Thanks Mark- I plan on putting in the DD condenser next week, followed by the barrier hoses, etc. It will probably be around mid-April before I'm ready to do any vacuuming.

I'll PM you around that time. (I'm in Tucker on the east side of town.) My goal is cold AC by end of April when it starts getting warm and humid again!

Thanks BarrPete- you saved me alot of grief......

Now that the front condenser cage has been lowered, I'm going to order these skid plate spoiler protectors from our host # PEL-SP7002.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1205249978.jpg

I was eyeing those as an addition to the Desert Duty condenser also- my factory hooks are already bent up/scratched a bit and are not that heavy duty. These look pretty beefy.

subbed

I have those skidplates. They work very well. You might want to modify the mounting of the bumper bar to protect the front condensor.

Also, does anyone know if it is a bad idea to buy the 6 CFM 2 stage vacuum pump? I was looking at those prices, and I thought hey why not get the larger one and have excess capacity for bigger jobs.... Will it crush the tubing or pull too much vacuum?

Pump and guage set arrived today - less than 24 hours from placing the order on-line INCREDIBLE! Co is based in NJ and the Robinair products were drop shipped from JAX. :D

www.thetoolwarehouse.net

No, it won't harm your system.

FWIW, I recently scored a 6 cfm Yellow Jacket vacuum pump off of Craig's List for $50 (from a local pawn shop). It's a bit worn, but it works great. Can't beat it for the price.

If you're not in a hurry to buy a pump, keep an eye on CL and eBay.

My $.02.

Scott

Its not the CFMs so much, it's the Factory Micron rating you want. 20 microns or better!!! Robinair 15434 is excellent.

There really no such thing as too much vacuum. It is only the atmosphere trying to crush the hoses. That is nothing compared to the pressures the compressor will produce in the other direction.

The vacuum you can pull will be limited to the temperature and the altitude of your location. Wait for a 100 degree day and let the pump run for a long time.

Where would I find Nitrogen?

PS, thanks for the link on hose fittings. I actually have one of these that you're welcome to use if you ever need it.


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1205414839.jpg

Nitro
 

Well Mark that's a good Q?
Don't really know where you would look on your side of town.

But I have a small bottle and set up to do just that job, I can load it to ya.

When your ready just give me a call and we'll set something up.

The nitrogen is dry and is great for purging and pressure testing the sys before servicing.

System pressure is 90psi-100psi but that not necessarily when it leaks. How do you plan to charge and pressure test with nitrogen at 240-300psi????? Are you going to run the A/C compressor on nitrogen?????

No. This is a static pressure test only.

The cheap N2 gas is only used to detect if leaks are present before servicing with the high dollar freon charge.
With the bottle pressure near 2000pis a regulator is used to decrease the pressure to only what is needed to assure the sys can hold a static pressure.
If the sys will hold pressure at 175-200pis then it will easily hold a vacuum.
Also the N2 is a inert gas without any moisture, which is good for purging air out of the sys with.

I think I get the theory but can you be more specific on this for us DIY guys?

What kind of regulator? Source pics costs? How is it attached? Normal Mastercool gauge set??? What is the "Bottle of N2"? Cost sources.....

R134a only costs $5.50/can around here and if the syatem will hold a 20-30micron vacuum overnite, I'm trying to undestand what exactly it is that you are proposing that is better or cheaper for DIY guys.........

Maybe need a new thread.......

"How to leak check A/C with nitrogen for the home DIY???????????"";)

subscribed.

N2 refrigeration regulators, attachment hoses (with fittings to attach to R-12 type schraeder valves), and small (40 cu ft.) compressed nitrogen gas bottles are available new on E-bay. Sears also sells said regulators and hoses. Bottles may be obtained or filled at your local welding supplies vendor or compressed gas source. One has to obtain or fabricate adapters to attach to the R-134a systems. Nitrogen is used for pressure leak checking for two reasons: It is dry and therefore doesn't introduce water into the system. It is also inert and lacks oxygen as opposed to air which at the high test pressures required (~300 psi) can become explosive especially in the presence of fuel (refrigeration oil). Get training with compressed gases before working with this leak checking method. As always, wear full goggles or safety glasses with side shields.

