I have just changed the AC condenser and Dryer in my 2001 4.6 Vogue. As Ive read other peoples walk throughs I thought Id give it a go myself.
1. [FONT="]Remove the front grille which has 6 screws holding it on.
2. Remove the 4 x M8 bolts that hold the top plate above the radiator, taking care to release the 2 x cable ties supporting the bonnet release cable.
[/FONT][FONT="]Yours will be 13mm hex bolts, but as you can see Ive replaced mine with stainless steel Allen head bolts.
[/FONT]3. Using 10mm socket remove the 4 bolts and brackets holding the condenser at the top.
4. Remove the plastic shield seen to the right of the condenser by popping out the 2 plastic fasteners with a small screwdriver.
5. I didnt remove the bumper as the last 2 bolts holding the condenser are accessible through the lower grille with a 10mm socket and extension. Remove the 2 bolts.
6. Now undo the 2 x connector pipes with a 19mm AF spanner. These are on the right hand side. Keep them very clean once disconnected. I sealed mine with rubber glove fingers that I cut off a disposable glove. Lift up the condenser off the 2 lower alignment dowels then remove the 2 x fan plugs. Now remove the condenser complete with fans from the car.
7. As all my R134a refrigerant had already left the car via the damaged condenser NO gas came out when the pipes were removed in section 6 above. If you have gas in your system it should be recovered by a professional AC engineer. I dont know how nasty R134a is to the ozone layer, but I heard that one molecule of old fashion Freon could destroy 40,000 Ozone molecules in the atmosphere. My condenser was leaking from the top RH corner, shown here by the greenish oily residue.
8. Swap over the fans to the new condenser.
9. Now I changed the Dryer as access was better without the condenser in place. This caused me the most agro as the connectors were very tight having been on for 10 years or so. Dryer is located to the right of the condenser attached to the chassis rail effectively behind the right spot light.
The top pipe connection seen here was very difficult to remove. The torque required to loosen the nut was so great the mounting of the Dryer began to buckle. I had to brace the Dryer with a piece of wood so the fragile alloy pipes were not too strained. Once the pipe was off I removed the whole Dryer assembly with the rest of the pipe work and switches attached after unplugging the electrics from the switches.
10. Transfer the switches and U pipe to the new Dryer. Old Dryer shown.
11. Refit the Dryer with new O rings lightly lubricated with oil from the new condenser. Fit new condenser to car again with new O rings which in my case came with the condenser.
12. Refit top plate and make sure bonnet release cable is re-secured. Refit front Grille.
I suspect most people will leave the old Dryer and just replace the condenser. I replaced the Dryer on the advice of an AC engineer who said that one should change the Dryer whenever the system is opened up. Estimate that to change just the condenser an hour should be enough time, more if you do the Dryer as well. Now I just need to get it re-gassed which I hope to do later this week.
LW......
1. [FONT="]Remove the front grille which has 6 screws holding it on.
2. Remove the 4 x M8 bolts that hold the top plate above the radiator, taking care to release the 2 x cable ties supporting the bonnet release cable.
[/FONT][FONT="]Yours will be 13mm hex bolts, but as you can see Ive replaced mine with stainless steel Allen head bolts.
[/FONT]3. Using 10mm socket remove the 4 bolts and brackets holding the condenser at the top.
4. Remove the plastic shield seen to the right of the condenser by popping out the 2 plastic fasteners with a small screwdriver.
5. I didnt remove the bumper as the last 2 bolts holding the condenser are accessible through the lower grille with a 10mm socket and extension. Remove the 2 bolts.
6. Now undo the 2 x connector pipes with a 19mm AF spanner. These are on the right hand side. Keep them very clean once disconnected. I sealed mine with rubber glove fingers that I cut off a disposable glove. Lift up the condenser off the 2 lower alignment dowels then remove the 2 x fan plugs. Now remove the condenser complete with fans from the car.
7. As all my R134a refrigerant had already left the car via the damaged condenser NO gas came out when the pipes were removed in section 6 above. If you have gas in your system it should be recovered by a professional AC engineer. I dont know how nasty R134a is to the ozone layer, but I heard that one molecule of old fashion Freon could destroy 40,000 Ozone molecules in the atmosphere. My condenser was leaking from the top RH corner, shown here by the greenish oily residue.
8. Swap over the fans to the new condenser.
9. Now I changed the Dryer as access was better without the condenser in place. This caused me the most agro as the connectors were very tight having been on for 10 years or so. Dryer is located to the right of the condenser attached to the chassis rail effectively behind the right spot light.
The top pipe connection seen here was very difficult to remove. The torque required to loosen the nut was so great the mounting of the Dryer began to buckle. I had to brace the Dryer with a piece of wood so the fragile alloy pipes were not too strained. Once the pipe was off I removed the whole Dryer assembly with the rest of the pipe work and switches attached after unplugging the electrics from the switches.
10. Transfer the switches and U pipe to the new Dryer. Old Dryer shown.
11. Refit the Dryer with new O rings lightly lubricated with oil from the new condenser. Fit new condenser to car again with new O rings which in my case came with the condenser.
12. Refit top plate and make sure bonnet release cable is re-secured. Refit front Grille.
I suspect most people will leave the old Dryer and just replace the condenser. I replaced the Dryer on the advice of an AC engineer who said that one should change the Dryer whenever the system is opened up. Estimate that to change just the condenser an hour should be enough time, more if you do the Dryer as well. Now I just need to get it re-gassed which I hope to do later this week.
LW......
