Accumulator Removal?

[willindsay]

In between chasin problems on the gf's car I have been workin on the A/C system. But I've ran into a issue. I cant get the Nut off the accumulator.

The nut in the left side of this pic.

Not my pic borrowed from KPT

First I didn't have a wrench big enough so I got a 2$ 1'' wrench and ground it to 1-1/8". I can't get that darn thing to budge. I had the gf hold the pliers on the accumulator side while I pulled with all my might on it. It just won't budge I've soaked it in PB blaster for a day or 2 and nothing.

I've got to get this off as my dad is houndin me to get the AC fixed since he decided to pay for the parts and the recharge. So unless someone has a trick to get it off I'll be callin local shops to see what they'll charge to take the accumulator off. I just hate takin my truck to a shop though.

 

[Maniak]

I don't remember it being reverse threaded or anything like that but I do remember it was really on tight. I used 2 wrenched and it was still very hard to break free. Once it broke free it came right off.

And.. that is on an Arizona Vehicle.. So if you get any corrosion there, its gonna be worse.

~Mark

 

[cloaked_chaos]

And.. that is on an Arizona Vehicle.. So if you get any corrosion there, its gonna be worse.

Gotta love owning vehicles in Arizona. I can't imagine what it's like to have to deal with a ton of rust. I would rather take a faded paint job any day.

 

[willindsay]

I don't remember it being reverse threaded or anything like that but I do remember it was really on tight. I used 2 wrenched and it was still very hard to break free. Once it broke free it came right off.

And.. that is on an Arizona Vehicle.. So if you get any corrosion there, its gonna be worse.

~Mark

I know I'm turning it the right way. My first thought was reverse thread also so I checked the new one I have sittin in my room.

I guess I'll just keep pullin on it and hopefully it'll break. Might drill a few holes in the 2$ wrench and bolt a cheater bar to it for more leverage.

 

[Maniak]

When I needed a ton of torque to get off the RA to axle beam bolt/nut combo I used a jack handle..

I cut off 1 end of the wrench so I could put a jack handle on it.. that way I could get gobs of torque.

Now, for an accumulator, I don't think I'd do that wrench mod, BUT, I think I would be using 2 wrenches and not a wrench and pliers. With 2 wrenches, you should be able to position them so you can get more torque on that nuts to break it free.

~Mark

 

[willindsay]

When I needed a ton of torque to get off the RA to axle beam bolt/nut combo I used a jack handle..

I cut off 1 end of the wrench so I could put a jack handle on it.. that way I could get gobs of torque.

Now, for an accumulator, I don't think I'd do that wrench mod, BUT, I think I would be using 2 wrenches and not a wrench and pliers. With 2 wrenches, you should be able to position them so you can get more torque on that nuts to break it free.

~Mark

I don't think another wrench will help too much. I get a really good grip with the pliers so it prob won't make that big of a difference.

I'll go back to the place I got the other wrench at and see if I can find one on the cheap as none of mine are big enough.

 

[Maniak]

If you push the coolant lines away, can you fit a pipe wrench in there?

Also, for big wrenches, I just buy the pittsburg brand from harbor freight tools. I've been very lucky with their hand tools.. I've only broken 1 socket and no wrenches. The socket I broke on the impact wrench. They swapped it out for free, with no receipt.

~Mark

 

[willindsay]

Possibly but I don't have one of those either.

Closest Harbor Freight we have is like an hour away. We do have a place called Tool Warehouse It's very similar and where I found the wrench and the diconect tool for the other side. Really cheap prices on most stuff and pretty good quality.

 

[Roadrunner777]

Is the system open, no pressure? If so, I might play a little flame on the nut and see if it will expand and break loose. You'll need to shield behind it, there are little blankets you can get at home depot for that.

Edit: That's a stupid first question, of course it is open, otherwise, well, it will be soon enough. I'm not sure this is even good advice, there may be soldered parts nearby. Just thinking out loud.

 

[snoranger]

I don't think another wrench will help too much. I get a really good grip with the pliers so it prob won't make that big of a difference.

I'll go back to the place I got the other wrench at and see if I can find one on the cheap as none of mine are big enough.

2 wrenches will always help in that situation. You will have opposing forces and it will break loose alot easier. I've worked on forklifts for XX (concealed because I dont want to remember how long I've been here!) years, and I've found thats the only way to get some lines apart.

 

[willindsay]

Is the system open, no pressure? If so, I might play a little flame on the nut and see if it will expand and break loose. You'll need to shield behind it, there are little blankets you can get at home depot for that.

