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A/C Condenser

thewhitestallion
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22’s Enthusiast

22’s

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Posted

I bought a 2014 Ltz about two months ago with 67k on the clock. Is there a way to tell if the condenser has been replaced(different bracket, color, shape, anything)? I bought it in a Minnesota winter so I couldn’t test to see if the ac worked or not, and reading this whole subject is worrying me. I have already had to replace the oil pump, if I gotta do ac parts too, I may just drive it off a bridge. 

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thewhitestallion
thewhitestallion

Add me to the troubled condenser list...   About a month ago I was driving to work on a sticky Houston night, about ~75*f or so with probably 80% humidity when I noticed that my A/C was not blowin

Spurshot
Spurshot

Hopefully your ac is working great now?     I don't think I'd join one of these class suits over $1k. GM will settle for a fraction of the class costs and most of that will go to the slimey lawyer

Andy2016
Andy2016

Add me, 2016 Serria Denali 60k no ac, but I moved from Maryland to South Carolina and didnt have the time to get it fixed and we made a few trips now have 67k. I bought used at 53k, had the trans flus

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Tx_operator87 Enthusiast

Tx_operator87

Posted
Posted
I bought a 2014 Ltz about two months ago with 67k on the clock. Is there a way to tell if the condenser has been replaced(different bracket, color, shape, anything)? I bought it in a Minnesota winter so I couldn’t test to see if the ac worked or not, and reading this whole subject is worrying me. I have already had to replace the oil pump, if I gotta do ac parts too, I may just drive it off a bridge. 

Just had to change mine a couple weeks ago at 61k miles. Mine was a 2015, a guy I work with has a 2014, both of our stock condensors were a galvanized looking color. The after market I got from O'Reilly's was black, the stock look cheap and look just tack welded on the sides. The condensor was $150 at O'Reilly's and about $100 worth of freon (a large bottle and a small bottle) was what it took me. You'll need a vacuum pump to pull a vacuum on the system to make it easier to recharge. Takes about 2 hours. Pull off the plastic, take the 2 bolts that hold the radiator and lean it back, you'll have to pull off your air filter for easier access to the metal cross member. 3 bolts on the left and 3 on the right hold the cross member on. Kind of a pain to get to them. Disconnect the 2 lines at the top from the radiator to the condenser. Unbolt the coolant lines (bottom of condenser on left side) disconnect the lines and the system will depressure. Pull old condenser out and repeat steps backwards to put new one in. Not too hard, just need an hour or 2 and some patience

 

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22’s Enthusiast

22’s

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, Tx_operator87 said:

Just had to change mine a couple weeks ago at 61k miles. Mine was a 2015, a guy I work with has a 2014, both of our stock condensors were a galvanized looking color. The after market I got from O'Reilly's was black, the stock look cheap and look just tack welded on the sides. The condensor was $150 at O'Reilly's and about $100 worth of freon (a large bottle and a small bottle) was what it took me. You'll need a vacuum pump to pull a vacuum on the system to make it easier to recharge. Takes about 2 hours. Pull off the plastic, take the 2 bolts that hold the radiator and lean it back, you'll have to pull off your air filter for easier access to the metal cross member. 3 bolts on the left and 3 on the right hold the cross member on. Kind of a pain to get to them. Disconnect the 2 lines at the top from the radiator to the condenser. Unbolt the coolant lines (bottom of condenser on left side) disconnect the lines and the system will depressure. Pull old condenser out and repeat steps backwards to put new one in. Not too hard, just need an hour or 2 and some patience

 

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Sounds like a PITA. And a job that should be done with so little miles. I did look through my grille on my truck yesterday and mine is completely black. Maybe mines been done already. 

texasaggies16 Enthusiast

texasaggies16

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, 22’s said:

Sounds like a PITA. And a job that should be done with so little miles. I did look through my grille on my truck yesterday and mine is completely black. Maybe mines been done already. 

Sounds like a extreme PITA, im all for unbolting and bolting new in but the FREON and vacuum part are beyond my comfort zone.. 

