I have a 1992 Ford Explorer. At the front of the car is the Radiator, the Transmission cooler, the Engine oil cooler, and The Air conditioner cooler.
I recently encountered a pole, and the bumper folded and went through all four coolers. The AC has not had any coolant for years. I had to replace the transmission and oil coolers with new ones and there is now not enough room for them.
The AC cooler is taking up space, and also is impeding airflow because it is totally clogged with leaves and dirt. I only need AC for about a week during the summer, and it does not work anyways. I wish to remove the Air Conditioner cooler to allow for more room, can I just remove it and leave the rest of the AC system alone? Also how do I disconnect the tubes from it? they do not seem to have threads or any connection I am familiar with
Is a hack Saw or pipe cutting tool my easiest option? Thanks for any suggestions!
Once you open the system, air and moisture comes in and can damage the rest of the system. Assuming it is not yet open, and if you cut it, then there will be more damage done to the rest of the system. I suggest you have it fixed right or just take it out and don’t bother with the A/C at all.
Cutting into a presserized system can be dangerous no matter what tools you might use.The system has several holes and is not pressurized…
The whole Air Conditioning system needs replacing before it would work… It used the old coolant, and I cannot find anywhere local that can charge it. The system has not been pressurized for several years, and there are several hundred dollars in leaks. The cooler has a 2 inch diameter hole, and several diagonal cracks through all pipes.
I am in need of instructions on removing the whole system, or just the Air Conditioning Cooler from near the radiator.
Does anyone know where i can find disassembly instructions? would just cutting the pipes do any damage to other car systems? it does not work and needs replacing anyways, would cutting the pipes and removing the cooler harm anything?
also, if I remove the whole AC, how do I deal with the belt? it currently goes to the ac which is why I just wanted to remove the cooler and leave the rest.
thanks for any suggestions.
seems to me you should be able to just remove the AC cooler and associated hoses with no problems. They are not connected to any other car systems.
Ok, any easy way to disconnect the tubing that goes from the cooler to the other AC stuff?
none of the connections seem to twist apart, and I cannot get them to separate… hack saw or pipe cutter?
if needed I can post pictures, I just need to get a camera.
thanks for the replies!
Just cut the lines at the A/C condenser. Use whichever tool is easier. The only problem you may encounter is the way the other parts are mounted to the radiator support panel. They may rely on the condenser mounts. You may have to get a little creative.
also, if I remove the whole AC, how do I deal with the belt?
As long as the compressor bearings hold out, there’s no real benefit to removing it. I had an older car with a completely dead AC system and then the compressor bearings started to go so I pulled it. Then I took a length of string and ran it around all of the remaining pulleys to find the length of belt I would need. A helper makes it easier because they can hold the tensioner in position while you measure the length of belt required. I went to the parts store and asked for a belt for that car without AC. They carried one but none in stock. So I took my piece of string and checked the ones they did have and found a suitable replacement. Ran it like that for a few years before finally getting rid of it.