Condenser changes over the years 1991 R12 Condenser

[tompumped]

I just started working on my 91 finally. After I pulled out the radiator I couldn't believe the size of the tubes and the width of this condenser. It is more than twice the width and the tubes are twice the size. I think it's a dual core, but I guess they all are? It is an absolute monster compared to the condensers i've seen in tauruses that's all I know. I wonder if they got away from these when they switched to r134a.

If I do need a condenser i'd like to purchase this older design rather than the new ones and I know some people here are very good at finding old part numbers.

Unfortunately the compressor on the car was a reman and it got so hot that it melted the rubber at the clutch. I didn't even realize there was rubber in this a/c clutch. Thankfully it didn't grenade and contaminate the system. I blew out the lines, evap, and condenser and I saw no debris. All the oil must've leaked out and the compressor got so hot it melted the clutch hub, or maybe it was slipping and melted it?

I've had vehicles that had visible a/c leaks for years and for some reason the oil got pushed out first and the compressor still had enough charge to provide cool air. That compressor got so hot it started burning the caked on oil off the compressor and when I opened the system there was no oil in it.

 

[tompumped]

I already have a NOS compressor with less than ten thousand miles I took off my other vehicle i'm going to install. I was lucky enough to see a very unique and old part number on the accumulator and sure enough I found the last one on ebay. It's funny that over the years I searched and searched for an OEM part, but the number provided through all data wasn't anything like the part number it was listed under and what the tag said.

 

[Irish Pride]

The number stamped on the part will always be the engineering number, not the actual part number. As parts get revised and updated over the years the part number may change but the stamping number remains the same.

As far as the condenser goes, I believe that 89 came with a larger one originally and then they changed it for the 90. It remained the same from 90 on.

-Chad

 

[tompumped]

I'd forgot about that. I read that on the forum years back. I got lucky and the drier I just purchased on ebay was listed under the engineering number with absolutely no application data.

I did learn something valuable recently that the o-ring push to connect fittings are sized like hydraulic hoses. I bought Santech MT9559 which is a master spring lock service kit and it stated the o-ring sizes in it. I learned the hard way over the years not to just use a regular HNBR o-ring kit because they can't handle the heat at the compressor manifold and will eventually leak.

I wonder if this condenser performs any better.

thank you