A/C parts, ?

So I am in the middle of making my OBA conversion and I am making as much room as possible under the hood removing old A/C pieces.
So far I have removed what I believe (from my Haynes manual) to be the 'receiver/drier' and now am moving onto the 'accumulator'
My question is the accumulator seems to have a line running from it to the rear of the vehicle and in the gas tank vicinity, it also smells of fuel when that line is pulled off it. The other line off it ran to the 'receiver/dryer'.
Now I have taken it out, and started the vehicle up, runs fine, however the CEL comes on and gives me a 'Evap control circuit (31)' code which says for me to check the evapourator circuit or hoses.
Will this adversely affect my vehicle in anyway? Can I simply clear the code and not worry about it? Or should I put the 'accumulator' back in and install the lines that came off it? If I leave it off, how do I 'plug' or cap off the fuel line?

Lastly, the receiver/dryer, what does that do? Can it serve any alternate purpose in my OBA configeration? If nothing else could I use it as another tiny airtank?

thanks for any and all help.

Sounds like you pulled the wrong line - you shouldn't get anything smelling of fuel. And, "Evap Control Circuit" concerns evapourative emissions - it's the carbon cannister that stores fuel vapours from the fuel tank until they can be drawn back into the intake.

A/C fittings are for high pressure, and almost invariably are either flared or bubbled and retained with some sort of flare nut. If it's just a spring clamp and you pull it off, it's definitely the wrong hose!

And, most aircon systems tend to have either an "accumulator" or a "receiver/dryer" - they serve much the same purpose. They're meant to store ("accumulate") refrigerant until the compressor can suck it up to make use of it, and contain a dessiccant to remove moisture that may accumulate in the system.

As far as using it for OBA, I think you can get oiler/dryer units for air compressors that remove the moisture from the air and then add oil to it - they're meant for compressors that aren't oiled internally. You'll have to make sure the compressor housing is topped off with A/C compressor oil (monthly or so checks should suffice,) but the line oiler will also help to keep the piston rings and reed valves lubricated. Just a thought...

5-90

Was what you removed,large,black and near the firewall ? Then that was the charcoal canister for the emissions system.
Reciever/drier- Its a small metal canister about the size of a tennis ball can usually has a sight glass on top.And I dont think you can use it for anything else.
Wayne

Wayne Sihler said:

Was what you removed,large,black and near the firewall ? Then that was the charcoal canister for the emissions system.
Reciever/drier- Its a small metal canister about the size of a tennis ball can usually has a sight glass on top.And I dont think you can use it for anything else.
Wayne

Click to expand...

For sure and that's why you got the code. Thanks for the write up, hey 5-90 how does that A/C oil work and where do you put it in? I will search also. (duh...newbie move)!

It's marketed as "A/C Compressor Oil" usually. I'll have to find out how you check it again - but it's just getting the dims to cut a wire dipstick to...

The compressor crankcase can be accessed by that funky hex plug centre top - you just remove it, check the oil (top off as needed,) and reinstall. I've got torque specs on my site, and if I can't find that oil level check anytime soon (or if you're in a hurry...) you can Google <Sanden SD-series> and find it that way, I'm sure. It might take a little digging - but I think they used either the SD507 or SD508 on the XJ (some SD505 - the first "5" means five cyliners, and the "5," "7," or "8" refers to piston displacement. The SD-series is an axial compressor - cylinder bores parallel to the case axis - using a swash plate to drive the pistons.)

The compressor crankcase oil should not mix with the cylinder oil, under normal operation - if you're consistently seeing low oil levels in the compressor crankcase, you've got a leak blowing by a piston. You can use normal air-tool oil to lubricate the pistons proper, using the oiler/dryer I mentioned earlier.

If you use the oiler/dryer on the compressor intake, you may want to consider a "line dryer" on the outlet - you can get them to pull off excess oil, which may be recycled into the oiler/dryer on the compressor inlet, if desired (and if it isn't too damn dirty...) Dirty air-tool oil makes excellent honing oil for use with Arkansas whetstons, in case you end up with any...


5-90

5-90 said:

Sounds like you pulled the wrong line - you shouldn't get anything smelling of fuel. And, "Evap Control Circuit" concerns evapourative emissions - it's the carbon cannister that stores fuel vapours from the fuel tank until they can be drawn back into the intake.
5-90

Click to expand...

Your absolutely right there. I looked at what it was I took off again, and realized the hoses went to the fuel line (for vapours) and than to an electronically controlled valve on the firewall and from there to the intake manifold. Which would be what your talking about.

Thanks for mentioning that, I will be putting it back on ASAP.

If the rig is a '97 as your sig seems to indicate it will have R-134a refrigerant and PAG oil....drain the existing oil from the compressor...it is PAG oil, which is extremely hydroscopic (it absorbs lots of water from the air) and replace it with MINERAL oil like for an old r-12 system. If you leave the PAG oil in it, the compressor internals will rust and corrode into a useless hunk of crap....besides the water, when the oil breaks down it forms acid to boot.

I have already evacuated the system long ago. now in the process of gathering the parts and putting it all together.
having left the compressor open for so long tho, its seems I may have this PAG oil problem? where do I find the oil drain for it? I was under the assumption I was to add an inline oiler to cool and lubricate the compressor.

If the compressor still turns and pumps you are still ok....to drain it, remove it and invert it so the line connections are down....turn compressor....SOME compressors have an oil drain on the bottom of the case...the inline oiler is like for a air tool or a drip oiler....goes on the suction side...a little air filter will help too.