A/C condenser Grrr

Unread post by **xantia_v6** » 23 Aug 2009, 17:19

It looks like the A/C condensor on my Mk1 Xantia has spung a leak.

Yesterday, I noticed a new oil stain on the driveway where the front of the car sits, but the A/C was still working. Today, the compressor is running, but there are bubbles in the sight glass and no cooling.

There were droplets of yellow oil on the bottom of the front bumper, and on pulling it off, the bottom corner of the condenser below the connector flange wet with oil. I can't see the exact point where it is leaking, but it looks to be more likely the condenser itself than the connector.

I have a used condensor that looks OK that came off an earlier Xantia, is there any reason that wouldn't fit?

New condensers seem cheap enough (£59 delivered from ECP), I suppose they are chinese, but hey ho.

I will get my local KwikFit to degas the system, then I will will fit the condenser (and a fan motor) myself. Then get it regassed. I suppose the condensor coupling needs O-rings?

vanny · Unread post by **vanny** » 23 Aug 2009, 18:40

buy new, safest way to go (i mean all the leak down testing, regassing and taking the car apart again is going to cost £60?), and i doubt very much that its made in China, theres a lot more radiators and condensors and evaporators and heater matricies made in Europe than there are in China. (thats not to say it isnt chinese alloy!)

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 23 Aug 2009, 21:49

I agree Vanny, go new.

Having seen the state of the condenser in a car Xac and I have been dismantling today, there is no way I'd even consider a second-hand one, especially given the complex job it is to swap it.

Unread post by **xantia_v6** » 27 Aug 2009, 07:14

I had suspected that my condenser had been stressed when I changed a fan last year, but on inspection, it is clearly a victim of salted roads. The paint has peeled from the alloy manifold tube, and it is badly pitted, and has just gone porous.

Due to work and weather, it is not back together yet, but maybe today.

Unread post by **xantia_v6** » 01 Sep 2009, 21:26

vanny wrote: i doubt very much that its made in China, theres a lot more radiators and condensors and evaporators and heater matricies made in Europe

To finish the story, the new condenser is made in Argentina (didn't see that coming

).
System refilled and cooling much better than it has for the last 6 months, funny how you don't notice the performance slowly degrade.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 01 Sep 2009, 21:54

A bit like my V6 radiator, made in Spain

Pleased all is now good on the A/C front. I hope there will be plenty of warm days to enjoy it. For me, I desparately want to get a new heater matrix in my V6 as I feel a distinct need of heat!