P38 - fitting new A/C condenser

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Flossie said:
Got mine off motorchill on ebay.
Came quickly but had a few minor issues in that the 4 mountings for the fans weren't quite right but a tweak of the plastic fan housing sorted that. You'll need 4 new m6 bolts to mount the fans. The two top mountings where they go through the intercooler weren't right either and the slots in the intercooler itself needed elongating but maybe my intercooler isn't OE , dunno.
Seems very sturdy and well made apart from the above and was £77.
This was the earlier deeper type that I fitted to the later car which has a shorter condensor so other mods were necessary and the bumper needed to be removed and a new compressor to condensor pipe also from the earlier car needed to be purchased and fitted, that was circa £160. Working well at the moment after a leak test and regas last Tuesday.
Click to expand...
When you say "earlier type" do you mean GEMS as opposed to Thor? My (1997 GEMS) condenser is 30mm deep (measured at the top) and 590mm wide. The square U channels that it fits into are 620mm wide.
I am thinking of getting a Nissens 94257 as I believe they are good OEM-style quality.
 
Another question: removing the front bumper - rusty old male Torx bolts probably last touched in Solihull in 1997. I was told that it is a good idea to put a jack under the wrench to hold the socket firmly onto the bolt head and stop it slipping and chewing up the head, but am worried that this simply means the head will shear off the bolt. I am wondering if it is worth investing in a cordless impact wrench with 1/2" square drive. Anyone had experience of removing rusty old bolts with an impact wrench?
 
P38 Monkey said:
Another question: removing the front bumper - rusty old male Torx bolts probably last touched in Solihull in 1997. I was told that it is a good idea to put a jack under the wrench to hold the socket firmly onto the bolt head and stop it slipping and chewing up the head, but am worried that this simply means the head will shear off the bolt. I am wondering if it is worth investing in a cordless impact wrench with 1/2" square drive. Anyone had experience of removing rusty old bolts with an impact wrench?
Click to expand...
Can't answer the condenser thing as mines a diesel, when I said deeper I meant the hight, it differs greatly between early and late diesels, the other dimensions are the same. Haven't got a clue about petrol set ups.
Front bumper- it's usually just the rear bumper bolts that suffer, front ones are more protected and mine came out easy, rears were a nightmare. Bumper doesn't have to come off to change the condensor if the replacement is the same. Replacement condensors for late diesels are not available but early diesel condensors are plentiful BUT the bumper needs removing to do a couple of mods to fit this earlier condensor to later cars.
 
To add, just check you can access the condensor pipework with the slam panel and grill removed, you can on the diesel, petrol MAY need the bumper removing for access..dunno.
@kermit_rr may know.
 
20220804_085600.jpg
 
P38 Monkey said:
Another question: removing the front bumper - rusty old male Torx bolts probably last touched in Solihull in 1997. I was told that it is a good idea to put a jack under the wrench to hold the socket firmly onto the bolt head and stop it slipping and chewing up the head, but am worried that this simply means the head will shear off the bolt. I am wondering if it is worth investing in a cordless impact wrench with 1/2" square drive. Anyone had experience of removing rusty old bolts with an impact wrench?
Click to expand...

I don't think that is necessary for the front.
 
Removing the bumper makes getting to the dryer & pressure switch easier, but not required for condenser only on GEMS. The bottom bolts that hold the condenser to radiator frame can be accessed either through the slots in the bumper, or from the top with the grill removed.

The pipe unions can be a challenge to undo without twisting the alloy pipes. Best to squirt plenty of penetrating fluid on them, and use a little heat on the nuts & correct size spanners.

Do not bother with the water retention sponge on top of the condenser. It sole purpose seems to be to speed up corrosion !! Just make sure there's clearance & no chafing from the "bonnet platform" (as RAVE calls it)
 
pwood999 said:
Removing the bumper makes getting to the dryer & pressure switch easier, but not required for condenser only on GEMS. The bottom bolts that hold the condenser to radiator frame can be accessed either through the slots in the bumper, or from the top with the grill removed.

