A/C Condenser.. How to remove it? WITH BASIC TOOLS

[Frey7190]

So im here in college, and have my dads car this week since the brush fires are raining ash, giving us 100*+ weather, and bad air. So I took his lexus to be able to use the A/C system, because mine is ka-put!

My car has a bad condenser, and it drips refrigerant, so the A/C blows warm. The part is like $500 + Labor, and I cant (more like wont) pay that to fix it.

THE GOOD NEWS! I found 3 Audi/VW salvage yards with like 20+ B6 A4's in them! So I need to grab a condenser off one. BUT here is the catch, I have a very limited amount of tools, so what do I all need to remove it..

Is the system under pressure?? Could I just wrench it off?? Or will it go BOOM and splash me with R-134?

I am going thursday so please, let me know ahead of time.

Thanks!

[misterjj2u]

^off topic, but WHERE are those Audi salvage yards???

BTW: I got the keys to work. Love em (THANKs for the hook up!)

[vinny.dtw]

I bought a new condenser for 108 shipped. Just put in today with my mechanic. If your 134 is all gone, then, you can just take it off pretty easily, about 6 bolts. 4 on the brackets of the condesnor,and two for the two hoses on the bottom of the condenser. It will require you to take off your front bumper, but very straight forward.

My mechanic did the charging, and I don't think it is as simple as just doing it with your typical DIY 134a charge kit from pep boys. But here is said link for the condenser, good luck.

Vince

http://www.rmeuropean.com/audi-parts.aspx

[Frey7190]

Thanks Vinny! I know the condenser is going to cost me to recharge it, that im willing to pay.. But I wanna save on the condenser as much as possible.. I just wanted to make sure by asking you fellow AZers, what would happen if I decided to take the condenser off the parts car and its still charged?? Is it under a lot of pressure? Could it like "explode" and shoot things everywhere??

[A4natomical]

^off topic, but WHERE are those Audi salvage yards???

BTW: I got the keys to work. Love em (THANKs for the hook up!)

x2 since we're close.


btw recharging is probably the most expensive part of the whole deal.

[old guy]

Thanks Vinny! I just wanted to make sure by asking you fellow AZers, what would happen if I decided to take the condenser off the parts car and its still charged?? Is it under a lot of pressure? Could it like "explode" and shoot things everywhere??

Yes it is under pressure. No it won't explode. You can discharge the pressure by pressing down on the valve on the high pressure hose. You can see it on the silver high pressure metal line in the top left corner of the pic below (Thanks to Martini for the pic!!). Unscrew the black plastic cap and press the valve underneath. Just like letting air out of a tire except it has more pressure. Cover it with a rag or something when you do it.

[Frey7190]

Old Guy! You are a life saver!

-- Turns out I got lucky and dont have any assignments due tomorrow so im going to drive home and back, just to grab tools lol and maybe a home cooked dinner then its a one way ticket back on the freeway to college. And then Thursday evening back home.. It will be the fastest 130miles I put on my car in 2 days lol, thank god its not my audi getting them!

[Frey7190]

A4natomical and misterjj2u: I passed them driving back from Simi Valley yesterday and my dads lexus that im driving took me on a route off the freeway (to avoid traffic) and so I dont really remember where it was, but when I go into the car to goto school ill have it show me yesterdays route, and find out where it was, and post it for you

[dougyfresh]

Put refrigerant back into the system before you start the car up. The compressor runs 100% of the time even though it may not be cycling (if your a/c console is turned off). If you run the engine with no refrigerant in the system you are going to blow the a/c compressor. There's another $500 for a compressor.
Read this: http://audizine.com/forum/showpost.p...5&postcount=24

While its apart replace the receiver/dryer for good measure: http://audizine.com/forum/showpost.p...3&postcount=32

Here is a step-by-step:
http://audizine.com/forum/showpost.p...3&postcount=43

[Frey7190]

^^ Sounds daunting..

So what does the dryer/receiver look like? It says in those posts that if it comes into contact with air and ambient depressurized it will fall apart.. so how am I supposed to get it from one car to the other?

Also when I replace the condenser, would it be a good idea to get the compressor replaced too with one i find at the yard? Do the 1.8 and 3.0's share the same condenser?

[dougyfresh]

sits underneath your passenger side headlight behind the SAI pump.

[misterjj2u]

dougyfresh,

What would cause the a/c to blow cold 90% of the time, then blow warm (on the hottest / muggiest of days) only to blow cold again (when I go to take it into the dealership)?

