Before Air Conditioning Re-Gas

[TheOriginalMrP]

Hi all

I have spent some months with the heater box removed from the car and in effect has to replace the evaporator seeing as I was already in there.

When reconnecting the evaporator I used new seals etc but the pipes were at different angles to the originals and that made reconnecting the accumulator tricky without cross threading the nuts... theres just no room for movement under there.

Anyway its all back together and just to emphasise that when I bought my car 7 years go, the a/c cycled a lot but it did work. As time went on it stopped working but I did have it charged with a mickey mouse aerosol can which made it work for a brief time afterwards. The system still had pressure in it before I removed the evaporator and it appeared to have green anti leak detection dye in the system too....

However there was a small split in one of the hoses that attached to the accumulator... I guess it was one that ran to to condenser at the front but not entirely sure....

The split was superficial and appeared to have an internal braided hose inside... which is probably sealed internally too. I dont want to have to replace this unless absolutely neccessary and there was no evidence of leakage there...

Ok to go ahead and have a recharge and a leak sealer additive with the pag oil?

She was running 134a before though I dont know if Chriss Spratt did any upgrades to make this totally bulletproof..

Cheers

[Nick H]

Personally I would not risk the split hose after all the time and effort you have put in. Plus if it leaks your going to have to pay out again for recharging the system.

I took my car to FRM automotive here in Peterborough for recharge of the system. The guys are air con specialists
Frances (the boss) is a perfectionist! He went right thru my install, nitrogen test, vacuum test etc. If he had seen a damaged hose I would have been told to #### off and fix it! :wink:
I spent a Saturday morning at FRM . Testing, checking and recharging took 3hrs or so. Cost £135.00.
They added leak sealer when recharging the system as it is a old system just in case. I would advise you do the same.

Another thought, when I replaced the 'O' rings I was advised to coat them in Pag oil.

Hope this helps
Best Regards
Nick H

[TheOriginalMrP]

Hi Nick... Thanks for the reply!

Let me tell you where I am!

I only noticed this split when I was reconnecting the evaporator.

In summary if I would have noticed it on removal of the heater box then I would have replaced in without hesitation... But....

I also changed my radiator so i'vr already had the front end of the car apart, spoiler, fans, condenser etc. Now its all replaced i dont wanna start over... im sure you know where im coming from.

I guess I could trace the hose and if i'm lucky it could be one that runs up the back...

But if theres a leak sealer in there then it should be ok ? The outer rubber is surely just acting as a protection. to the inner braid as the crimped unions are just clasped on and not sealed as such like hydraulic hose fittings... its the inner thats important.

I may well look into it before the regas! Thanks for your input Nick!

Ben

[TheOriginalMrP]

After studying a diagram I think the split is in the hose that runs from the bottom of the condenser to the accumulator... the one with the aluminium tubing on the end. I may be able to change this one without having the radiator off again so if all else fails I will buy a replacement and get my air con man to fit it as part of his service! ;-)

Ben