Found a crack on my condenser yesterday... tiny hole bubbling with oil. That probably explains why my AC performance, weak to begin with, deteriorated to non-existant recently.

So I'm shopping around for a new condenser. I'm also going to replace the compressor and the hoses (all original now, and both Schrader valves are apparently leaking, although caps seem to mitigate it), and the receiver-dryer, while at it. I don't want to get another OEM condenser though, I want to get a parallel flow unit, for more cooling capacity.

I've read about other people's experiences with aftermarket PF condensers in MB cars, and it seems like manufacturing custom hoses would be a hassle, but it's doable. What I couldn't figure out is the maximum size of a condenser that could be installed in a 126. From previous posts, a 14 x 22.5" condenser apparently fits comfortably in a 123 body, and if one can get a 16 x 22.5" unit, that will fit too. A stock condenser in a 126 is about 16 x 26", so it would seem like one can attempt fitting a larger unit in there -- and size does matter! What is unclear to me is how much room is necessary for custom hose hookups. For instance, acsource.com offers a 15.5 x 24.75" PF condenser which looks enticing. Will it fit? Or am I too greedy?

Thanks

CARLISLE AUTO AIR
6411 San Pedro Ave
San Antonio, TX USA
Phone: (210) 377-3377
Fax: (210) 341-2229
info@carlisleautoair.com
www.caawparts.com

Ask for John...

And since you are doing it up right... consider the high performance Spal fan for your aux fan...then wire it to run all the time your ac is turned on...

rurik,

I used the 15.5" X 24.75" on my 300SD. I had to use a die grinder on the radiator support area by the left headlight to provide a little relief for one of the custom hoses. It was a tight fit!!

The PF condensr doesn't have the nice vertical access fittings of the OEM; they come straight off the side and this complicates it, but the oil cooler is not covered badly

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__________________
The Golden Rule

1984 300SD (bought new, sold it in 1988, bought it back 13 yrs. later)

I'll get in touch with those guys. Unfortunately, guys at ackits.com said they have no direct experience with 126s... They'd sell me the fittings, but it's up to me to get hoses cut and crimped.

I was in fact checking out SPAL fans just the other day (inspired by one of your earlier posts -- many of them, in fact). They have a lot of interesting-looking stuff... but for some reason all guys who sell Spal on ebay on a permanent basis have a lot of negative feedback. What concerns me a great deal about an after-market high-CFM fan is the current draw. A high-end Spal could draws 36A Somehow I doubt that my car's electrical subsystem could pony up that much without major repercussions -- don't know how much current the stock fan normally draws, but I seem to remember that schematics show the fan motor being fed through a 16A fuse. A more modest fan would be perfectly doable -- but I don't know the CFM rating of the stock fan, so it's not clear what one should aim for.

cool! do you have any pictures of the installed unit, by any chance? I'm curious how you went about mounting it, and how the hoses are routed. Also, if you saved the specs on those custom hoses, that would be really nice, too.

I believe that Carlisle sells the Spal...and has custom fittings also... pretty much one stop shopping on AC stuff... and they are close enough to drive to...

rurik,

I had a friend's shop crimp the hoses after I had mocked them up with bulk hose cut to fit, with the fittings held on with duct tape

Even then, I had to redo the one a little longer and , embarrassingly, I had forgotten to include a high side port , but all ended well. As I remember, you need to drop down one fitting size, also. (like a #8 fitting in a #10 hose...they make them). If you can find a #10 hose to #8 beadlock, 90º with an integral R-12 port, I never could.

I'll try to remember to take a picture tomorrow when it's light out (after work). If you PM me a phone #, I'll try to call after you've seen the picture and make it more clear than I'm able to in writing.

If you've got a shop like Carlisle close by they will be an invaluable asset in finding the oddball beadlock fitting and crimping. I'd still mock-up myself, though. Check Apco (manufacture) A/C fitting website for a catalog of what they make.

__________________
The Golden Rule

1984 300SD (bought new, sold it in 1988, bought it back 13 yrs. later)

Flash card reader glitched in computer, I'll try again this evening.

__________________
The Golden Rule

1984 300SD (bought new, sold it in 1988, bought it back 13 yrs. later)

Top fitting is a #8 to a #10 hose. Lower is a #6 fitting to a #8? hose. Ignore the oil and dye explosion from high side gauge fitting letting go. Relay is for engine temp and compressor control of aux. fan.

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__________________
The Golden Rule

1984 300SD (bought new, sold it in 1988, bought it back 13 yrs. later)

Very interesting. Looks like you cut off the stock compressor outlet hose, and had what remains of it crimped? It's logical, now that I look at it, but it does make it harder to have a remote shop (a shop in San Antonio is not exactly a local one in my case) make it, unless I'm buying the compressor manifold hoses from them too. I was thinking of having two hoses made that fit onto the existing compressor outlet hose and R/D connections, but having seen how the condenser sits in the car, I realize that connecting the stock compressor outlet hose to the condenser would be quite awkward (although perhaps a curiously shaped metal elbow could work? Then I'd keep the stock high side port...). I guess I'll just buy the condenser separately and will look for a local shop to do the crimping once I have a mockup done.

Anyone knows a reputable AC shop in N/NW Austin?

You are not really needing an AC shop are you ? A generic Hose Making shop will charge you less for what you need....
Should be an ' airquipt ' hose supplier or similar close by...