206 1.6 HDi radiator / air con condensor replacement.

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onthecut
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206 1.6 HDi radiator / air con condensor replacement.

Post by onthecut »

Well, decided to bite the bullet having got my new condensor and fitted it today. Bit fiddly, but yes, it can be done without bumper removal, grille removal or complete fan carrier removal. For me, it worked out like this.

Undo and remove the four push fit clips that secure the upper part of the front grille assembly to the rad carrier. Remove the two 10mm bolts each end that secure the top of the rad carrier to the slam panel. Not sure how much effect this had, but every tiny bit of extra movement is worth having. Undo and remove the top and bottom radiator hose from the rad. Remove the bleed hose at the other end of the rad. header tank. (Really easy -- just squeeze the clips and lift out). Undo and remove the two clips that engage the radiator top mounting lugs. Undo and remove the two bolts that secure the air intake pipe to the top of the rad; unclip the pipe from its peg mount, lift it out of the airbox spigot and put it out of the way.

Assuming you have had the aircon degassed (or it's degassed itself !), remove the two pipes that connect to the condensor. (Next to the intercooler). Each pipe is secured by one 10 mm nut on a stud. It's fairly tight to get at them, but it is doable. I was lucky -- both my pipes pulled out easily and cleanly. Carefully angle the top of the rad in toward the engine (don't force it); this will let the condensor lean in also, at which point you can remove the condensor top rubber mount bushes. The real niggle with the condensor is that it is mounted on eyes rather than pins at the bottom, so it is not possible to pull it straight up. The next niggle (although maybe this depends on the make of radiator and condensor) is that the radiator, which has to come out first, just fouls the bottom edge of the receiver dyer, fouls a little on the lower pipe boss on the condensor and can't quite be pushed far enough into the engine bay to clear these as it also fouls on the compressor air con pipe.

With the help of another pair of hands however, it can be done. With the car jacked up at the front, get down to the bottom of the rad, taking with you a broad flat bladed screwdriver or similar to use as a lever. With you topside helper lifting gently at your direction, carefully lever the radiator bottom mounting pins out of their bushes. Be careful -- it's a plastic bottom end. Mine came out with modest effort and this seemingly then let the condensor move in toward the engine enough to disengage the lower eye mounts. We were then able to carefully withdraw upwards both the rad and condensor together, although it took a tad of leverage to get them past the rad carrier on the passenger side.

For reassembly, you must put the condensor in place first as it will otherwise be impossible to engage the lower mounting eyes. Refitting the radiator seemd slightly easier than removing it, but again, a second pair of hands was helpful as I was able to be underneath to persuade the rad bottom pins into their sockets. As I was fitting a new condensor, I was also able to leave out the studs which secure the pipes until after the rad was in place. Otherwise, in the immortal words of Mr. Haynes, reassembly is the reverse of dismantling.I presume the official way of doing it is to remove the entire radiator carrier assembly; whether in the end that would have been quicker or easier I wouldn't like to say.

When you refill the cooling system, be sure to check the level once the cars been out and up to temperature as it seems only then does it fully circulate the coolant. Mine just doesn't get anywhere near full circulation temperature ticking over on the drive, seemingly no matter how long you leave it.

Mike.
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Re: 206 1.6 HDi radiator / air con condensor replacement.

Post by spider »

Great write up thanks. :)

Regarding the cooling system on the 8v TU petrol units on these, if you can unhook the "bottle" and raise it slightly (some models have enough movement in the pipework to allow this), earlier ones usually as its not the solid plastic 'return' pipe, this can help as the extra 'gravity' from the bottle being higher helps.

Similar to how on the 205 TU you could *ahem* move the bottle almost right up and hook it (with a bit of care) onto the underside of the bonnet.
Andy.

91 205D-Turbo, gone but still missed
02 106D, TUD5B, gone but not really missed apart from the MPG
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