Hi,

The air Conditioning was removed from my car by previous owner. It is not something I really use but would like to keep the car original so I decided to try and put it back in. I got the parts I was missing over the past few months and am almost ready to start. The one thing that I am missing is the aluminium pipe that goes between the the Condenser in front of the radiator to the evaporator in the blower motor assembly. Could anyone tell me the correct name for this. The previous owner cut it and all I have is half the pipe. I have attached image below.

Could someone tell me if it is possible to get these? I have looked online but can't find anything. Is the same pipe used across all thirdgens? Could I make up the missing section of the pipe from copper or would that be bad practice.

Any Help Appreicated,
Thanks.

 

Ask your mechanic where he gets his A/C supplies from and that A/C shop should have it. Maybe even Napa or O'Reillys, or as a last ditch a scrap yard. You might have to bring the car down to the A/C shop but they should be able to make you one at the very least. I did a r134 conversion on an older Jeep and the end fitting was different at the compressor. Above is what I did, they cut and welded the correct fitting on, no problem. Good luck.

 

For my Trans Am, the A/C shop made my hoses for it as well.

 

I'd call that the high pressure line. I've seen a repro at one point, but couldn't tell you which one it was... And no, there are a few different ones. The early styles tend to follow the frame rail, later cars GM put a turn or two in it so the Orifice Tube would be vertical an easily accessed. Also there are a couple different condensers, so you really need all the parts from the same basic year car with similar options.

An A/C shop should be able to fabricate a new one, if all else fails.

 

Thanks for your replys. I am not lving in the bUS so to find an A/C shop that can do that for me will be difficult. But I will preserver.

Thanks.

 

If I recall, 82 - 84 had special sized fittings at the condenser. 82 - 87? Use a kinda straight pipe from the evaporator to condenser.

There's an online company that makes it, but it's kinda pricey so I just went ahead and used a 88+ line and evaporator for my 87...still putting it in so we'll see if it works!

 

Forgot to mention, the 88+ line appears to make it way easier to change out the orifice tube, and puts the service fitting in a much better location,

 

 

Thanks for your replys guys. I have an 82 car. I bought a new condenser and have just checked the fitting on the piece of pipe that I have with the condenser and it fits.

I imagine that the 88+ car high pressure line should fit the 82 cars if the condenser and evaporator are the same.


Thanks for the ebay links. The 82 one doesn't look like what I have.

 

Well, I put in the line from a newer 88 + car and hooked everything up. It required a new evaporator though, but aside from that it works beautifully and now the ports are easy to get to!

 

I wasn't aware at the time that there were two types of Evaporator used on the Thirdgens so
I bought one for an 82. No luck with sourcing a high pressure line for it as of yet. I will probably
have to go for the one for sale on ebay even if it is pricey.

 

my only concern would be the condenser fittings as I think the early third gens used a different size?

 

I replaced the Condenser and Evaporator so should be okay.
Even though the piece of the high pressure line that I have. The fitting on it fits the new Condenser and Evaporator.