A/c Air drier

[Nocturnall]

So my air drier is leaking on my a/c, is this hard to replace? I was reading briefly in my haynes manual and it was saying you need a bunch of special tools and the system is pressurized... I would really like to not pay a shop to do this since it's right friggin there and looks easy enough but I don't wanna destroy the truck I got 4 days ago.

 

[anthonytony]

what year exp i changed one on a 94 model

 

[shamaal]

If your accumulator (drier) is leaking, your system is no longer pressurized. It's the black steel cylinder on the passenger side.
To replace just unscrew the fittings and unscrew the pressure switch to the new one.
Put 3 oz of PAG 100 refrigerant oil in the new one and transfer the pressure switch.
Evacuate (vacuum) system using a vacuum pump ($100) and A/C gauges ($49)
Fill with 1.38 lb of R134a refrigerant.

You may want to change the accumulator yourself and the bring it into one of those $69 A/C service shops.

There is an A/C forum that has a number of stickies that will provide information

Feel free to ask questions

 

[Nocturnall]

If I were to just change the accumalator myself and then bring it to a shop to be filled would I have to put any of the oil or anything it or just change it then bring it to a shop?

 

[ma96782]

I assume that the system is "discharged." So, take off the old part (may need a special wrench).

Special oil gets put in (the accumulator)...........then the accumulator gets mounted. And, while the system is discharged.........why not change the orifice tube (about a $5-10 part)? Re-connect the hoses and beware that it has picked up moisture all the while that it was open .............so, re-charge the system...........like now (as quickly as you can get to the shop from your home)...............drive safely.

Also, ask about how much the shop charges for R134a (price varies). You may want to buy your own, R134a (if the shop will use yours)................and just have the shop do the "service part."

That being said.............I hope that you don't run into any other problems...........like a hose leak or other leak??

Aloha, Mark

 

[ncc]

Hey Nocturnall,

Did you get your A/C fixed yet? I, too, am in Manchester and just bought a new compressor for my '97 Ex. If you're interested, maybe we can put together an A/C repair party for the two vehicles? There's quite a few New Hampshire-ites on the forum....

Let me know!

Jeremy
'97 Eddie Bauer 4.0L SOHC

 

[shamaal]

If I were to just change the accumalator myself and then bring it to a shop to be filled would I have to put any of the oil or anything it or just change it then bring it to a shop?

Soory, I wasn't [aying attention. Yes, put 3 oz of PAG 100 into accumulator before closing up and bringing to shop.

 

[Nocturnall]

NCC mines still busted, I got the a/c drier in but it's still leaking somewhere which is really aggrivating after paying $110 to have my a/c evaporated and charged. And I didn't put that oil in my a/c drier before bring it to the shop so I don't know if that caused a problem or not. I ended up recharging it myself with a kit and it still leaked the refridgerant out.

 

[ma96782]

OK.......so........."Where is the leak?"

I "think" that when you first started this post..........most everyone may have "assumed" that............you had already done the leak test and determined that the leak was at the accumulator (AKA:receiver drier).

Now, you say that you still got a leak.............so, use the dye or sniffer method and find out exactly where the leak is coming from. Once you got that determined.............then, continue on with "service."

See my, sad story:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=164634


Aloha,Mark

 

[Nocturnall]

When I replaced the drier you could see a visible leak in the side of it. I heard a hiss, went to it and could feel it pouring out of the side which is why I replaced that. I haven't done a test to check for leaks again because honestly I'm very broke and just haven't been able to afford another charge kit and the dye crap. I don't know if it's the seals on the line for the air drier or what.