Help: can't find replacement a/c receiver/dryer

[ericdude]

My '88 has the receiver dryer in front of the condenser, on the driver's side,
and has one pipe coming in horizontally at the sight glass body, and the
other pipe rising vertically out of the cylinder body itself (below the sight
glass).

I've searched every place I could think of, and they have one of two models:
complete (w/ sight glass) but with a straight through in/out configuration
where the inlet and outlet enter and leave horizontally at the top at the
sight glass body, and incomplete--just the cylinder hull with no sight glass
body included. I find no part number to buy any attachment.

Receiver dryer is typically replaced any time the a/c is opened, so pulling
one from a junk yard car is probably not a good idea. Using a replacement
with different inlet/outlet configuration would require relocating some the
metal high side pipes which would be a PITA.

[90 GP]

Here is a link to the NAPA website. Enter your vehicle information and it shows the parts availale.
http://www.napaautoparts.com/

[ericdude]

I was able to find the receiver/dryer/accumulator body for my 4AF at NAPA; it looks like:



You can see the holes on top where the pipe fittings screw in. Below is the unit from my car.
On the top one horizontal fitting holding a pipe and screw bolts into the receiver/dryer, and
on the bottom one vertical fitting holding a pipe, sight glass, and screw bolts into the receiver dryer.

The problem is the o-ring for the sight glass is leaking, and therefore I want to replace the
fitting. However, I can't find this fitting ANYWHERE. I've searched for hours on the web,
and found many parts that look like the above empty can from NAPA, but never see any
parts for sale like the sight glass fitting below. Not from the Toyota dealer, autozone, napa, oreilly's,
rockauto, or countless others.

Can I replace the o-ring or is that not possible???

I was trying to avoid that by just buying a whole new sight glass fitting.

By ericdude101 at 2009-05-15

[stricular]

you can most certainly just replace the o-ring(s). Then just put the sight glass assembly on the new receiver/dryer, should be GTG. Somebody please correct me if I am wrong...

[retiredat44]

I didn't understand this thread in the beggining, and maybe still don't. If you need a new a/c receiver/dryer just buy one. If you need new O-Rings, buy those. Why would you need the attachment assembly with lines and sight glass? That's what I don't get. Is yours missing or damaged?
If you need the whole attachment assembly with lines and sight glass than either dealer or junk yard. The only parts that need to be new are O-Rings and Dryer.


If you have some metal lines or parts, that are dirty inside them, from weather and have not been in a running a/c system for a long time, you can clean them with spray brake cleaner. Just don't spray rubber like o-rings.

[ericdude]

Originally Posted by retiredat44

I didn't understand this thread in the beggining, and maybe still don't. If you need a new a/c receiver/dryer just buy one. If you need new O-Rings, buy those. Why would you need the attachment assembly with lines and sight glass? That's what I don't get. Is yours missing or damaged?<br />

The o-ring between the sight glass and the lower metal fitting is leaking, as
I mentioned in the previous post. (This is the black ring you can see
between the metal fitting and metal rim of the sight glass.)

I wanted to replace the whole fitting/sight glass because I'm not sure I can
push the sight glass out without breaking it to replace the O-ring. Is O-ring
replacement for the sight glass body difficult? If the sight glass is 1/2 inch
diameter, I figure it sees a working pressure of 200 PSI * (1/4)^2*pi = 40
pound, so the insertion force must be at least twice that or 80 pounds.
Can I push on the little glass piece with 80 pounds without cracking it?

You see why I just wanted to buy a new one.

There's also that bolt that screws it on the left (opposite the line) on the
lower fitting. What's that bolt for? Does it just seal a hole or does it help
hold the sight glass?

[retiredat44]

why would you need to pull the glass out?



unscrew the bolts on top, the top assembly comes off, replace the o-rings, and bolt it back down again.... then have fun with recharging the system...

[ericdude]

OK, I think there is a confusion here. The front fitting (the one with
the sight glass) does presumably have an o-ring that sits between
it and the receiver dryer, sealing that joint. That's not the o-ring
I'm talking about. There's also what appears to be an o-ring inside
the fitting itself between the sight glass and the fitting. (By fitting,
I'm referring to the big block of metal in the photo.)

In the photo, coming from the outside in, you see a big square
metal fitting, a metal ridge rising a little bit, then a black ring
(o-ring), then a metal lip belonging to the sight glass unit,
then the glass/plastic of the sight glass itself. There is a darkish
ring between the glass and the inner metal lip, but I'm assuming
this is just a shadow.

If this is not clear, I'll have to submit another picture with some
highlighting to indicate what I'm talking about.

How would I replace this ring (of which I speak) without pushing
out the sight glass?

[retiredat44]

the glass is not to be removed, not even sure you can... why don't you just take off the top of it and be done with it....?? I assume you have not even taken the thing apart and can't understand how it fits together..

You will see you have made a big deal out of a problem that never existed.

if there is refrigerant in the system, remove the pressure before you unbolt the dryer assembly...

use eye protection and protection for your hands... if it is under pressure..

[ericdude]

Originally Posted by retiredat44

the glass is not to be removed, not even sure you can... why don't you just take off the top of it and be done with it....?? I assume you have not even taken the thing apart and can't understand how it fits together..

OK, I'm done playing this tap dance with you. First you claim I needn't
be looking for a replacement sight glass fitting since I can just replace
the o-ring, and then when I explain the o-ring is part of the fitting, you
claim that might not even disassemble at all. Yet, I'm supposed to
"take off the top of it and be done with it".

Please explain how removing the fitting will solve the problem. Were you
reading my detailed explanation? If I can REPLACE the whole fitting,
I'm good, but I can't find a replacement. I might be able to replace
just the leaking o-ring if I can disassemble the sight glass body from
the fitting, but you claim that it may not be possible and/or I'm making
things difficult. Not sure what your game is, but I'm done.

[retiredat44]

unbolt the 2 10mm bolts, the dryer seperates from the lines and top connection with the sight glass in it. Period. Replace the o-rings. Period. Put the top back on, put the 2 bolts back in, tighten it.

done.


I just don't understand why you don't understand. That's all. I tried to boil it down to the simplist help info. If there is nothing broken, and you only want to replace an o-ring, than that all you need to do. Have you event taken it apart yet? You never said if you did. It sounds like you can't force yourself to take it apart and do it. It looks like you read about it and got confused and stopped before lifting a wrench.

My Bad for trying to help you.
geeesh..

and btw, I have not only done mechanics for 50 years, but also took it in college. And yes, I have done a/c work on cars.

and one last thing, you were asking about the sight glass, like you thought you could take it even further apart like down to even more basic components and actually taking the 'glass out' of the part it is in. That made no sense to me, as to why you would even want or need to take that little 'sight glass' out... that is why I said you cannot take that apart... so don't jump on me.... I was trying to follow your logic...