Any suggestions on how to get the ac lines unstuck from the compressor? The compressor is currently soaking in pb blaster and sitting on the front sway bar with the lines frozen to the threaded stud.
I've replaced a dozen compressors in the past month and mine has to be the one to give me problems.
I'm done with not having ac so I installed a new condensor, receiver/drier, orifice tube, seals, and as soon as the compressor is on, I can hook it up to the machine and get it going for once.
If freeze off did not work, I am at a loss. There are seals under the clamping plate, but I do not know if the aluminum will withstand being pried off. The aluminum is mostly dead soft.
You may have to hit the local junk yard for a replacement. They are usually easy to remove, and the yards do not charge a whole lot for them. Most of the time they pop right off, especially if someone left the refrigerant in the system.
Yep, just did this over the weekend. If you look at your Condensor in front of the Rad, the 2 Metal Hard Lines coming off of it go into the engine bay and attach to the other AC Hoses right next to the Battery.
The orifice Tube is in the Lower Hard Line of the compressor right next to the Battery. If you remove the hose and look in the line you should see a Plastic "+" looking part which is the Orifice Tube. They sell a special tool to reach in and hook it to pull it out. I've usually just used Needle Nose Plyers to reach in and grab it.
However, this time I just ended up pushing it further into the line making it difficult to grab with the plyers. I looked at the new Orifice Tube to see how I could "hook" the old 1 to pull it out. I just took a little piece of welding wire, put a small bend in the end to form a hook and reached in with that until I was able to hook the tube and pull it right out. She was dirty as heck and always a good idea to replace once the system is apart.
Aluminum and steel together become "alumi-steel." Just kidding, but this metal mismatch is almost always a disaster. Aluminum oxidizes easily and the iron oxide from steel and aluminum oxide practically reform themselves into a new material. Ever try and unthread an aluminum fitting from steel? It's important to use an anti-oxidation compound between dissimilar metals (always). Especially in electrical connections. If it's just the aluminum that has oxidized, you can usually break this joint by striking the material and shattering the oxide (glass). This was the basis with the freeze spray suggestion ... cause the materials to cool and shrink at differing rates and separate. Heat is more effective, but that's your call on hitting your compressor with a torch.
Regardless, I'd toss the line if it's not coming off easily. It may be pitted and that'll just allow for leaks. Put some anti-oxide paste on the threaded stud when you reassemble.
I had replaced the condensor and it already had an orifice tube installed in the line so now I have an extra, lol.
For the ac lines, I ordered a new pair from rockauto for $32. The old ones finally came off once the compressor/lines were out but at that point I didn't trust them anymore. I bolted the lines to the new compressor and snaked them into place. The lines being on their also helped not spill the oil from the compressor.
I've been driving with ice cold ac for almost 2 weeks now and it's like having a new car.
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