A/C Condenser

woody6725 · March 22, 2019

so i went out to do my install. i searched and searched and could not find the 3 mounting bolts on the drivers side. i figured i would look at that side first because i didn't have to move the airbox lol. i could only find 1. i said hell with this, took it to the local garage i use. he did the install and recharge for $450. when i picked it up he told me why i couldn't find the 3 bolts. they weren't there! there was only 1 bolt on each side holding the radiator support in. he said he found 2 more laying down in there, but 2 were missing. and also another bracket was left unbolted. so either the cadillac/gmc dealer just half ass put it back together when i told them i wasn't getting the repair done there, or the chevy dealer that did the initial repair a year and a half ago didn't bolt everything back up. anyway, a/c is fixed and blowing ice cold now!

Mileguru · March 22, 2019

7 minutes ago, woody6725 said:

he told me why i couldn't find the 3 bolts. they weren't there! there was only 1 bolt on each side holding the radiator support in. he said he found 2 more laying down in there, but 2 were missing. and also another bracket was left unbolted. so either the cadillac/gmc dealer just half ass put it back together when i told them i wasn't getting the repair done there, or the chevy dealer that did the initial repair a year and a half ago didn't bolt everything back up. anyway, a/c is fixed and blowing ice cold now!

CLASSIC!!!!!!

Tx_operator87 · March 23, 2019

so i went out to do my install. i searched and searched and could not find the 3 mounting bolts on the drivers side. i figured i would look at that side first because i didn't have to move the airbox lol. i could only find 1. i said hell with this, took it to the local garage i use. he did the install and recharge for $450. when i picked it up he told me why i couldn't find the 3 bolts. they weren't there! there was only 1 bolt on each side holding the radiator support in. he said he found 2 more laying down in there, but 2 were missing. and also another bracket was left unbolted. so either the cadillac/gmc dealer just half ass put it back together when i told them i wasn't getting the repair done there, or the chevy dealer that did the initial repair a year and a half ago didn't bolt everything back up. anyway, a/c is fixed and blowing ice cold now!

Wow! I'd be livid. Rejection isn't an excuse for poor craftsmanship, do the job right or don't do it at all. Hope you don't go back to who looked at it the first time.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

SeanSmith · April 12, 2019

Just did this job a few weeks ago. Got a new condenser from Performance Radiator (they are national) for $125 and comes with a lifetime warranty and the two gaskets included plus a new stud for the trans cooler fitting. Went to Oreillys for 1 large bottle of synthetic refrigerant and one small bottle (both have the oil in them). I also rented the vacuum pump and manifold set to draw down the vacuum and remove water (this is why you need to run the vac pump for about an hour...the water in the lines will kill your compressor). The rental is free if you return the pump within 48 hours. Worked like a charm and no BS welds on the condenser like the GM OE. There are some great videos that show you how to do this step by step. Total out of pocket around $225 and 3.5 hours to do the entire job.

carnau · April 20, 2019

On 4/12/2019 at 12:39 AM, SeanSmith said:

Just did this job a few weeks ago. Got a new condenser from Performance Radiator (they are national) for $125 and comes with a lifetime warranty and the two gaskets included plus a new stud for the trans cooler fitting. Went to Oreillys for 1 large bottle of synthetic refrigerant and one small bottle (both have the oil in them). I also rented the vacuum pump and manifold set to draw down the vacuum and remove water (this is why you need to run the vac pump for about an hour...the water in the lines will kill your compressor). The rental is free if you return the pump within 48 hours. Worked like a charm and no BS welds on the condenser like the GM OE. There are some great videos that show you how to do this step by step. Total out of pocket around $225 and 3.5 hours to do the entire job.

You can literally do this job in less than an hour.

Here is the video on how to do it.

Michael Box · April 20, 2019

If you are doing it in less than an hour, you are not vacuuming the system down and let it sit to make sure it holds.

Edited April 20, 2019 by Michael Box

ksiesel · April 23, 2019

Have there been any issues on the condensers for the trucks that use R1234yb? I think this is only in the 2017 and 2018 models.

