My condenser got smashed during a road incident. It was all bent up but never leaked. Are aftermarket condensers pretty much the same? I see some verbiage like aluminum parallel flow and condenser parallel flow specified when checking around on rock auto. Does that make a difference?

Finally, is the drier that long cylinder on the side of the radiator? Do they all come with driers?

I have always heard to swap out the receiver/drier when doing A/C work.

Thanks for any guidance.

 

Can't help you with the question regarding if there is any difference between factory and aftermarket condensers other than I like to point out "different is not the same" so there will some difference. But if it will mean the aftermarket hardware will work better or worse than the factory I can't say.

Don't know where the drier is. I don't have a drawing of the A/C system layout. If Mini calls for this to be replaced if the system is opened up I don't know. I have had other cars with their A/C systems opened up mainly to address a busted condenser due to hitting road debris or a mule deer and I don't know if the driers were replaced.

I'd be inclined to replace the drier on general principles.

There can be a problem with the replacement condenser in that the old one probably had some compressor oil in it. I have no data on the Mini but with other cars the factory publishes a chart that gives the total amount of compressor oil for the system. Example: 195 +/- 15cm^2) and the amount of oil lost for every component removed: condensers:20 cm^2 (each condenser); evaporator: 30 cm^2; fluid tank with lines: 30 cm^2; compressor: 50 cm^2; and oil in the circulation system: 60 cm^2.

So likely the system will need some compressor oil added to replace the oil that was lost when the bad parts were removed but I don't know how much. You don't want overfill the system with compressor oil but you want to be sure there is sufficient oil or you'll be replacing the compressor soon. And you'll have to get this right then or else...Might as well get it right now.

At some point when you have the system buttoned up -- do not attempt to use the A/C! -- the system needs to be evacuated and left at a very low pressure (pretty high vacuum) for some time -- generally an hour but this can vary from make even model of car -- which removes any moisture, and lets the tech check for leaks. Then the system is refilled with the proper amount of the correct refrigerant and the compressor oil topped up to bring the amount of oil in the system to within spec.

Generally the system is evacuated with the system intact and still sealed (albeit maybe not working right) and the refrigerant is removed along with some oil. Then when it is time the system is refilled with the correct amount of refrigerant and the amount of oil removed is added back into the system plus the amount to make up what was lost by the removal of any hardware.

 

Thanks, so I found out that they all come with a receiver/drier which gets that out of the way. You drive a valid point in that even if I didn't physically see any oil loss, there would have had to be some sitting there.

I can pull a vacuum on my own. I just suffer with how a home mechanic adds the right amount of oil. Not in terms of ounces, but rather in terms of how I get the oil in there. I believe that I tried to do so years ago and made a mess.

I'll try to get the specs right.