Name that part...

[SHOYourYama]

I got a 92 mtx w/ 150k. Much maint. has been required to keep her running to this point. To-day I'm scoping out under the hood and notice something nasty.

There is a canister, smaller in diameter of a coke can, and about half the height. It's located right infront and to the left of the oil fill cap. Well the line going to it is leaking a gooy oil substance (oil lol).

Is this part of the emissions b/s? Is it common to have this line replaced in this point of the SHO's life? Or is something under too much pressure?

Can't wait to have you all educate me..

 

[BeatDaSHO]

it's part of the air conditioning system.

Greg

 

[Huntervf]

BeatDaSHO:
it's part of the air conditioning system.

Greg

What he said. Unless you have a desire for cold air in summer I wouldn't even worry about it.

 

[projectSHO89]

If it is actually leaking oil, his AC system probably doesn't work anyway.

Steve

 

[Speedy_91_SHO]

probally already asked, but how much weight could you save by taking off everythin that has to do with the air conditioning??

 

[Tommy's SHO]

I think that part is called the evaporator.

 

[CALL AAA]

I yanked all of my A/C. It doesn't really weigh all that much. 25lbs maybe. It does make it quite a bit easier to work on the car, though.

 

[SHOYourYama]

Thankx, I feel better knowing that was just part of the A/C sys, I wasn't shure if that was engine oil starting to leak! The SHO likes to leak out of so many other areas.. one less to worry about.. thumb

 

[rangerj]

SHOYOYAMA,

From the description you give, it sounds like the canister on the A/C compressor manifold line. A/C oil is a very fine oil and it readily attracts dirt. It gets black and greasy.

If the location of the oil you are concerned about is at the hose conection, where the metal manifold meets the rubber hose, you have an A/C leak.

As long as the windows still go up and down you have nothing to worry about! rangerj thumb

 

[LaTechSHO]

Tommy the Greek:
I think that part is called the evaporator.

actually... the evaporator is the coil inside of the dash.... the condenser is in front of the radiator... and that little canister is either the accumulator/filter drier OR some sort of filter most probably.... haven't looked at my a/c system in a while as it does not work... is this canister on the suction/liquid/discharge line??


Louis

 

[Zap]

The accumulator is going to be larger or about the size of a coke can, I believe. I havent specifically looked at the SHO accum in a while. If it's near the compressor, and right near it in the line, it's one of the filters Ford put on there to keep junk from getting into the compressor or to keep Black Death goo from getting into the system if the compressor fails and shreds up its inner teflon coatings. (common Tauri compressors in early GenII cars - FX15 - SUCKED and are notorious for this problem). (BTW, the accumulator does just what it says, it accumulates water in the system to prevent it from circling around and causing other nasty problems with the A/C.)

However, you are going to eventually have problems if you are losing oil and you run the A/C or defroster. If you do so, and are losing oil you WILL **** your compressor. Ford screwed up again by putting on AC lines that rust easily, and so the integrity of the system isn't usually very good, especially in the salt areas. This is why a lot of the aftermarket replacement lines are made of things, which will have less tendency to rust. Usually, most oil leaks are related to springlock/o-ring issues.

Hope this information is of value to you!

 

[rangerj]

Fellas,

A little clearification. The Accumulator, as Ford calls it, filter/dryer as others call it, does accumulate in its filter the microscopic particles from compressor wear (for the most part).

The accumulator also contains a chemical desicant that traps any moisture that did not get vacuumed out, or from air that got sucked in (rare). Just as you do not want water in the crankcase, you do not want it in the compressor for the same reasons.

If an A/c system leaks refrigerant
(gas) it will also leak some oil. The oil (some) circulates with the gas. There are two pressure switches that protect the system.

There is a low pressure switch that prevents the compressor clutch from being engaged if the pressure is below a specified amount, approximately 20psi.

There is a high pressure switch that shuts off the compressor if the pressure gets higher than a predetermined amount.

The item described as about the size of 1/2 of a coke can is a muffler attached to the low pressure "vacuum" manifold. I am basing this solely on the description provided.

Hope this helps, rangerj