Guys,

Just got an '89 TII with A/C in mint condition. While cleaning the engine compartment I noticed that the A/C metal pipe that runs along the firewall (at the top) has been rubbing on the bottom of the hood. There is a nice flat spot on the tube and it has nearly rubbed all the way through it. Anybody ever see this before?

Todd

 

Not precisely, but when I was using a cone intake, the rim of the cone was rubbing on the line on the passenger side underneath the AFM obviously. It went all the way through on mine, so I have no A/C anymore.

I haven't seen it in that location though, does it look like the line has been shifted up for any reason?

 

Hmm, strange. Anyways, just bend it down a bit, it's just aluminum, and if you are carefull, it won't crease or anything. You should only need to bend it down a tiny bit to clear.

 

Yeah...that's what I did. I just bent the bracket slightly down. The car only has 43,000 miles on it. I does not look like it's ever been disturbed (the line that is) but who knows. I think I'm going to replace that line but the dilema is.....do I have it charged back up with R12? It's pretty expensive.

Todd

 

Thats odd it should be hitting the hood. Facing the engine, just left of center there is a bracket attached to a stud that keeps the line in place. Make sure that is intact. If you discharge the system, be careful, Freon can cause blindness if you get it in your eyes, and it's under a lot of pressure. You shouldn't really be discharging it into the atmosphere though. The system should be discharged and recycled, evacuated with pump, then charged with R-12. You may want to consider changing to R-134. Personally I don't feel it cools as well as the R-12, esp. at low RPM's, but it's an alternative.

 

Sorry, one other thought I forgot to list. Leave the line as is until it does break through, which shouldn't happen now that you've moved it. Spray it with some black paint, and you'll never know. If down the line the a/c needs service, then you can replace it if you still feel it's necessary.