 | Home > Maintenance & Modifications > Aircon Condenser/Radiator. 'Core' falling out. |
 
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| greenlandrover Member Since: 09 Jul 2017 Location: Stourbridge Posts: 145   
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Hi everyone,
I was doing some work on my Puma 07 yesterday that involved taking off the front snout. Whilst off, I noticed a fair bit of the aircon condenser 'core' was missing or falling out. By 'core' I mean the wriggly aluminium that is packed between the runs of condenser pipe. The aircon works in that cold air comes out of the vents but I was wondering: - How much it affects the efficiency of the system? Is it worth getting it 're-cored'? Any recommendations where to get it done around the West Mids area please? Cheers Jason PS - Will add some pics when I go back down the garage later. |
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30th Jul 2017 7:19am |
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| Vesku Member Since: 12 Jul 2016 Location: Paimio Posts: 44  
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Mine is the same too.. still get cold air
New one cost 380£ |
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2nd Aug 2017 6:29am |
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| greenlandrover Member Since: 09 Jul 2017 Location: Stourbridge Posts: 145
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Took mine out for a spins around the block after the MOT and the aircon didn't seem to be very cold when on full.
Was doing some work around that area at the weekend and wonder if I've knocked it and/or introduced a leak 
Trip to the aircon man next... |
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2nd Aug 2017 7:16am |
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| Thon Member Since: 22 Nov 2015 Location: Salisbury Plain Posts: 696
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Mine's the same - where the fins have fallen out i've used cable ties to stop the matrix bouncing about too much. That was 18 months ago now, and it's still holding, luckily.
It was 43 degrees here yesterday but we're heading back to England in a week so I think we'll just need the windscreen wipers by then.  |
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2nd Aug 2017 8:12am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17480 
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Missing "wiggly bits" will reduce the efficiency of any heat exchanger since their purpose is to increase the surface area though which heat can be exchanged. In order to do this they must be joined to the tubes of the exchanger with a thermally-conductive connection, so in the old days of proper copper radiators they were soldered.
I don't know how modern aluminium radiators are assembled and how the joins are made, but I would suggest that by the time the wiggly bits are falling out, the metal-to-metal contact has already been compromised by corrosion so the reduction in efficiency has already taken place. and consequently the actual loss of wiggles won't make much further difference to efficiency. In the UK I doubt that the loss of cooling ability will be critical, and it is more likely that any damage which is going to happen will be as a result of the loss of support of the tubes. |
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2nd Aug 2017 9:15am |
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| Bluest Member Since: 23 Apr 2016 Location: Lancashire Posts: 4219 
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Replacement Puma condensers seem to be unduly expensive maybe because they come attached to the frame around them and seem to be often supplied with the fan too. 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS
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2nd Aug 2017 9:20am |
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| Thon Member Since: 22 Nov 2015 Location: Salisbury Plain Posts: 696
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I think there's very little contact left with the fins now, as you rightly say the corrosion has seen to that!
My primary concern was to stop the refrigerant-carrying tube from fracturing to preserve the integrity of the system. It's been checked for gas and it seems to have enough chilling power to keep the cab bearable for us and the dog in 40+ degrees so far, and that's all I can hope for! Whenever we switch it off (rarely) it's amazing how quickly it steams up, so it is at least doing a decent job of dehumidifying despite being held together with cable ties. Fingers crossed it holds together for the journey home. |
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2nd Aug 2017 9:25am |
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