Jump to content

AC Condenser replacement

benjdow
 Share

Recommended Posts

bndawgs Senior Enthusiast

bndawgs

Posted
Posted

So will my 16 LT eventually need a condenser as well? I'm around 11k miles right now

  • Replies 194
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

bdbake01
bdbake01

The sign is either a "GMC" or bow tie on your grill.

Knightfall
Knightfall

If I ever got a non-GM truck, the Power Wagon would be my first choice. Probably the most practically configured vehicle ever.

3000gt
3000gt

thought i would shed some light... summer is gonna be upon us soon and guess what no ac and i'm in the south!!! researched problem and i found this thread.  Gm dealer gave me parts at wholes

Posted Images

jlilnc14 Enthusiast

jlilnc14

Posted
Posted

So will my 16 LT eventually need a condenser as well? I'm around 11k miles right now

 

I would also like to know as well

OniLink2k2 Enthusiast

OniLink2k2

Posted
Posted
What's everyone's updates on this?

I've been waiting for 2 months now and dealing with a (seemingly) helpless Customer Service department (GM Customer Service, not my dealership.)

Nothing has happened, and STILL no one has claimed responsibility. I'm extremely upset, to say the least...

Bryaniq Enthusiast

Bryaniq

Posted
Posted

 

I would also like to know as well

 

Is the 4.3 having issues to

bdbake01 Senior Enthusiast

bdbake01

Posted
Posted

 

Is the 4.3 having issues to

 

This I don't know. And, honestly, I'm VERY seriously considering stuffing a 4.3 condenser into my 6.2. Only because they are available and apparently would work just fine based on pics.

bdbake01 Senior Enthusiast

bdbake01

Posted
Posted

 

Been watching them for weeks. Problem is, eBay has become an electronic storefront for parts distributors. I've had 5, FIVE purchases cancelled today from eBay. It's that bad. And I've been given excuses from "...our system needed some time to update" to "...what is the eBay program need update time" LOL

bdbake01 Senior Enthusiast

bdbake01

Posted
Posted

After having TWELVE orders this week cancelled due to stock, I completely randomly found one in stock at a local Advance Auto. Woohoo!

bdbake01 Senior Enthusiast

bdbake01

Posted
Posted

Can anyone tell me what viscosity PAG oil to use? I've seen both 150 and 46 stated. Seems like 2oz is the recommended volume for a condenser replacement.

bdbake01 Senior Enthusiast

bdbake01

Posted
Posted

Seems it's 46.

 

Anyway, as I said I lucked out today and caught one in stock. From looking at it, it's possible that at least some manuf are trying to address one, maybe more of the issues. This particular piece is a "ToughOne" brand and as you can see from the pics, the end caps and the filter/dryer tube have substantially beefier connections to the core itself. I'm pointing to the location where my leak was on the OE piece with a swedged tube instead of a weld. In fact the whole thing does, in fact, appear "tougher". We shall see.

post-128223-0-66700900-1497654012_thumb.jpg

post-128223-0-87863100-1497654020_thumb.jpg

post-128223-0-66700900-1497654012_thumb.jpg

post-128223-0-87863100-1497654020_thumb.jpg

post-128223-0-66700900-1497654012_thumb.jpg

post-128223-0-87863100-1497654020_thumb.jpg

post-128223-0-66700900-1497654012_thumb.jpg

post-128223-0-87863100-1497654020_thumb.jpg

  • Like 1
Dnt Senior Enthusiast

Dnt

Posted
Posted

I don't know on the PAG viscosity but you can look it up if you identify your AC compressor pretty easily.

bdbake01 Senior Enthusiast

bdbake01

Posted
Posted

Install went smoothly. About 2 hours, with time for radiator cleaning (necessary!) and a beer. All and all not too bad. Only lost one bolt. I'll consider it marginally necessary at this point. Hopefully I can get it charged up tomorrow.

 

One thing I did notice was that the "ToughOne" condenser, though it definitely appears tougher than stock, uses a two piece, rather tiny desiccant and filter. It comes pre-installed, which is nice, but I'm not sure where a replacement would be easily sourced. The stocker will not fit without some SERIOUS poking and cursing, which I opted not to do and I went with the pre-installed pieces.

bdbake01 Senior Enthusiast

bdbake01

Posted
Posted (edited)

Ok so update. Like I said, install went smooth. Not all that bad. Fired it up last night, ran for a few seconds, had dinner, bed.

 

Get up today, buddy says come over and we'll gas up.

 

Well alrighty then.

 

Short drive, just down the street. Get there, pop hood, we get to talking. About 5 mins later I notice a puddle. First thing I thought was "Oh, just the AC sweating". Then I remembered why I was here in the first place. Doh! Take a sniff, red. Trans fluid. Dang it.

 

Flashlight and the passenger's side is dripping bad. Can't really see where from, so we start tearing into it. Get down to the trans cooler area, fire it up, sure enough, passenger side leaking badly.

 

Maybe I didn't get the line back in good enough? Pull out, back in. Leaks.

Maybe they didn't put in an o-ring? Pull line, check, nope it's in there. Back together, leaks.

Ok, maaaybe the line is scarred/mashed or just torqued to the side. Check all that. Leaks.

Ok, I've seen bad o-rings. Get mirror check it ALL over real good, looks fine. Pull it out and replace it with the old ring from my old condenser (PITA). Fire it up. Leaks.

