A/C hose replacement

930slant · 930slant's Garage

I'm replacing the a/c hoses in my 930 but am having a bit of difficulty since someone else took the hoses out and i have never seen where they actually go. The brackets holding the hoses under the car seem to dictate rather precisely where the two long hoses are located. However, I'm unsure as to where the two long hoses exit the engine compartment. The one attaching the rear condensor to the front condensor and the one going from the compressor to the evaporator are the ones I'm reerring to. My recollection is that they are simply inserted at the juncture of the rear wall and "floor" of the engine compartment and pushed through until exiting under the car near the left rear shock or right shock accordingly. I can see what look like a foam tube protruding into the engine compartment at the juncture and disappearing towrd the bottom of the car. i've got the opther hoses routed but these last two have me stumped.

Thanks for your help!!

JeffW · 07-16-2002, 06:36 PM

The passanger side hose goes from the engine compartment, in between the motor steel and the body, down the inside of the tire well but inside the suspension, down the side of the car (where the hold up clamps are, then curves after thewheel ovening heading for the evaporator box. From there you push it up from under the car into the evap box. The other one I'm not sure about... Just pulled mine out the other day but I don't have a front condensor.

930slant · 930slant's Garage

Thanks for the info. i haven't looked at the right side yet... just the left that goes to the front condensor. Is the passanger side hose routed through a hole that you can see as it leaves the engine compartment on its way to the evaporator? The one on the left seem to go into a foam tube as a way of exiting the engine compartment on its way to the front of the car. Once the hoses are in I will install the Pro cooler and hopefully be cool!

JeffW · 07-16-2002, 07:07 PM

The one on the left does go though a hole by the accumulator. The right side cable just goes between the gasket between the engine and the tub.

PDACPA · PDACPA's Garage

930 Slant

I would love to hear how the ProCooler works along with whatever else you changed.

I need AC and mine is not working well at all (already converted to R-134).

How hard was it to run the hoses? Are you going to have a AC shop do the crimps after you have them run?

Sunroof · 07-17-2002, 11:49 AM

How hard is it to thread the hose with the fitting through the passageways? I have to replace the passenger side hose as well. I am confronted with this situation right now as that turn to the evaporator looks exceptionally tight in the smugglers box for the fitting.

The hose guy is telling me that the hose has to be out on the bench for the crimper to do its thing on the fitting. THey are n or portable devices! An alternative is to use an EZ-Clip that is still tough to force down the opening in the hose. If I had to thread I would start with the evaporator fitting first (already crimped) and run the non fitted end of the hose through its course to the compressor and try an EX Clip.

Any suggestions or ideas on this?

Regards
Bob
73.5T

Roland Kunz · 07-18-2002, 04:12 PM

Hello

Put the end from the fitings into a bag and then use a long rope to pull them trough. You work always the smallest fitings trough so you have to run the left line down and the right line up ( depending on year and compressor sometimes the fitings are similar in size )

Grüsse

Sunroof · 07-19-2002, 04:38 AM

Thanks Roland....
After taking a good look of the set up I think running a rope or string with the hose following is the easiest way as it goes up to the smugglers box to the evaporator.

Bob

PDACPA · PDACPA's Garage

Sunroof - Do you have a digital cam? Would love to see what your talking about so that I can better visualize it.

Joeaksa · 07-19-2002, 06:44 AM

Sunroof,

The guys here in Phoenix have a crimper that is no larger than a mitten like you use in winter. If you can get two hands in the area for the hose, this hyd crimper will get into the space.

What many of the guys have been doing is having the hose end crimped on one end of the hose, and leaving the other end off, then snaking it through the holes and clamps, then having the end crimped on after its in the car.

You can do all this at home, then drive it to a A/C shop where they blow out the entire system, crimp the ends, install a new dryer and then vacuum the system and shoot the freon inside. Saves lots of money as many people charge upwards of $600 for a set of hoses that you can duplicate for under $125.

Joe

Sunroof · 07-19-2002, 09:52 AM

Thanks Joe....
Someone in Atlanta has to have the crimper! Looks like their may be enough room in the box to get a mitten size crimper around it. One shop here said they can use the old fittings and reweld the caps that are crimped. Saves bucks! Can you suggest any particular manufacturer of AC hoses for longevity? The one hose that literally blew open was the one under the passenger seat that gets all the exposure. I was wondering if their is a better brand hose that might hold up against the elements over others. I know I need at least 300 PSI if I ever consider conversion to R134.

Appreciate the information.

Bob

Joeaksa · 07-19-2002, 10:09 AM

Bob,

Will be in ATL next Wednesday if you want to talk more. I have some samples of the new hose that I could bring... Will be either at PDK or Marietta area.

Go to www.ackits.com and then email with them. Cost of hose is $1.50 to $2 a foot. They told me that it was better to reuse my old hose ends and crimp on new holders. Would cost lots less that way and the end fittings would be correct.

These are the people that SeaDweller and others have used. They will make up the hoses with a end on one end of the hose then you can find someone locally to finish up the job. JeffW in Tucson is using them as well...

You are correct on the psi rating with R134 but I would go with heavy duty stuff anyway as its a bear to string all this stuff and do not want to do it again anytime soon!@

Joe

JeffW · 07-19-2002, 11:56 AM

ya.. I will be as soon as I find some time to get the hoses there. They have been sitting in my shop for a week now. At least with the rain it has cooled down quite abit. Now I need a new oil cooler thermostat since it failed too. I need a money tree..

Roland Kunz · 07-20-2002, 10:04 AM

Hello

If you use newer aluminium fitings you can save size, wight and money.

Under normal conditions you manufactire the hoses outside and pull them in. It is very easy as long you think about how to puzzle it out. First pull the hoses trough the big end first then pull them a bit on to have space for the secound. Then pull both back and screw them to the evaporator. After that then pull the right side back and push it up into the enginebay. The left side goes down beside the wheel arch and up into the dryer.

Only other icky places are runing the two hoses abouve the bumper between light bucket and wheelweel. Runing the hose abouve the fuel fill pipe into the corner and then down.
( attention the hose routing changed over the years )

Grüsse