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  #1  
Old 06-02-2010, 02:21 PM
WANT '71 280SEL's Avatar
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Anyone upgraded to a parallel flow condenser in a 116?

The clutch on my A/C compressor seems to have barely come in contact with the engine fan. This is on my '75 450SELYou can take the thin disc piece and move it about a half inch off center with your hand. It seems that the engine fan is already pretty close to the compressor clutch, but I'm not sure if the clutch failed first, letting the disc swing up and hit the fan, or if the fan hit the clutch, breaking it. Any ideas?

Anyway, these compressors are relatively cheap (A6). I'm trying to track down a mounting bracket to mount a Sanden compressor since they're a rotary compressor and much more efficient than the A6. I assume I'm not lucky enough that a Sanden bolts up to A6 using the same bracket?

Now for the main point of my post, I want to install a parallel flow condenser. The system will be opened anyway for the new compressor (my current compressor works, btw. and cools) so this is the time to do any and all work. I'm curious to hear if anyone else has done it and what size they used as well as what sort of modification they did.

I hope all is well with everyone and that your cars are keeping YOU cool. Mine, on the other hand, isn't cutting off heat so it overpowered the A/C before the clutch blew up. To make everything worse, I put a cap in the water feed line to the core temporarily and now I have fluid coming out of the core return line. Enough that I lost all my fluid and almost overheated. I'll get this issue sorted out today (thanks DiametricalBen )

It's been a fun trip owning this car, but like all others, it needs some minor things worked out to make it perfect to me.

Regards,

David

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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  #2  
Old 06-02-2010, 02:51 PM
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I put a Sanden compressor and a parallel flow condenser in my W116 280SE earlier this year. I also upgraded the hoses to barrier hoses. I don't remember the size I used as I had a spare condenser sitting on my shelf. Just measure the space and leave about 3" for the fittings.

Nostalgic Air parts (http://www.nostalgicairparts.com/) sells the York to Sanden adapter if you think that would work with the A6. They also sell universal mounts if you are in the mood to go that route.
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  #3  
Old 06-02-2010, 04:49 PM
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What makes a barrier hose a barrier hose? Was there a drastic change in cooling after the upgrade? Finally, what did you have to do to make the Sanden bolt up where the A6 used to be?

Thanks,

David
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  #4  
Old 06-02-2010, 05:49 PM
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Barrier hoses are typically required for conversion to R-134, but work very well with R-12 as well. There is an actual membrane in the hose which keeps the molecules from migrating through the hose. Barrier hose is about all you can find today.

My car had the York compressor so it was simply an exercise in bolting on the adapter and then attaching the compressor to it. I have limited experience with the A6 but it can't be all that hard if you have the right tools.

It's hard to compare the before and after (the before was in the Fall when it's much cooler here) but with the Sanden compressor and the parallel condenser I have not had any issues with cooling. I have had issues with the ACC servo adding heat when it's not needed but that's another issue. The barrier hoses should all but elminate any need to top off the freon.

I recommend R-12 over R-134. It's the same price, if not cheaper, and works very well.
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  #5  
Old 06-02-2010, 10:40 PM
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For the hoses, did you just order the fittings and rubber hose and have a hose shop fabricate the lines?

Finally, when you say no problems with cooling, do you know what your vent temps are? How long would you say it takes your car to get down to a comfortable level at, say, a high ambient temp like 80°F?

Regards,

David
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  #6  
Old 06-02-2010, 11:28 PM
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I bought the fittings and made the hoses myself, but I have the special crimper. If you don't have a crimper and don't want to invest in one, I recommend http://rayeveritt.com/Parts/Hoses/Hoses.html for hoses. You just figure out what you need and they will make it up.

At 80 degrees ambient, with the car idling in my driveway and a thermometer in the center vent, the temperature of the air coming out starts to drop within 15 seconds. The car begins to cool immediately but ultimately how fast the car reaches the desired temperature is primarily a function of vehicle speed (air across the condenser) and engine speed (compressor rpm).
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Old 06-02-2010, 11:58 PM
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I wonder if we could pull a bracket that is close enough from a junkyard car since so many other cars use Sanden compressors.
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  #8  
Old 06-03-2010, 11:32 AM
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Thorsen: thanks for the link. I think that will make getting custom hoses much easier than I originally thought. My last remaining concern is the variation of metric and SAE fittings. Then again, since I'm using a generic condenser and Sanden compressor, won't those fittings all be standard? Looking at the Ray's website, they don't have a whole lot for metric fittings.

Diametrical: http://www.apairinc.com/iView.asp?Cat=Compressor%20Conversion%20Kits&Scat=Engine%20Mounting%20Brackets. This site has a couple adapter kits, one of which is specifically designed for retrofitting a Sanden compressor to an A6 bracket. The A6 is very long, so this bracket really just extends the mounts and moves them to the proper place so it has the same mount configuration as the A6.

Regards,

David
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  #9  
Old 06-03-2010, 11:36 AM
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Looking at the hose fitting options, and not wanting to order improper hoses and fittings, I think I'll just bolt up my condenser and compressor and find a shop to whom I can take the car and let them make up hoses or at least tell me what I need for fittings. The step-down and other various o-ring fittings are a bit confusing.

Thanks for all your help, Thorsen.

Regards,

David
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  #10  
Old 06-03-2010, 11:56 AM
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I have re-hosed (is that even a word?) two old Mercedes, an old Audi, and an old VW and have never seen a metric fitting. What I did was buy one of each fitting (6,8,10 & 12) and use those to verify the size before I ordered. On every car I have re-hosed I always get at least one fitting wrong and have to re-order. On the 116 I had to re-order 3 times, so I know what you mean when you say they are confusing.
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  #11  
Old 06-03-2010, 01:57 PM
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Thorsen, I'll soon be returning to my home of Ft. Wayne, IN. How far are you from there? If it's not too bad, and if I get the hoses and fittings, any chance I could hire your services to crimp the fittings?

Regards,

David
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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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  #12  
Old 06-03-2010, 04:06 PM
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I'm about 4 hours away. You'd probably be better off finding a local shop to do it.
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  #13  
Old 07-17-2010, 11:35 PM
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Thorsen

I have a 72 280CE and it appears that the condenser has gone for a walk. MB wants about $1300 for a new one which is a chunk of change. Where did you end up sourcing your parallel flow condenser?

All the best

Al
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Al
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  #14  
Old 07-18-2010, 11:33 AM
Yak Yak is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alabbasi View Post
Thorsen

I have a 72 280CE and it appears that the condenser has gone for a walk. MB wants about $1300 for a new one which is a chunk of change. Where did you end up sourcing your parallel flow condenser?

All the best

Al
Some here:

http://www.ackits.com/c/Parallel/Parallel+Flow+Condensers+-+Aluminum.html

And info on fittings here: http://www.rayeveritt.com/Fittings/10Fittings.htm

Note that metric fittings have a notch on the nut faces. I'm pretty sure "metric" refers to the thread and not the size wrench. An A/C expert will correct that if I'm wrong.

My W123 uses SAE fittings, but I work on it with metric wrenches.

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