ML270 Air Conditioning

[joderest]

Hi all.
Ever since owning the "lump" I have had to have the air con re gassed every year, it had a very slow leak, it goes down to a point where there is still a little bit of gas left, I suspect the pressure of s fresh re-gas opens the leak, when it gets right down it self seals again.
Anyway, this year it only lasted 6 weeks, so have now decided to fix. I suspect the 18 year old condenser, as it looks very suspect in places, so that's first thing to replace.
I cannot find anything on line about removal of condenser, it appears to be in the middle of the two other rads, water,/ intercooler perhaps. It appears that it just lifts out when pipes released, but can't confirm that. I know it's headlights out and slam panel off.
Anyone done one of these ?

 

[Bogus]

Would it not be better to get it checked first, so that the leakage can be identified, prior to randomly changing parts ?

 

[Flyinspanner]

On refills if they put in the UV dye, finding the leaks is easy with a ‘black light’ as the dye will flourese.

Search woucher/groupon for air con regas deals, often £39.

Had the CLK done in the spring at ATS, there if it fails the leak test they don’t charge for it, you go away, fix and return for your refill.

 

[joderest]

I hate computers, just written all this and it disappeared !!!!!!!.
I understand what you say, but I already knew the condenser had a leak.

Had a go this morning, but I am very slow at the moment and have to take a lot of rests, I also have to be very careful about cutting myself due to the drugs I am on, spent a week in hospital three weeks ago, this is first job I have done since getting home. If I had been normal, was about an hour's or so work, as it was, took me four hours.

First, remove headlights, then slam panel, just tip it back on to engine cover. Next remove the clips holding hoses onto inter cooler, then remove the four small bolts that hold the inter cooler and condenser to the main radiator. ( I had to cut two out as all four very rusty, angle grinder your best friend there). Remove the sensor plug from intercooler and then lift it out and away from the car.
There are two plastic fixings that go through the condenser and main radiator that hold two small rubber spacers in place. These need to be removed, I broke both of them, but have figured out another way to hold the rubber spacers in place.
Next remove the top connection to the condenser, the bolt was very tight, and was loctighted in from new. The bottom connection cannot be got at without removing bumper, which I did not want to do, so cheated and removed other end of pipe from dryer. Lift out the condenser, then remove lower connection and set pipe to one side.

The condenser is the original, it has been leaking from under the right hand side fixing bracket, quite a mess there, it also fell apart when I lifted it out due to corrosion. So was well past its sell by.
New one on the way, there was a choice of two for car, so 50/50 chance of correct one.
£100 for part, £40 for re-gas.
It will also take me a while to put new one in, as I am very slow. Writing this sitting in the shade in rear garden with feet in a cold trough of water, bliss.

In case you have not guessed, had a stroke caused by a heart problem. May have to cut back on car fixing.

 

[Wighty]

Talking to an car air-con guy (on my driveway) a few weeks ago , there have been a lot of advancements in leak seal being added to aircon systems , that now don’t block everything up like they used to . They just circulate till they find any very small leaks and seal when they meet air .
Probably the same way leak seal additives have improved with house central heating systems .
May help your decision making

 

[joderest]

Cheers, but condenser well welled any repair.

 

[joderest]

I really hate predictive text.
Condenser well passed any repair.

 

[Wighty]

I really hate predictive text.
Condenser well passed any repair.

I knew what you meant

 

[joderest]

The mess a long term air con leak makes is quite eye opening, like a greasy corrosion type of thing, it also softened all the paint under the bracket.
The condenser was in bits at the bottom, quite surprised it held gas for six weeks.
All the seals look ok on the pipes, will give them a wipe with silicon oil before putting back together.

 

[davemercedes]

Hello Joderest!

I hope you manage to sort it out (mostly by yourself because you can slap yourself on the back)! I'm lucky to have a local garage where the manager is the aircon specialist so I get a top up every 1-2 years without any drama.

Funny. only yesterday I was talking with my BIL (with whom I used to strip parts needed off dumped cars nearby (happy days fifty years ago)... and I was reminiscing how we used to regard aircon as a total "unnecessary luxury" all those years ago. Nowadays of course I run with climate control on all the time, come rain or shine!

 

[joderest]

Yep, agree, used to think air con was for idiots, now, saves having to carry leather in winter to keep screen fog free.
And I do like the cold in weather like this.
We all change

 

[MinionBob]

Hi, if you are replacing the condenser, it is good practice, no, essential to replace the receiver dryer too to remove moisture from the system. They are not much $$

 

[joderest]

Yes, it was only £16.
Having nightmare with delivery of condenser, should have been here yesterday, still waiting.

 

[MinionBob]

Always something crops up to delay or extend a job!

 

[joderest]

Well, it turned up in the end, 21.00 last night.
Got up and started fitting it at 07.00 this morning to avoid heat, then took it to air con man for re charge, all seems to be good.
One thing, I bought a fairly decent condenser, the paperwork that came with it stated hydrogen tested, make sure gas still in condenser, when I released one of the seals the gas hissed out. This means no damage in transit, which was reassuring, and it came with new green o rings.
I could have bought a cheap one for a quarter of the price.