Replaced Air conditioning condenser with GoWesty

[Sodo]

Replaced air conditioner condenser. I did not disturb any radiator water/coolant connections, just had to cut some zipties to drop the radiator+fan+condenser assembly down a few inches (on its long rubber hoses).

If anyone nearby (Seattle) can help me pump it down (vacuum) that would be GREAT!! I'd really like to get some refrigerant in ASAP and see if it holds.

The entire radiator+fan+condenser is supported by FOUR m8 bolts, on slotted holes. Adapting the GoWesty condenser was fairly straightforward using their directions. Here's some pics that might help.

I did this work with the van at 28" high on wheel ramps. A 32" stick supports the radiator "in place" to remove the bolts. I removed the two radiator supports then lowered the radiator+fan assembly down to sit on the orange ratchet strap. It wasn't too difficult.

Here's pics showing the helper stick holding the weight of the radiator + fan + condenser so you can unscrew or insert the four bolts. My concrete was rough surface that held the stick in place. You may want another length helper stick, but i used just the 32".

Note GoWesty condenser is 1/2 the size of the OEM unit. "They say" it works well, I hope so!

This pic shows the orange ratchet strap that I will drop the radiator+fan+condenser assembly onto. Note at the left side the aluminum tubing will bend under the weight of the assembly sitting on the orange strap. Add a block in there, or perhaps disconnect the pipe first. I had to 'reshape' the pipe little (by hand) to fit to the GoWesty extension hose (to the upper left corner fitting of the condenser)

If you just LOOSEN all four M8 bolts below (13mm head) the entire radiator+fan+condenser will drop down about 1/2 inch in the slotted holes, providing access to these two screws that attach the condenser to the top of the radiator. Don't lose these conical rubber grommets. There's one at each corner of the radiator.

Hope this helps. Sorry it's not a COMPLETE instructional, butyou can see it's not a HUGE project to change the condenser.

Note: Changing the condenser entails opening the system to the atmosphere. This is a bad deal if your van currently has FREON in it, FREON damages your environment and everyone elses too. And not a great thing to do if it has R134 in it. You need to have the refrigerant reclaimed by an air conditioning repair company, before unscrewing ANY fittings. My system has been empty for many years so i did not have to do that.

If anyone nearby (Seattle) can help me pump it down (vacuum) that would be GREAT!! If it holds a vacuum I'll squirt some RedTek in ASAP.
_________________


'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[Paulbeard]

[Sodo]

[Butcher]

I bet if you inquired about the cost of the vacuum pump rental, you may find that you get most of that $170 back when you return it. I'm almost willing to say you will get all of it back.

Make another call.

[shagginwagon83]

Yeah today I rented a flange puller from advance auto parts and get 100% of my money back.
_________________
Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan

[mikemtnbike]

That's definitely how tool "rental" cost works at both the FLAPS I use (Oreilly and Napa). You "rent it" for the full retail cost of the tool and then get it all back when you return it. You know, what a lot of people would do anyway for one-time use tools...I think it's a brilliant way to prevent use-and-returns.
_________________
1991 Vanagon GL 2.1 AT Westfauxlia. "Frankie" Totaled https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764510&highlight=carnage
1995 Eurovan Camper "Marzivan"
2020 GTI SE manual

[fxr]

[Sodo]

[SSWesty]

I had success with a this one https://www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycl...96677.html and using my neighbor's 30 gallon compressor. It was cheap and worked.

[Zeitgeist 13]

You should also replace the drier while the system is open
_________________
Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[Sodo]

[djkeev]

Close the valves, go to bed.
See what the meters say come morning.

Absolute Vacuum varies based upon elevation.

Dave
_________________
Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[skills@eurocarsplus]

[Sodo]

[baltik]

Dumb question - does cleaning solvent/PAG oil contaminate the dryer? or is the disecant isolated?

[Abscate]

The desiccant will get soaked in PAG oil but that won’t affect its ability to pick up moisture

If you haven’t detonated parts into your AC and held pressure you can forego changing the drier. Pumping on it for a couple hours will purge the desiccant of water. I run six cars now, newest is a 2012,next is a 2006, all but one on original driers with good working AC and original compressors.

You do lose your warranty if you don’t replace the drier but unless you are in the trade they won’t honor it anyway. Read the fine print.
_________________
.ssS!

[skills@eurocarsplus]

The boiling action stops when you stop pulling a vaccum.
_________________

[Abscate]

If you have 24 hours just leave the pump running. You should have new oil in it, too if you are a DIY type. If you are an AC tech, you keep track of hours on the oil, but we don't, so I just replace each year on AC season when I have jobs coming up. It is cheap.
_________________
.ssS!

[t3 kopf]

You do need to replace the drier if you had it open long enough to replace the condenser. If you're putting R-134 in a system that wasn't already correctly converted, you also need to replace all the O-rings in the system because the O-rings for R-12 are not compatible with R-134. I'm running that Gowesty condenser as well. Its just a marked up version of a universal condenser. It gets the job done well enough. I have cold AC in my van running off my Subaru compressor and R-134.
_________________
'90 Carat w/ '95 phase 1 EJ22 OBD2 conversion

[vanagonjon]

The refrigerant desiccant in a drier holds moisture by a chemical reaction. You cannot remove it by using a vacuum pump. It is like trying to un-bake a cake.
The vacuum pump is used to remove any free moisture in the system. Then the desiccant in the system is to capture any moisture missed by the vacuum pump and any moisture that happens to enter the sealed system after servicing.