Automotive Air Conditioning Information Forum (Archives)

JeremyBMW on Mon August 02, 2010 3:42 PM

Year: 1993
Make: Winnebago
Model: Adventurer
Engine Size: 454
Refrigerant Type: R12

tl;dr: Condenser is plugged with desiccant, do I have any chance of clearing it out? How would I do it if I do?

This little learning endeavor into A/C systems has not been fun for me.

History:

Started with an "empty" system. My father brought the RV to a shop who said the system needed recharging. Their R12 tank was empty and they didn't want to buy more, so they told him to take it somewhere else.

Knowing I had just purchased a bunch of A/C tools to do work on my BMW, dad asks me to take a look. They're taking a vacation to Florida in August, so working A/C is bit essential for the driver with those huge glass panels for windshields.

Gauges say zero. I pulled vacuum, it held fine. We pick up a 30lb virgin R12 tank from CL and decide to install a dye pack, charge it, and see what happens. Refrigerant won't go in. Testing reveals that the compressor clutch has failed.

Knowing that I'm about to tear into the system, I start ordering parts. New compressor and receiver/drier finally arrive (RV systems are tough to match parts on), and I start digging into things, only to find that the desiccant bag in the receiver/drier apparently ruptured. Fabulous. Further testing with compressed air revealed that there is no flow at all from the low side line on the compressor through the condenser (backwards flow, IOW).

Do I have any chance of getting the desiccant out of the condenser? I have flush supplies, but I don't know how I'd get the chemicals to the source of the clog.

Edited: Mon August 02, 2010 at 9:30 PM by JeremyBMW

JeremyBMW on Mon August 02, 2010 4:34 PM

Disregard. We found a one-way valve on one of the fittings, this was the reason we couldn't backflow the system.