One point of clarification; in order to pressure test a typical automotive A/C system one shouldn't need to pressurize with N2 gas above 175 psi.

Sounds good. I hope to be ready to charge by this weekend - next at the latest (more honey dos - apparently the guest bathroom is in dire need of a new coat of paint! :D) No worries.......this is how I earn time to work on the car.

I work near Lenox Mall BTW if its any easier to coordinate a pick-up during the week.

An 8-10 hour job? Oh - I don't think so!

Weekend #2 - spent the day completing the Duehl Kuehl condenser installation, hoses, wiring and rock guards. Also cleaned up engine bay wiring from previously installed 3-fans on the rear deck condenser. Flushed the rear deck condenser with mineral spirits. It will be the only reused component in my new A/C system.

All thats left now is to install the rebuilt compressor, connect the high pressure lines at the ProCooler, evac and charge the system!

Here are a few pics from today:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1205634937.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1205634995.jpg

Instuctions called for running the fan wiring through an existing rubber gromment in engine bay to the fender on "later year" cars or drilling a hole if no gromment is present. Since I could not find a grommet, I opted for running a wire along the high pressure line to the condensers rather than drilling.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1205635057.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1205635116.jpg

Home brew condenser flush. I'm not real proud of this but it was effective. Flushed the rear condenser without removing it using a pressurized garden sprayer filled with mineral spirits followed by pressurized air to blow it all out. Got quite a bit of crud flushed out of it!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1205635201.jpg

Wait.
 

Mark,
If you got any crud out of your rear cond you should keep flushing until your 110% sure it's clean without any blockage.
Atomizing flammable solvents is not a good thing to do. Can you say toasty?
I would use a flush that's made for this job.
Here's some useful info,
A/C Flushing

Mark,
I'm impressed with your pictures, details, overall quality, and patience to stay on task with the gallery. So, I think we are going to use you as our poster child for the week.

Smart move on flushing the deck lid condenser; sounds like years of moisture mixed with the old ac mineral refrigerant oil; blow dry and first evacuation/purge should expel residual spirts.
PM or email me on the alternate nitrogen procedure we provided you if you hit a wall.
Stay Kuehl.
Griff

Crud looked like sediment - no chunks:D. Feel like I got it all out. Should I re-flush with a flushing agent? Do the big box auto parts stores carry the $40 flush kits I've seen on ACKits and ACSource? Can't access the site you linked - office server has it blocked.

BTW, I thought any residual mineral spirits would be removed by pulling a vacuum.

Thanks!

Charlie's stuff is just gorgeous, isn't it? Top notch quality just oozes from those pictures.

On the mineral spirits: the problem of residual solvents is when you flush ac hoses, the mineral spirits (aka, Stoddard solvent, white spirits; paint thinner, SafetyKleen, etc. ) are easily absorbed in rubber ac hoses and when they mix with the refrigerants fun things happen. However not so with a metal condenser. Where you can run into problems is if the "crud" or residual ac mineral refrigerant oil absorbs the solvent and traces are not removed.

You have been doing "A+" work on this project so far, so if you feel in doubt about the flushing issue, and all you have is mineral spirits, do the procedure again and observe the stream as it exits the condenser; when the stream runs clean and no "boogers" are coming out, then you have to assume the job is done.

Normally with these aftermarket flush agents you use a pressurized flush can with a gun and hose. If you don't have one I can loan you mine, however your solution was innovative!
Here are some typical big box stores that sell flush stuff:
Advanced Auto Parts:


32 oz (probably won't be enough), Part Number: 69344
1 gallon (plenty for a deck lid cond.) Part Number: 59030 (pricey but if you think of having to do a job twice its a bargain).
And there is CarQuest and PeP Boyz.

