Technical Punto Air conditioning system. Variation 4.

[judderbar]

Hi Can anybody tell me where the expansion valve and drier are on this type of air conditioning system?

Is it part of the condensor?

Thanks

Andrew

 

[judderbar]

I made a bit of progress. The local scrap parts dealer had the condenser and showed me how to get the dryer out from the end of the condenser under the large circlip. I am wondering if these dryers can be reconditioned just by heating for a few hours..........

 

[judderbar]

the drier container comes apart quite easily by angling the rod, There is a fairly strong spring inside holding a rubber washer against the drying agent. It might be zeolite. It is horribly smelly when heated at 220C in the house oven so I gave up on that. I think it will be fine if i pull a vacuum on it for a few days

 

[GrandePunto PL]

In general you can buy desiccant ("molecular sieve") materials, grains like that (different grades, sizes designed to absorb specific chemicals).
They do go bad and regeneration (heating up + under vacuum if you can) doesn't help much (need new batch).
If you can replace it (there is an access mechanically, to do so), go for it.

Don't heat it up in the gas oven... One of the combustion products is water.
Heating things up does NOT automatically mean you're drying (hot air can store more moisture - that's why you need a heating AND ventilation in your home, especially during winter time).

 

[judderbar]

In general you can buy desiccant ("molecular sieve") materials, grains like that (different grades, sizes designed to absorb specific chemicals).
They do go bad and regeneration (heating up + under vacuum if you can) doesn't help much (need new batch).
If you can replace it (there is an access mechanically, to do so), go for it.

Don't heat it up in the gas oven... One of the combustion products is water.
Heating things up does NOT automatically mean you're drying (hot air can store more moisture).

Yes things are easier if you can find a replacement that you know is going to be safe inside your difficult to repair, expensive to replace air conditioning system. And worse here in Finland it is hard for me to buy anything that I know I can rely upon. Today I was very pleased the car dealer could tell me where I can get HNBR O rings.

I dont have a gas oven.

Meanwhile I am just going to remove the drier from my working but leaking A/C, put it in the second hand condenser and pull a vacuum on it until it gets recharged with R134A and be reasonably confidant it will be sufficiently good

 

[judderbar]

Some pictures.

1. Seals for the condensor, they have a double seal, and compressor oil. The same product without the UV is supposedly exact equivalent of Denso ND08. As per Elearn I added 40ml because the condensor was changed. My original filter was totally clean - compared to the one I took out from the second hand condensor which was covered in black stuff.

2. That small part the other guy was looking for that goes between the condensor fitting and the pressure sensor. It has a schrader valve so you can change the sensor without losing your R134A

3. Broken bolts from the condensor. Getting the condensor fittings off with half the bolts remaining was very difficult. I tried hammering them out as there is a tiny edge on the fitting sticking out from the condensor but nothing happened at all. Just had to spend a long time wiggling.

4. The expansion valve is sticking out from the firewall. The pipes bolt onto it.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

In 2003/04 I installed airconditioning in the mondeo I owned at the time. I used all second hand parts including the dryer.
The condenser came out of a front damaged car and was bent in the middle, but it straightened out.

Anyway the whole system held pressure and was used without issue for 3/4 years till it met an unfortunate end when I encountered a large deer at 50mph on halloween.

So I have never worried too much about the dryer in aircon systems. If it holds pressure is really all that matters and putting on a vacuum and holding it will boil off most if not all the remaining moisture in the system.