everything fits - and to replace the seals where the pipes fit onto the unit.
No you don't take the headlamp out.
Regards.
