Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Malcolm_D on 18 September 2010, 19:27:34

Title: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: Malcolm_D on 18 September 2010, 19:27:34
Anyone know how to remove the aircon pipe which runs from the bulkhead under the ABS unit and under the battery shelf on a 2.6 V6, I need to get it off but cannot see how without removing lots of bits.
Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: Malcolm_D on 20 September 2010, 21:27:23
I take it from the lack of response that it is either impossible or an unusual request.

OK a different tack - if I cannot get it out would it be possible to cut through the pipe and remove it from either end then re-use the metal ends of the pipe and replace the centre rubber hose part?

Another thought would be to have a metal aircon pipe made up which takes a different route?

You may have noticed that I am grasping at straws!!

Would those nice people at VX be able to tell me how it can be removed?  :o
Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: Andy H on 20 September 2010, 21:45:36
Have a look at the parts list on this site http://www.gmpartsgiant.com/Page_Product/PartDetail.aspx?modelYear=2001&model=Catera&make=Cadillac&catalogCode=65V&modelCode=6VR69&seriesCode=6VR&bodyStyleCode=69&engineCode=L81&transCode=ML4&majorIndexID=09&isBigPicture=False&isDisplay=False&minorIndexID=OV0900601

Which part are you trying to shift?
Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: Brikhead on 20 September 2010, 21:46:03
Why do you need to take them off?

As it happens I have recently removed those, and the auto box pipes, even with most of the engine bay stripped they were still tricky to remove. They are one of the first things installed at the factory, so everything else goes in on top of them.
Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: Malcolm_D on 20 September 2010, 22:15:16
From the link provided by Andy H the pipe I am trying to remove is part 12.

It runs from the bottom connection coming out of the bulkhead, disappears under the ABS unit running on top of the chassis leg, it reappears under the battery shelf and connects to a double pipe connection. The pipe itself is metal at both ends and appears to have a rubber middle section.

I want to get it off as I think that it may be the cause of my aircon leak, I took the car to Kwikfit to have it regassed but they could not do the job as the fluid and dye was leaking out, the top of the chassis leg was awash with the stuff. I can only think that this pipe is the culprit, where else could it be coming from?
Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: raywilb on 21 September 2010, 01:06:42
noticed you live in york. i changed one of mine earlier this year. it wasn,t too bad. you will probably have to remove the two torx bolts 22 + 23. if you pm me i,ll give an hand,  :y
Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: Malcolm_D on 21 September 2010, 13:10:44
Bolts 22 and 23 are a doddle, better actually to remove pipe at joint 13. The problem is how do you then get the damn thing (part 12) out from under all of the other components squashed into this area? Did you get yours off in one piece? Thanks for the offer of help by the way.
Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: Kaycee on 21 September 2010, 15:02:36
may sound daft but could you not fabricate a new pipe and bypass that one leave it in
 ::)
Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: Malcolm_D on 21 September 2010, 18:17:01
Could do, I think I have already suggested this as an answer apart from leaving the original in place. To be honest getting the old one out is not a problem providing I accept that it will be coming out in bits! What could I fabricate it out of? Is the pipe/hose under significant pressure?
I am also a bit of a perfectionist and it goes against the grain to have to settle for a solution which changes the car from the original specification. I also do not know that this pipe is definitely the culprit, without getting it out I cannot be sure, sod's law if I cut it up to get it out I will find that it is (or was) perfect and the leak is coming from elsewhere!
I am going to visit a breakers yard this weekend and try to do some investigating on a scrapper rather than on my pride & joy.  ;)
Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: raywilb on 21 September 2010, 18:17:57
i replaced the complete pipe, it was easier than trying to split it. i had to go up to durham to take one off a scrapper, if you,re after a s/hand a one at least there is a few around york,  also " Tweetspeed" in heworth is good for a re-gas. does it right. cheaper too. :y offer still stands
Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: Malcolm_D on 26 September 2010, 15:57:01
Update.
After a lot of research on scrap miggies at my local breakers I found that to remove the offending aircon pipe i would have to lift the mount for the ABS unit - looks like a pig of a job. Even after doing this getting the pipe off would be almost impossible as both ends have lots of bends making it a nightmare to get them through cluttered small openings.
I came away from the breakers with both ends of the pipe but with the middle flexy part cut through, my plan is to buy some hydraulic flexy pipe and slide it into position from one end before fixing it to one of the metal ends with two jubilee clips, the other metal end will already be fixed on.
Having cut the original pipe, which I suspected of leaking, and removed it I was dismayed to see that it looked leak free. However on looking closer I found a couple of pinholes at one of the bends, these had not been caused by rubbing as first thought but looked more like poor quality alloy that had deteriorated over the years.
I will let you know if my fix works.  ;)
Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: Malcolm_D on 27 September 2010, 18:39:06
I don't why I am doing this - maybe others will be interested  :-/