RACERX7775 · April 23, 2019

Ok. So I just did mine this morning. The 2 tiny gaskets at the stealer were $21. For 2 tiny friggin gaskets.. Install was a piece of cake even though it took a tiny bit longer because I have an S&B cold air intake and a second battery. They were both directly in the way of getting the crossbar out. I put 2 12oz cans of freon. Its actually 11 oz plus 1 oz of oil. Seems cold but this is the first time its been on since last season. Total out the door is right at $200. Thats the freon, condenser, and gaskets. The truck showed 80 degrees outside. And the engine was hot.

jrob56 · April 24, 2019

7 hours ago, RACERX7775 said:

Ok. So I just did mine this morning. The 2 tiny gaskets at the stealer were $21. For 2 tiny friggin gaskets.. Install was a piece of cake even though it took a tiny bit longer because I have an S&B cold air intake and a second battery. They were both directly in the way of getting the crossbar out. I put 2 12oz cans of freon. Its actually 11 oz plus 1 oz of oil. Seems cold but this is the first time its been on since last season. Total out the door is right at $200. Thats the freon, condenser, and gaskets. The truck showed 80 degrees outside. And the engine was hot.

What gaskets are these? Ill be tackling this soon. Any other hard parts you needed like that.

Edit: Should have read, just did the AC ones for peace of mind. Ill probably reuse those.

Edited April 24, 2019 by jrob56

RACERX7775 · April 24, 2019

I figured for $21, its cheap insurance for me to not have an issue later.

reelbusy · April 24, 2019

If you diy couple things (i didn't have to do my truck as it's under warr but just replaced the condenser on the kid hauler).

Local stores may only have 134a in leak proof cans they seal off when the tap is removed, your traditional tap needs an adaptor, the one i had was irritating like eco gas cans. While i like the idea needs better execution, maybe there are better ones. Those stunk. The dupont freon only ones i got off amazon were easy to flow out of the can with traditional tap (night and day difference).

1 hour vac leak down test may or may not show a slow leak. It's testing under a vacuum but not pressure. I had to refill twice, my gauge wouldn't move in a couple hours even, it was only after a few months it went hot again that i thought to check the condenser (i had added dye) and saw the leak.

Lots of youtube videos on this, but the leakproof or whatever you call them cans add complexity to making sure you purge the line, it's really easy to get confused as it's another knob to turn, another possible leak point (and the cheap plastic adaptor is that cheap) and closing the tap does not close the adaptor and can. If you buy a typical cheap gauge set off amazon,etc calibrate the gauge, don't over tighten the hoses to the manifold (if your gauge goes to full retard when pulling a vacuum that's likely what you did). When pulling a vac if you want to be sure your lines are clear to the ac valve connects and you're pulling vac there, just remove the hose and push in and make sure it's pulling air at that point (it's noticeable from a change in pitch of the vac pump)

Somewhere in docs will be a recommendation to if you replace the consider to add an oz or so of pag oil.

Anyways no idea on the truck but the kid hauler was easy 30 minutes to flip it out tops and then pull a vac for an hour, wait an hour, then recharge.

Hardest part is the small cans are tough to weigh and that's the correct way, but whatever the truck takes hopefully works out pretty even adding in a bit of loss left in the can and small amount for purging the yellow line when you put a new can on (but the dupont cans went out really easy! i couldn't get those leak cans to flow out for squat without a bit of warming).

Yotaman · April 24, 2019

Does this condition eventually happen to all 2014's ? I have one with 53,000 miles and AC seems fine just wondering if I am on borrowed time. Is there anything to do on a preventative side to stop or slow down the cracking of the condenser ?

Thanks,

Yotaman

RACERX7775 · April 24, 2019

There is nothing you can do. I have 91,000 on mine and it was the original unit. Ive read where some were brand new and replaced again after 6 months.. So I think I was lucky.

jrob56 · April 24, 2019

3 hours ago, Yotaman said:

Does this condition eventually happen to all 2014's ? I have one with 53,000 miles and AC seems fine just wondering if I am on borrowed time. Is there anything to do on a preventative side to stop or slow down the cracking of the condenser ?

Thanks,

Yotaman

I thought I was lucky, but got a leak in the same spot as everyone else, weld from dryer to condenser. Cross your fingers and deal with it one day unfortunately. 2014 75k miles

jrob56 · April 24, 2019

2 hours ago, RACERX7775 said:

There is nothing you can do. I have 91,000 on mine and it was the original unit. Ive read where some were brand new and replaced again after 6 months.. So I think I was lucky.

I saw one post where this was exaggerated, but no confirmed owner doing it that soon. I may go aftermarket though, given the volume of issues with GM condensers. Think many DIY's are going this route.