Would that be an air bubble in the system? Or something more? I had the fluid replaced not long ago to fix the problem--it only happens less often now. :/

[Sales@RAI]

sits underneath your passenger side headlight behind the SAI pump.

nice diagram, repppppppp

[dougyfresh]

dougyfresh,

What would cause the a/c to blow cold 90% of the time, then blow warm (on the hottest / muggiest of days) only to blow cold again (when I go to take it into the dealership)?

Would that be an air bubble in the system? Or something more? I had the fluid replaced not long ago to fix the problem--it only happens less often now. :/

Are you referring to the same vents? The system regulates interior temperature by changing the temperature of the air coming out the center vents versus the side vents.

[JEENYUS]

what if when you turn on the A/C you get a mildew smell? it goes away after about a min of it blowing and i open the windows and let it air out... pretty annoying actually.

[misterjj2u]

Are you referring to the same vents? The system regulates interior temperature by changing the temperature of the air coming out the center vents versus the side vents.

Yes, the center vents.

Most of the time it blows ice cold. But yesterday, for example, it did it's thing where it would only blow room temp air--it was actually cooler with the windows down. It never blew cold air, at any point in the day--from 8am until I turned the car off at 10pm.

This morning, I turn it on and voila--cold air.

*Note: sometimes I rev the engine to get the A/C to kick in faster.

[vinny.dtw]

what if when you turn on the A/C you get a mildew smell? it goes away after about a min of it blowing and i open the windows and let it air out... pretty annoying actually.

cabin air filter. Located on the passenger side firewall. Replace it, problem solved.

[JEENYUS]

repped

[mr_esmit]

Yes, the center vents.

Most of the time it blows ice cold. But yesterday, for example, it did it's thing where it would only blow room temp air--it was actually cooler with the windows down. It never blew cold air, at any point in the day--from 8am until I turned the car off at 10pm.

This morning, I turn it on and voila--cold air.

*Note: sometimes I rev the engine to get the A/C to kick in faster.

Same thing happened to me. Turned out I was missing some refrigernat. Check that out.

[mr_esmit]

Not to threadjack, but does any body have a DIY on how to remove the evaporator core??

[absolutegtr]

Put refrigerant back into the system before you start the car up. The compressor runs 100% of the time even though it may not be cycling (if your a/c console is turned off). If you run the engine with no refrigerant in the system you are going to blow the a/c compressor. There's another $500 for a compressor.
Read this: http://audizine.com/forum/showpost.p...5&postcount=24

While its apart replace the receiver/dryer for good measure: http://audizine.com/forum/showpost.p...3&postcount=32

Here is a step-by-step:
http://audizine.com/forum/showpost.p...3&postcount=43

Doug, Im not doubting your knowledge, but I drove over 1000 miles with zero refrigerant in my system and the compressor worked great for 2 years after I recharged and still blew nice and cold until I wrecked my car..

Not only that (had I known better back then I probably would have not done this) but, for that 1000miles/1month I even drove around with the climate control/AC on too while the refrigerant was out.

(Edit** I just remembered I learned this in class along time ago....If no pressure is built up in the system (due to the lack of freon) the A/C clutch will NOT engage)......but we apparently dont use A/C clutch's in the B6 compressor...so WTF is up? Am I missing something?

[old guy]

Not to threadjack, but does any body have a DIY on how to remove the evaporator core??

You can use the timing belt DIY to get you to the core. Then instead of laying down the core just undue the two refrigerant lines. Clicky click

[black19]

I bought a new condenser for 108 shipped. Just put in today with my mechanic. If your 134 is all gone, then, you can just take it off pretty easily, about 6 bolts. 4 on the brackets of the condesnor,and two for the two hoses on the bottom of the condenser. It will require you to take off your front bumper, but very straight forward.

My mechanic did the charging, and I don't think it is as simple as just doing it with your typical DIY 134a charge kit from pep boys. But here is said link for the condenser, good luck.

Vince

http://www.rmeuropean.com/audi-parts.aspx

Sorry to bring up an old thread but I have a condenser issue as well and have been putting it off since the weather hasnt really required my AC lately. I did notice this link though to the condenser for $108 bucks and that is a helluva deal. Is there a way that I can verify it's the correct part for my car?

http://www.rmeuropean.com/Part-Numbe..._FB458938.aspx