Tx_operator87 Enthusiast

Tx_operator87

Posted
Posted
Sounds like a extreme PITA, im all for unbolting and bolting new in but the FREON and vacuum part are beyond my comfort zone.. 
It was a PITA but a lot cheaper and quicker than the dealer. And the vacuum and freon isn't bad. You can rent a vacuum pump at O'Reilly's or AutoZone, you just hook it up to the low pressure port and turn it on, pull a good vacuum about 25-30mmhg and take it off and hook the freon bottle up to the same port and follow the instructions on the can. If it's under warranty and you got the time then just take it to the dealer, I just like fixing things myself, makes me feel good and I like to learn new things


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cajunduck1 Enthusiast

cajunduck1

Posted
Posted

I am fixing on changing my condenser, along with a list of things that I need to fix, and don't you have to add some sort of oil or something to the system?  I thought I ran across that somewhere.  Thank you in advance.

Yustinaaron Enthusiast

Yustinaaron

Posted
Posted
On 3/9/2019 at 8:25 PM, Tx_operator87 said:

Just had to change mine a couple weeks ago at 61k miles. Mine was a 2015, a guy I work with has a 2014, both of our stock condensors were a galvanized looking color. The after market I got from O'Reilly's was black, the stock look cheap and look just tack welded on the sides. The condensor was $150 at O'Reilly's and about $100 worth of freon (a large bottle and a small bottle) was what it took me. You'll need a vacuum pump to pull a vacuum on the system to make it easier to recharge. Takes about 2 hours. Pull off the plastic, take the 2 bolts that hold the radiator and lean it back, you'll have to pull off your air filter for easier access to the metal cross member. 3 bolts on the left and 3 on the right hold the cross member on. Kind of a pain to get to them. Disconnect the 2 lines at the top from the radiator to the condenser. Unbolt the coolant lines (bottom of condenser on left side) disconnect the lines and the system will depressure. Pull old condenser out and repeat steps backwards to put new one in. Not too hard, just need an hour or 2 and some patience

 

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A big bottle and little bottle of refrigerant seems like a lot.  I've replaced the condenser, compressor, and radiator and didn't use more than 2 small bottles of refrigerant, plus the compressor oil.  How can I tell if I need more refrigerant (other than the AC not cooling)???

Tx_operator87 Enthusiast

Tx_operator87

Posted
Posted
I am fixing on changing my condenser, along with a list of things that I need to fix, and don't you have to add some sort of oil or something to the system?  I thought I ran across that somewhere.  Thank you in advance.
The top connections that go to the radiator has what looked like tansmission fluid in it (I'm no mechanic) but not much comes out when you disconnect them.

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Tx_operator87 Enthusiast

Tx_operator87

Posted
Posted
A big bottle and little bottle of refrigerant seems like a lot.  I've replaced the condenser, compressor, and radiator and didn't use more than 2 small bottles of refrigerant, plus the compressor oil.  How can I tell if I need more refrigerant (other than the AC not cooling)???
I probably would have been fine with one big bottle or 2 smaller ones, I just wanted to make sure I had enough. I just use the gauge off the refrigerant bottle to check the pressure and as long as it's in the green you should be plenty charged, then I'd just check it 5 or 6 days later and see how much has changed

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njs2247 Enthusiast

njs2247

Posted
Posted (edited)
6 hours ago, Donald Plaisance said:

I am fixing on changing my condenser, along with a list of things that I need to fix, and don't you have to add some sort of oil or something to the system?  I thought I ran across that somewhere.  Thank you in advance.

GM recommends adding 2oz of PAG 46 oil to your AC system when replacing the condenser. GM doesn't give the specific weight of the oil you should use, but every place I called or looked up online said it was PAG 46. You can add it through the pressure gauges you rent from Auto store.

 

This is the perfect time to add UV dye to your system. Get the PAG 46 oil with the UV dye in it.