Edit: That's a stupid first question, of course it is open, otherwise, well, it will be soon enough. I'm not sure this is even good advice, there may be soldered parts nearby. Just thinking out loud.

Ya it's open, no pressure at all. I don't have a tortch and taking one to the engine compartment just isn't something I'd like to do. Just doesn't sound safe to me.

 

[willindsay]

2 wrenches will always help in that situation. You will have opposing forces and it will break loose alot easier. I've worked on forklifts for XX (concealed because I dont want to remember how long I've been here!) years, and I've found thats the only way to get some lines apart.

Ok I guess I'll try to find a 7/8" wrench and give that a go tomorrow after work.

 

[huntman58]

If two wrenches do not work try 4.

You do this by using combo wrenches put the open end on the nuts and then slip the next wrench’s open end threw the box in a way to give it a hold in the direction you are pulling or pushing. What you do is just make them longer giving you more power with out cutting any thing.

using a pliers be it a normal set or channel locks is not a good idea as they will slip just ask my knuckles LOL.

I have yet not been able to break any thing loss using the 4 wrench set up. Just remember you have to do this with 4 combo wrenches the ones with an open end on one end and a box on the other. It’s surpassing how much you can pull with that set up even in tight spots.

dang just like snoranger I have been pulling wrenches way to long and the one that should me this had been pulling them for at lest 60 years then so I can say it has been used for a known 100 years at lest as his dad showed it to him also . Kind of a family wrenching thing LOL.

 

[StryctNy9e]

A man once said with a big enough lever you can move the world.

I would try to find some kind of breaker bar or use the two wrench trick, also try to find a good wrenck to back up that other nut, keeping a solid hold of that backup nut will help. GOOD LUCK

Harbor Freight is the ****!!

 

[olemech]

ac

take two large wrenchs and put bar between them and pull, alot of time thay are very tight. watch out for the evaporator.ac

 

[CDW6212R]

The evaporator side, the pipe etc is fragile, so don't pull in a way which twists or bends the aluminum piping.

Ideally you want the two wrenches on each nut in such a way that they are close together. If you can put them on so that you can almost put your hands around both at the same time, squeezing the handles together, that will protect the lines the most. If you can use the wrenches that way, it also gives you the strength of both of your hands in the same place. You might have to buy a whole wrench set to get the right two sizes.

 

[Iron Weasel]

I recently had to do some A/C work myself. Among the things I did was to remove the accumulator and I can tell you that even here in New Mexico....which is a lot like Arizona in the fact that cars here don't normally rust...I had a hell of a time breaking that same exact nut loose. Even using proper size Snap-On wrenches (1-1/8" & 7/8"), I had to brute force that thing off and I'm not a little guy.

Best advice I can give along with the rest that's been given is to make sure you're using the correct size wrenches. You want to hold the accumulator line as still as possible and crank the crap out of the other one.

 

[snoranger]

The evaporator side, the pipe etc is fragile, so don't pull in a way which twists or bends the aluminum piping.

Ideally you want the two wrenches on each nut in such a way that they are close together. If you can put them on so that you can almost put your hands around both at the same time, squeezing the handles together, that will protect the lines the most. If you can use the wrenches that way, it also gives you the strength of both of your hands in the same place. You might have to buy a whole wrench set to get the right two sizes.

Thats what I was thinking. I just didnt have the time to explain it.

 

[willindsay]

Thanks for all the tips guys.

Hopefully I'll be able to track down the proper wrenches and get this done. I'm hopin to get to it tomorrow. I've was feelin under the weather today hopefully I'll be better in the morning if not I'll do it Saturday.

 

[willindsay]

If two wrenches do not work try 4.

You do this by using combo wrenches put the open end on the nuts and then slip the next wrench’s open end threw the box in a way to give it a hold in the direction you are pulling or pushing. What you do is just make them longer giving you more power with out cutting any thing.

using a pliers be it a normal set or channel locks is not a good idea as they will slip just ask my knuckles LOL.

I have yet not been able to break any thing loss using the 4 wrench set up. Just remember you have to do this with 4 combo wrenches the ones with an open end on one end and a box on the other. It’s surpassing how much you can pull with that set up even in tight spots.

dang just like snoranger I have been pulling wrenches way to long and the one that should me this had been pulling them for at lest 60 years then so I can say it has been used for a known 100 years at lest as his dad showed it to him also . Kind of a family wrenching thing LOL.

Umm maybe it's just cause I'm sick but I'm not understanding what you're sayin to do. I'll reread this in the morn maybe it'll make more sense then.