Call us, or PM if you need more help, or
email through our contact page at:

http://www.griffiths.com

On the mineral spirits: the problem of residual solvents is when you flush ac hoses, the mineral spirits (aka, Stoddard solvent, white spirits; paint thinner, SafetyKleen, etc. ) are easily absorbed in rubber ac hoses and when they mix with the refrigerants fun things happen. However not so with a metal condenser. Where you can run into problems is if the "crud" or residual ac mineral refrigerant oil absorbs the solvent and traces are not removed.

You have been doing "A+" work on this project so far, so if you feel in doubt about the flushing issue, and all you have is mineral spirits, do the procedure again and observe the stream as it exits the condenser; when the stream runs clean and no "boogers" are coming out, then you have to assume the job is done.

Normally with these aftermarket flush agents you use a pressurized flush can with a gun and hose. If you don't have one I can loan you mine, however your solution was innovative!
Here are some typical big box stores that sell flush stuff:
Advanced Auto Parts:


32 oz (probably won't be enough), Part Number: 69344
1 gallon (plenty for a deck lid cond.) Part Number: 59030 (pricey but if you think of having to do a job twice its a bargain).
And there is CarQuest and PeP Boyz.

Call us, or PM if you need more help, or
email through our contact page at:

http://www.griffiths.com

Great thread, keep me aboard...

I'm told by a very "kuehl source" that the Snap-on A/C Training Manual (PN#ACT279C) is excellent. This can be ordered directly from Snap-on's web site by searching using the part#....it does not come up in the A/C section otherwise. I've got one on order.

Built my own flush gun this week (the T1000). Will flush first with mineral siprits again then do a final flush with this flush agent from Autozone. The commercial flush guns I've found call for flushing at 90 to 150 PSI and the PVC I used has a PSI rating of 260 so I should be OK.




http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1206194820.jpg

Mark, thanks... I'll see if I can locate it. -hc

Mark, I just ordered it...so we'll see, I hope it is good reading. Thanks for the tip.

Mark, I know you have already flushed at least once.
But next time flush in the oppose direction of nml flow.
Just incase there is some small blockage.

Great suggestion - will do!

Mark,

Are parts from the T1000 interchangeable with the older T900 ?
How long with you offer tech support for the T900?
Is the T1000 Rohos compliant?
Can we still buy the extended warranty for T900?



Snap On AC Training Manual http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/search.asp?partno=ACT279&searchTrnsfr=true&search_ type=Part&store=snapon-store

I have a L/R wheel well condensor like you show that is in line with the cat. I took it out when I put a thermometer there and it appeared to be "seeing" about 140 degree air from the cat. In other words I believe it would be acting like an evaporator and taking in heat rather than rejecting it. I put it back in and I have to charge the system. I'm looking into either insulating the cat or putting some kind of heat shield between the two.

on the compressor picture it says "R-12" on the label... does that mean it is a R-12 pump or oil?
also...this may have been mentioned in this thread but I don't remember seeing it... the ProCooler replaces the r/d and if you need to open the system or service it for some reason... aren't you supposed to replace the dryer? Do the ProCooler people have some sort of program to make this less expensive compared to buying a whole new kit?

I presume the next upgrade will the T-1000 Pro then the T-1000 Gold.

The Nippondenso was originally designed for R-12 use but it can be used with 134a as well provided the oil is changed to Ester (preferred b/c it is compatible with residual mineral oil used with R-12) or PAG.

If the system is opened and the ProCooler drier needs to be replaced Rennaire does provide the unit at a reduced cost vs the "kit' which sells for $299. As I recall, the canister replacement cost is about $100.

Yep you're on the right track, next version likely to have digital controls! :D

Thanks for playing along!

It "could" absorb heat if the condenser, with fan, was not operational.
But when operational.... the proof is in the pudding.