Edited by njs2247
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woody6725 New Member

woody6725

Posted
Posted

I bought a 2014 gmc sierra a few years back. in august of 2017 my a/c condenser went bad. the standard leak that all the 2014's developed. i was still within the 3 year part of the warranty, but i was over on the mileage by about 3000. i contacted gm, and they had me take it to maroone chevrolet in pembroke pines. the repair bill came to $1000. gm agreed to pay $800, and i paid the remaining $200. i was happy with this. now, 19 months later, the new condenser went bad in exactly the same spot. i contacted gm to see if this would be covered at all, because to me they replaced a defective part with another known defective part. i was told to bring it to vera cadillac/gmc for diagnosis. they verified it was the condenser that failed and told me the repair would be just under $1900. i contacted gm to see if any assistance would be available, seeing as this is a well known and well documented defect. i was basically told too bad, the part only had a 12 month warranty. i told them to put it back together and i would be down to pick it up, because there was no way i was going to pay $1900 for another inferior part that might last another 18 months. i expect parts i get from advance auto to last longer than that. i was then charged $85 dollars for a diagnostic that i never needed, which i actually wasn't as mad about as i could've been, because when i took the truck in they told me the diagnostic was $170. i went to oreilly's and bought one for 147.99 with a lifetime warranty. gonna put it in tomorrow morning and see how that one lasts. 

  • Like 1
jonesumd Enthusiast

jonesumd

Posted
Posted
58 minutes ago, woody6725 said:

I bought a 2014 gmc sierra a few years back. in august of 2017 my a/c condenser went bad. the standard leak that all the 2014's developed. i was still within the 3 year part of the warranty, but i was over on the mileage by about 3000. i contacted gm, and they had me take it to maroone chevrolet in pembroke pines. the repair bill came to $1000. gm agreed to pay $800, and i paid the remaining $200. i was happy with this. now, 19 months later, the new condenser went bad in exactly the same spot. i contacted gm to see if this would be covered at all, because to me they replaced a defective part with another known defective part. i was told to bring it to vera cadillac/gmc for diagnosis. they verified it was the condenser that failed and told me the repair would be just under $1900. i contacted gm to see if any assistance would be available, seeing as this is a well known and well documented defect. i was basically told too bad, the part only had a 12 month warranty. i told them to put it back together and i would be down to pick it up, because there was no way i was going to pay $1900 for another inferior part that might last another 18 months. i expect parts i get from advance auto to last longer than that. i was then charged $85 dollars for a diagnostic that i never needed, which i actually wasn't as mad about as i could've been, because when i took the truck in they told me the diagnostic was $170. i went to oreilly's and bought one for 147.99 with a lifetime warranty. gonna put it in tomorrow morning and see how that one lasts. 

woody6725,

 

That's what I'm afraid will happen to me.  My 2016 (I bought new) had it's condenser replaced at 2,089 miles (yes, that mileage is correct).  It's been in the shop 6 times now for the AC not working and I have under 6,000 miles on my truck (don't drive it much).  They replaced my condenser with the same faulty 1st gen model so I expect it to fail again soon.

RACERX7775 Enthusiast

RACERX7775

Posted
Posted

Yup. So is there really an updated part or is it just the same one everywhere.  I just used the A/C in my truck for the first time this season yesterday and BAM, its warm air. I put die in it along with a pound of freon today and i see the condenser is leaking. Its the typical spot on the drivers side towards the top. I took a pic of the green dye.  I also see there is different condensers. Anyone have the correct part number? Its a 14 LTZ Z71 5.3. But NOT the max tow. Thanks all...

20190316_145817.jpg

Tx_operator87 Enthusiast

Tx_operator87

Posted
Posted
Yup. So is there really an updated part or is it just the same one everywhere.  I just used the A/C in my truck for the first time this season yesterday and BAM, its warm air. I put die in it along with a pound of freon today and i see the condenser is leaking. Its the typical spot on the drivers side towards the top. I took a pic of the green dye.  I also see there is different condensers. Anyone have the correct part number? Its a 14 LTZ Z71 5.3. But NOT the max tow. Thanks all...
20190316_145817.thumb.jpg.45a95ec1a96d1a069bf4a323eeef381c.jpg
This is what I replaced mine with. The OEM one is clearly cheaply made when compared to this one. The weld where mine cracked looked like yours, the new one looked solid and I was very comfortable putting it in and not worrying about it giving out like the factory did.1e60cbffc27af15a75c477b5ab023ba0.jpg

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RACERX7775 Enthusiast

RACERX7775

Posted
Posted

Thanks. Are these better than the factory ones like everyone is saying? I just turned 90k and its the original one i think.

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