 

Crap, what's going on. Already thinking of backup plan to remove trans cooler from old piece and ty-wrap it on. But, let's just remove the entire fitting and replace with the old one. Surely it's just scarred or egged or something. So I get to work on old fitting. Does NOT want to unscrew. Almost got me thinking maybe it was brazed, but finally it did come out. It's got an o-ring seal on the exterior as well. Nice.

 

Go to remove the fitting from the new cooler. Buddy says "Wait..what about warranty?" I'm like, ok, better call and see if they have another before I destroy this one trying to fix a factory flaw. Call, nope. I did get the only one, and none are available or even have an expected ship date. Great. "So, hypothetically speaking, if I just swap out these fittings, would that void my warranty?" Dude says "Well..tech-" and I butt in "Or should I just stop talking and we agree this conversation never occurred?" Dude laughs and says "Technically yes, but it's cool. Swap the fitting and if it still doesn't work, I got ya covered. Your warranty is fine since we never had this conversation!" Which is awesome, cause it's a lifetime warranty.

 

So, back to new condenser. I get geared up with BIG tools, and hold the condenser juuust right, cross my fingers and....thing practically falls out. Huh. Wow. Nothing wrong with threads, just wasn't in there tight at all and hadn't had time to seize up. Lots of worry for nothing.

 

I hold fitting up (still has old o-ring in it) and look through it. "Huh...that's interesting..." I hand to my buddy and he says "What? What do you see?" I says "You tell me?"...."Huh...it's kinda...I dunno, not quite round maybe?" Yep. O-ring's ID isn't perfectly concentric.

 

Grab the pick and work the old o-ring out, and this is what I see:

 

Stupid little *^^%#$%^ aluminum chip/burr that had nestled itself under the o-ring. And not only that, but it lasted there through all of our poking, prodding, o-ring swapping, etc. Tiny little thing, but juuuuust enough to let the fluid POUR.

 

So, moral of the story is I have what is possibly the world's worst luck, and check your fittings :/


Oh, and put it all back together, everything works great.

post-128223-0-30517300-1497735198_thumb.jpg

post-128223-0-30517300-1497735198_thumb.jpg

post-128223-0-30517300-1497735198_thumb.jpg

post-128223-0-30517300-1497735198_thumb.jpg

Edited by bdbake01
brawls Enthusiast

brawls

Posted
Posted

I can't believe you relayed such details of your experience, but sure am glad it's turned out well for you.

 

Hopefully GM is going to get this condenser issue sorted very soon. Summers in the South without A/C in the car are basically unbearable.

bdbake01 Senior Enthusiast

bdbake01

Posted
Posted

I can't believe you relayed such details of your experience, but sure am glad it's turned out well for you.

 

I've been accused of talking too much in the past :idiot:

  • Like 1
brawls Enthusiast

brawls

Posted
Posted

Please keep us updated how this condenser is working, any noticeable difference from the original, etc.

 

Thanks!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • KARNUT
      OCI, not when but why?

      By KARNUT · Posted

      We did 250 on our tractors until we switched to Amsoil. We doubled after that. 
    • PunchT37
      OCI, not when but why?

      By PunchT37 · Posted

      When I was there, most to all did not have an hour meter. They just did 5000 miles on regular vehicles and 3000 on police stuff. The modern oil change monitors should take into account engine hours, weather, etc. I don`t use the monitor on my stuff. I pull the stick, look at it, smell it, rub it between my fingers, etc. That`s my oci.   I have had many engines. Some bracket race. No problems doing things my way. I was in the mechanic business for 30 yrs or so. I still do things the old school way. Don`t care who laughs at me.   Understand, I was in the main shop. We didn`t do oil changes or tires. We had a service station for that. I don`t remember the hours they used for tractors, lawn mowers, etc. Something in my head says 250 hours.
    • Chuck FB
      OCI, not when but why?

      By Chuck FB · Posted

      I don't know how far back vehicles had hour meters, be it driver accessible or diag accessible but was wondering if there was any rule of thumb your shop came up with in regards to an hour limit on engine oil regardless of the miles on the oil.    I know with construction or farm equipment its almost always based on engine hours for maintenance scheduling as no other metric really applies other than a seasonal time limit that one self imposes on items like engine oil.  
    • Chuck FB
      OCI, not when but why?

      By Chuck FB · Posted

      I'm not sure what to say on that mess but I will say that is an odd thing for that mechanic to speculate on as per assuming its been run out of oil a few times as the odds of that engine having instead piled up with a complete seizure would be very high if such events had actually taken place. However there is nothing saying that the oil has ever been changed although once again, what filter was on that engine as that would tell part of the story if its possible to figure out if its a factory installed filter or not. Too many items unknown and a lot of speculation, but regardless of that its one fubared mess that is mind boggling to see for a vehicle that new and its hard to imagine how it ever made it that far in life looking at the top of the engine.    His scanners, I've watched him before here and there and I'd have to say if I recall correctly that some of his scanning equipment is one or two steps up from a child's Exo Sketch 😋
    • PunchT37
      OCI, not when but why?

      By PunchT37 · Posted

      I agree. That`s a LOT of sludge for 12,000 miles. I tossed that out here since this is an OCI thread. There`s tons of people here that do not post.   I used to work on a city fleet. That includes police cars and fire trucks. Lesson is, not to only use the odo for oci. A police car has a ton of hours on the engine for the miles it shows. And, not just idling, directing traffic. They beat on these things.   Course, since it is a Kia, they were gonna use the "100,000 mile warranty" for their OCI.😉

  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...