Camper A/C dripping water

[3VWVanagon]

I am having a problem with the A/C in my '90 Westfalia.

The compressor was replaced about three years ago. This year when I turned on the system there was no cooling. I assumed it needed recharged and took it back to the shop. They told me that a valve needed replaced, I think it was the evaporator valve. They replaced it and when I picked it up, it was cooling better than ever.

Right afterwards, I took it on a trip to Michigan and, glancing at the rearview mirror after about an hour of driving with it on, saw that water was dripping from the unit. You can see a video of it here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/33rvhbox5afbbwx/IMG_2164.MOV?dl=0. I also noticed that the whole unit seemed to be leaning toward the front of the vehicle and thought perhaps the problem was because the unit was not level or a drain line might be plugged.

I took it back to the shop. They apologized and said the guy who worked on it before had quit and probably shouldn't have been given the job. When they took the unit down again, they found it had not been remounted correctly and a drain line was not connected. They worked on it and when I got it back things looked much better. They said they had tested it and did not find any problems and it was cooling well.

I started home. It WAS cooling well but it also started dripping within five miles. Perhaps it began so soon as a result of their testing it before I picked it up.

The guys at the shop are good, I think, and honest, but they are not Westfalia guys. The vehicle is back at the shop and they said they would take the unit down again and check it. I asked if they cleaned the drains and they said, "No", they had made sure they were connected but didn't blow them out.

I told them about Samba and they were more than happy to have me post here and seek help. As I said, I think they are good guys, but could use the benefit of experience here to tell us where to look for a solution.

Thanks for any assistance you can offer.

[vanis13]

luckily possibly the simplest AC issue

make sure hose flows out (not clogged)

make sure hose is connected to tray nipple

make sure tray nipple or tray isn;t broken

you can test tray by pouring water in it rather than waiting for AC to condensate. they can check this way in the shop
_________________
83.5 Westy with Subaru 2.5, 4 spd manual, center seat, COLD A/C on 134a!, Winter camp heated with an Espar B4 gasoline furnace

www.SuperVanagon.com - some stuff I make

[SCM]

[T3 Pilot]

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8534801
_________________
1988 Vanagon

The most important part in every vehicle is the nut behind the wheel......

[campism]

I always make this recommendation on A/C work:

If removing the upper cabinet when performing any work on your system, be sure to slot the holes on the left and right sides for the drain hoses. You want open-topped U-shaped slots instead of holes. Here's why.

Once you have completed your repair, which should include suspending the condensate tray beneath the condenser and not resting on the floor of the cabinet, you can route the hoses from the tray out their respective sides and THEN you can then lift the cabinet back into position independent of having to screw with tray placement and hose attachment. It'll be much easier. Trust me, it'll be worth it.

To suspend the tray use perforated metal "plumber's tape" to create two loops that screw to the ceiling and hold the tray in place under the condenser.
_________________
'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic

[bobbyblack]

If it is you who saws the U channels for the last mentioned method, be sure to support the wood so you don't just break it off. Go slow, and really concentrate on not allowing the wood to move as you pull the teeth of the saw through. If it is the shop, tell them that, so that the majority of the cabinet side isn't just torn/broken off. It looks a lot more solid than it is.

Be sure all the old foam is removed, replace with new. That is generally what clogs up the hoses as it falls apart.

Also, in addition to the above of 'connect all tray, hoses before installing the cabinet' I used a bit of glue, not much, to hold the hose to the tray nipple.

Last, the tray should actually not be overly tight up to the evaporator. As the original way it was built to work was that the tray sits on the floor of the cabinet, there is a little gap, and that is important. I had done it tightly one of the times I had my cabinet down, and guess what? I had to take it back out yet again to correct my overly aggressive strapping.

After all of that, sometimes I still get dripping on the bed. That is when I get out some stiff wire and stick it up the tubes. Then I figure out that my refrigerant has leaked a little, and top it off. Then, I figure out that blowing on the Hi setting is overwhelming the ability of the tray, by just blowing the water out the fan housing... Every time it is different, and I have a wet bed again. Now I keep my rain poncho back there over the general area, just in case.
_________________
'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[Vana Guy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmzbC4YQFms&t=265s

Go to 4:00 minutes into video

[dgbeatty]

To add to what "bobby" and others have said.
1. The black plastic foam that VW used to capture condensate water from the evaporator was prone to deterioration, ours begin to fail in 1994. By begin I mean bits of the black foam were being thrown out of the vents when the fans were on high speed. Those same bits were also being flushed down the drain tubes and clogging the one way valves on the ends of the tubes. Note: the valves were required by the TÜF as a matter of course to prevent any possibility of exhaust fumes from entering the van. IMO they are totally uneeded and detrimental.
2. The high end German car makers used stainless steel mesh to capture condensate water. This is what I used in 1995 to solve the problem. 24x24 mesh is a good compromise to make the new screens. The screens should be corrugated to add distance, strength, drain channels and surface area. Once and done.
3. The drain tubes ie not hoses, are next to impossible reinstall as originally done. The solution, a sleeve of hose that fits snugly over the tubing and drain tray nipple. They can be glued in place and I do so on client vehicles but not on my personal van.
4. Remove the drain valves and throw them away. If water dripping onto the sheet metal bothers you extend the drain tubing.
5. MOST IMPORTANTLY repair the resistor stands. Perhaps the best solution are the stainless stands sold by GoWesty or make them yourself.
_________________
Schau in das Buch

[bobbyblack]

[Vana Guy]

A little off topic, but is there a way to access the evaporator at the air inlet side on a tin top? I have the expanded metal grill on the air inlet, and the evaporator is impacted with dust. I can not figure out how to get the grill off to clean the evaporator. And shouldn't there be a filter somewhere?

[bobbyblack]

The last time I took down a tintop ('86) unit, it was scary... seemed flimsy. I do not recall a way to access the back other than to just take the whole thing down. You got to take off the driver side D pillar cover first is all I remember for sure. There was a line of screws along the back/top that most of mine were cracked, thus not really holding the unit up well at all. Its possible there may be a way to just take a few of the screws out further forward and drop it slightly to do what you want, but I'd not take that kind of adventure based on how flimsy everything is. I'd be freaked to crack even more of the plastic cover that holds it up.. Get something set up to let the unit down a little, like a 5 gal pail or such to hold it most of the way up.. Things get heavy fast, and if you are not prepared, there's a good chance you'll slip up. This is from a couple of years ago tho, I may be missing some portion of that adventure's memory due to wasps, etc. I only know it was NO FUN.
_________________
'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[djkeev]

I did a 90 A/C rebuild thread and in there I have photos of that mesh and how it is installed.

As I recall, without removing the assembly, you will need to destroy that mesh to get it out.

No problem really for that mesh should be an intake air filter.
I plan on making one but ……..

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

[Vana Guy]