Update - called in at a local hydraulic engineers to buy some suitable heavy duty hose for the 'fix'. Spoke to a guy there who sounded like he knew what he was on about. In his opinion I have no chance of creating a leak free repair, the pressure will be too high for the jubilee clip joints to hold, the hose has to have some element of permeability and the molecules in the refrigerant are so amall they will escape too easily!!! His opinion was that i had to replace it with a genuine part.

Comments anyone?  :-/
Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: Ian_D on 27 September 2010, 22:01:11
Will the pipe be the same on a 1997 2.5 CDX Omega? If so (providing I havn't damaged it) I will have the pipe on the Estate which im breaking.

Im in York too! WOOOO!
Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: CaptainZok on 27 September 2010, 22:10:36
Quote
I don't why I am doing this - maybe others will be interested  :-/

Update - called in at a local hydraulic engineers to buy some suitable heavy duty hose for the 'fix'. Spoke to a guy there who sounded like he knew what he was on about. In his opinion I have no chance of creating a leak free repair, the pressure will be too high for the jubilee clip joints to hold, the hose has to have some element of permeability and the molecules in the refrigerant are so amall they will escape too easily!!! His opinion was that i had to replace it with a genuine part.

Comments anyone?  :-/
Think I'd be inclined to agree with him. You get up to 300 PSI in a working aircon system.
Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: Malcolm_D on 27 September 2010, 22:13:29
Should be the same, how far have you got with breaking it or are you doing it bit by bit? Forgive the ignorance I have never 'broken' a car before they always seem to break themselves.  ;D
Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: Ian_D on 27 September 2010, 22:19:44
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1285322544

The photo on ^^ shows how far 'broken' it is ;D

Where abouts in York are you anyway? ::)
Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: Malcolm_D on 27 September 2010, 22:27:01
I am over in Rawcliffe near the Mitre pub. Difficult to tell from the photo if the pipe is still present, maybe I could pop round one evening?
Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: Ian_D on 27 September 2010, 22:37:56
Bloody hell, round the corner from me and Ray (raywilb) then!

Im off Water Lane right where the grainstores used to be!  :y

Your welcome round whenever mate! But the Estate aint here!  ;D Its kept at my mates mothers barn!  :-X

PM me your omega's Reg no's - Will tell you if I've seen you (Photographic memory!)  :D
Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: 2woody on 28 September 2010, 21:02:43
there's no option I'm afraid other than to take the ABS unit out. It does indeed run right under the ABS block.

so that's battery out, radiator out, ABS block out.

I may have a spare kicking around somewhere, but when I do an "airconectomy" they normally find their rightful place in the bin.
Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: Malcolm_D on 28 September 2010, 21:42:57
Why radiator out? The pipe enters a junction just below the side of the battery shelf, it doesn't get near the rad.
I checked on my old Elite which had the offending pipe replaced at a garage years ago, it looks like they routed the replacement between the ABS bracket and the inner wing making sure that the rubber protection sleeves prevented it from rubbing and wearing - a bodge?
Finally does the ABS unit have to be totally removed or do you think it is possible to remove the torx bolts and lift it enough to get the aircon pipe under from the side? Clutching at straws. :'( :'(
Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: 2woody on 28 September 2010, 21:57:52
from memory, the best way is to withdraw the whole thing forwards out through where the rad sits. I don't think the bit that mates up to the bulkhead can get up through the hole in the battery tray.

don't pull the rad out before you need it out, tho
Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: Malcolm_D on 28 September 2010, 22:05:16
OK, thanks for that, will let you know how i get on when I find a pipe and get round to doing it. But first I have the cambelt, matrix flush, slight misfire and cracked scuttle on the old dear to sort this weekend - oh joy!  ;)
Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: raywilb on 28 September 2010, 22:39:06
as Ian said we are both within 5 mins from the mitre. if the one on Ians scrapper is no good i,m going to to get a rad on thursday for a pal from u-pull-it. quite willing to pick a/c pipe up, (if there is one) :y it,l probably cost you nothing







Title: Re: Aircon pipe removal
Post by: Malcolm_D on 28 September 2010, 22:42:38
If you could that would be great but I was up there last Saturday and they didn't appear to have one.  ;)