I appreciate the offer on the manifolds. I a replacment, but I may take you up if I have some other ideas on it.

Your choice to not use the manifolds was the correct choice, I was just stubborn. But I do think I will continue to be stubborn and make this work. In this thread, I posted about the crack and using Envirosafe.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/367931-enviro-safe-r12a-users-qs-moisture.html#post3470310
I was thinking I may end up with another crack and I would rather leak something more environmental friendly into the atmosphere. Oh well I guess I should of followed my gut.

Anyways, vibration is an issue. I did make a bracket to hold the manifold line down. That was not shown in the mock up picture. But I think my fabricated sheet metal bracket is not strong enough.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1468943977
I do have another idea for another bracket, just got to fabricate it.


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I pushed the condenser forward a bit to make rather large gap between the radiator and condenser. Eventually I wanted to have a custom air to water intercooler radiator tucked into there. But there is virtually a minimal gap for the w126 fan.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...nstall123a.jpg

Here is some discussion about it.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/377850-86-91-w126-aux-fan-into-w123-300d.html#post3598398


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It seems a good idea to reduce the mass of the current manifold (which looks huge in the pic) by making a custom one. Why be stubborn?

It was basically a challenge I had to myself to make the current parts I have work. You start by buying a rear compressor head plate, then replace the hose on the manifold and next you think your all in on that design. At this point, I can say I tried it. I will evaluate my next move.

OK, I see. I would have done the same in the same situation.

Thanks. I cant push my 20x24 condenser forward because it is very close to the drivers side headlight frame already. I will try a w126 unit and maybe make longer clamps to push it back towards the consenser. My understanding is thst you want the shroud as close to the condenser as possible to force air through the condenser, though I probably dont want it directly in contact since the fins on the condenser are so delicate.

Thanks.

The other thought is you can always make or adapt a fan shroud to your new potential electric fan.


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Hey deliveryvalve, what does it take to remove the stock condenser in my 85? I have just about everything removed: aux fan out, driver head light out, radiator and oil cooler unmounted and pushed back. The condenser is locked in place by the top core support, bottom supports and head light brackets left and right, and won't come out the front or back. Does the bumper and the lower cross members have to come out? The FSM is no use, instructions for condenser removal is only in ACC I and it simply does not work.

Interesting that this is the only thread I was able to find by google search regarding how the AC condenser is removed. http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/93620-condenser-removal-have-take-out-radiator.html

"For the record, the condenser does NOT like to come out the front. If you want to keep your condenser in good shape after you remove it, don't try pulling it out the front. I had to do a little bending and scraping to get mine out that way (fortunately for me, I'm tossing it anyway)."

I ended up removing the entire radiator assembly (water, oil, trans) to get enough room to pull the condenser and install the 16x24 PF. I found its easier to take out the whole assembly as one piece than try to reattach the oil cooler to the others in place.

I was mistaken, I missed the part in the FSM 83-528 chapter which is found in ACC I only where it says to drain AC system and coolant and remove radiator

https://www.startekinfo.com/StarTek/outside/12265/disc_2/program/Climate/83-528.pdf

A really stupid design when they could have designed it to come out the front w/o removing the radiator by simply rearranging the 4 mounting points.

funola, Sorry I missed this, but great you are able to figure it out.


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Working on a W123 AC has to be one of the most difficult and frustrating task. It has parts all over the car, many in difficult to access places, requires special tools and knowledge.

I am nearing the end and we'll see if I will be successful. Most of my parts are here, o-rings, schrader valves, PAO 68 oil, TXV, receiver dryer. Still waiting for the compressor step washers, hope they are the right ones. I am re-using the old compressor, hoses, evaporator, condenser which I have tested to be all good. We shall see.

Did you attempt to clean out your evaporator? It seems more often or not they are filled with junk.


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Yes twice, about a year apart. First time was with a garden hose. Most recent time I rigged up a WaterPik Flosser on an extension handle (solid 10 gauge copper house wiring) and spent 1/2 hour blasting away with LA Awesome cleaner. The stuff that came out was not that dirty. I am sure I did not get 100% of it since that are some tight spots that cannot be reached. I looked in there with a Borescope and of the places I can see, it was clean. Next time I do it I'll make a special right angle tip for the Waterpik so I can go in deeper and get to more of the evaporator.

After seeing how clogged mine was, I can't imagine that any non-invasive cleaning could get it completely clean. It's your car, but honestly it takes about 4 hours to pull the dash and dismantle the evaporator housing once you've got the hang of it, and really a good chunk of time for me this time was just getting the heater hoses off.

^^^I would have to agree with that taking it apart is the only way to cleaning it thoroughly.

Although I have to say, the HVAC box I pulled from the wrecking yard had surprisingly minimal debris inside and the evaporator looked really good. You might be lucky that way.

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