The pipe unions can be a challenge to undo without twisting the alloy pipes. Best to squirt plenty of penetrating fluid on them, and use a little heat on the nuts & correct size spanners.

Do not bother with the water retention sponge on top of the condenser. It sole purpose seems to be to speed up corrosion !! Just make sure there's clearance & no chafing from the "bonnet platform" (as RAVE calls it)
Click to expand...
I think the sponge is to stop air loss via the gap to ensure all airflow goes through the core. I binned the sponge and used duct tape
 
Flossie said:
To add, just check you can access the condensor pipework with the slam panel and grill removed, you can on the diesel, petrol MAY need the bumper removing for access..dunno.
@kermit_rr may know.
Click to expand...
On my petrol GEMS the condenser is full height (ie basically square) so the bumper will have to come off.
Quick job for the local garage with their lift-ramps and rattle-guns. I am too old for bumper-wrestling.
The above tips are very useful, as ever.
 
P38 Monkey said:
On my petrol GEMS the condenser is full height (ie basically square) so the bumper will have to come off.
Quick job for the local garage with their lift-ramps and rattle-guns. I am too old for bumper-wrestling.
The above tips are very useful, as ever.
Click to expand...
The condenser is full length on the diesel but I didn't need to take the bumper off.
 
P38 Monkey said:
On my petrol GEMS the condenser is full height (ie basically square) so the bumper will have to come off.
Quick job for the local garage with their lift-ramps and rattle-guns. I
Click to expand...
As Data says ,on the diesel the bottom is held by rubber mounts so you just lift it off them, petrol 'may' or probably will be the same.
Edit to say- mine(diesel shorter, later condensor) had the lower rubber mounts. Did yours @Datatek (presuming yours is the early deeper condenser?) Have bottom rubber mounts?
 
Flossie said:
As Data says ,on the diesel the bottom is held by rubber mounts so you just lift it off them, petrol 'may' or probably will be the same.
Edit to say- mine(diesel shorter, later condensor) had the lower rubber mounts. Did yours @Datatek (presuming yours is the early deeper condenser?) Have bottom rubber mounts?
Click to expand...
I don't remember rubber mounts, it was a long time ago. I do remember some hard to access bolts at the bottom.
 
As I said earlier (#29), bumper does not "need" to come off, but makes the job easier, especially access to the dryer & pressure switch in case these need replacement.

Once you get the slam panel off, there's four bolts (often rusty) holding the fans in place and that lifts out. Then undo the condenser pipes & four more rusty bolts.

Slacken the radiator brackets a little, and the condenser should lift out. Main issue with some condenser brands are the bolt holes not lining up with the threads in radiator mounts.

When refitting, lube all bolts with copper grease or equivalent, and it will be easy next time.
 
When i did mine ,there was two pins that the old condenser was on at the bottom along wi the bolts ,,,,they didnt line up with the nissin condenser so i snapped them off :eek: the pins not the bolts ;) all good so far ;)...
 
pwood999 said:
As I said earlier (#29), bumper does not "need" to come off, but makes the job easier, especially access to the dryer & pressure switch in case these need replacement.
Once you get the slam panel off, there's four bolts (often rusty) holding the fans in place and that lifts out. Then undo the condenser pipes & four more rusty bolts.
Slacken the radiator brackets a little, and the condenser should lift out. Main issue with some condenser brands are the bolt holes not lining up with the threads in radiator mounts.
When refitting, lube all bolts with copper grease or equivalent, and it will be easy next time.
Click to expand...

Forgive my ignorance, but what is a "slam panel"...?
The Urban Dictionary would seem to indicate that it is a flat board on which you can "slam" your favourite inhalable drug.

Being serious, and preferring not to remove the bumper, the problem is that you can't see the bottom corners of the condenser, wherein lie bolts / pins / rubber bungs or whatever.... :-(
 
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