What happens-Yank Charged A/C Line?

BobGPz

Registered User
Need to do a passenger side motor mount. Stupid Air Conditioning Pump in the way. Dealer wants my first 3 born, plus child support to E-Vac my A/C charge. Now Free-on is bad for enviroment, but my car is a 1990. So mine should have R12?? R15?? This is just amonia correct? So if I yank the A/C line and release the charge, will this be bad for enviroment (I'm not a tree hugger), health, or A/C System as I plan to have it recharged after repairs....any A/C guys with comments? Maybe try to do mount from under car would be easier??
 
Dont yank the line. Its tough as hell to do it with out it. But its messy and its illeagal to release the R12 into the enviornment. Put the jack under the crank and do it the hard way just like the rest of us poor bastages.
 
I yanked mine off, none of the neighborhood animals seemed to die or anything, *shrug*

I never put back on tho, car got a new pulley system so the ac was scrapped
 
No need to remove the A/C lines. Allow me:

Revised 11/9/02 (my notes)
Pass side:
1. Remove air cleaner top and rubber intake tube from air cleaner and throttle body.
2. Remove coolant reservoir bolts and move the tank out of the way.
3. Unbolt compressor (4 bolts) and tie it up and out of the way.
4. Loosen the plastic cowling beneath the winshield on the drivers side. This is to allow the engine to be raised up without cracking it.
4. Loosen the lug nuts on the passenger wheel, jack up the car and support with a jack stand. Remove wheel.
5. Place the jack under the oil pan with a piece of wood between the jack and the oil pan to keep from cracking or bending the oil pan. Jack the engine up slightly.
6. Loosen the 2 frontside upper bracket nuts/studs/bolts. You'll need deep sockets for these.
7. Loosen the the through bolt holding the lower bracket to the subframe with a 13mm 1/2" drive 6sided socket and a breaker bar. (If you don't have the socket, go buy one as this bolt is very tight and will shatter a 3/8" drive).
8. Using extensions and a swivel and 6sided 15mm socket and breaker bar also, remove the rear upper bracket bolt from under the car. This is why you removed the wheel. Finish removing all the bolts.
9. The mount should now be loose. Jack the engine up some more to gain clearance. Watch the plastic cowling to be sure it isn't damaged. To remove the mount, tilt/twist it around until the 2 10mm bolts on the bottom are accessible. Remove them and take the 2 halves and mount remnants out.
10. Take the upper bracket/mount to a vise or workbench, and remove the large nut holding it to the top bracket.

11. Install the new mount onto both brackets such that the limiter arm is centered side to side. Torque the top nut securly.
12. Now remove the 2 10mm bolts again and insert the 2 halves under the engine. Bolt the bottom 2 10mm bracket bolts back on and tighen securly.
13. Lower the engine to where the bolt holes line up, insert all bolts and tighten raising and lowering the engine as necessary. Torque the through bolt to around 80 lbs. Tighten the others securely.
14. lower the engine completely, put the wheel back on, lower the car, reinstall the compressor being careful NOT to overtighten those bolts as the bracket is soft metal (20lbs tops), reinstall everything else and test it out.
 
Oh, BTW, this side will take about 2 hrs if you've done it before; the 1st time, maybe 3. Also, I have yet to understand why anyone has had to do anything with either the stater or knocksensor shield. Some say they're in the way :confused: but I just didn't have a problem the way I did it.
 
TbirdSCFan said:
...3. Unbolt compressor (4 bolts) and tie it up and out of the way...

That is the problem TBirdSCFan. When I pull the 4 bolts the A/C is very rigid and does not want to bend out of the way. OR are you saying just to support it where it lays unbolted? If I can get it out of the way I can pull the ACC Bracket like I did on drivers side, but it aint budging other than 1 inch. The A/C lines are solid tubing, not rubber and flexible.:( If I can get that out of the way, the rest should be a piece O' cake.

Chris, yeah, I kinda figured that wasn't a good thing just yanking it, and I like having A/C on what few days we need it up here in WA so I will do whatever to keep it functionable and cold...:cool:
 
When I first did the job, I took the A/C bracket off. I guess you could try that instead. I think I concluded later it was doable w/o pulling the bracket, but here's how I did it anyway:

For the passenger side, It was tricky, but same basic thing. Took the A/C compressor bracket off. Here's the trick: DON'T take the SC belt off until AFTER you remove the 2 bracket bolts to the right of the tensioner pulley. Then remove both belts and the idler pulley, unbolt and tie off the compressor, move the coolant reservoir out of the way. Oh yeah take the air cleaner and intake tube off. Then take the bracket off. Now, you'll have enough room to get to all the mount bolts on the front side. I DID break the 13mm socket on the through bolt on that side. Damm but those were tight. The rear bolt was just like the driver side. It wasn't necessary to remove the starter.

Other note:
From what I recall, I did remove the serpentine belt, the note about the 2 belts refers to the jackshaft belt and the SC belt. The problem with removing the belts first was the tensioner got in the way of one of the bolts from what I recall. Seems like it was a pain getting the bracket back on... an assistant really helps for that part.

Good luck.
 
Boy, ask a texan what time it is and he tells you how to build a watch.:D
That helps alot TBirdSCFan. Going to dump today and my SC gets all the left over time. Going to try that, and I understand the trick of that the tensioner pulley rolls down in front of one of the bolts when tension is taken off. I'll look for that one.

So when I unbolt the A/C Pump from bracket I should be able to slide the bracket forward without the Pump in the way?? That will be great releif. If not, I will pull the front tire and get her from underneath. Thanks for the help...:)
 
Bob I removed the AC compressor from its bracket and was able to tie it up out of the way when I tried changing spark plugs the first time, it will move but it is stiff. Been awhile since I did it but it seems to me there was a clamp on one of the hoses that was holding it to the fenderwell or something and by removing that clamp I got more movement of the compressor.
 
The A/C hoses are connected with spring lock connectors and o-rings. They will be stiff to rotate simply because they haven't had to forever. But they will eventually allow you to move it slightly and pull it out of the way.

It is against Federal Law in the U.S. to release R-12 into the atmosphere. It won't kill you unless you do it in a enclosed space. But there are pretty severe penalties if you do it.

Good luck.
 
Well releasing R-12 while an engine is running can kill you if it gets sucked into the motor through the intake. After R-12 is sucked into the running engine the combustion process converts it to Fosgene gas(nerve gas) and it will kill you deader than a doornail. Not that I think thats going on here but its meant more as warning because most people dont know this and I have seen people take chances and do it.:)
 
OK, so pulling the line is NOT healthy or legal. Thanks Mike(s) I took a quick look at it and I think the bracket is far enough to the right to be able to do that manuever. I did see a fender clip holding lines to fender. At least I'll still have A/C when I'm done.

Too spent from yard work to pull it apart tonight, not to mention the Ex will probably have plans for more physical activity for me to do being Valentines and all. :rolleyes:
Ho Hum! Is there a day I can rest?? Work, Work, Work.:D
 
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