something really strange happened at the last autox.. while I was sitting waiting for my run, car off, the evo suddenly shot out a huge white cloud from the engine bay, which turned out to have been from the ac unit - where exactly, I'm not sure but theres no more freon in the lines. also think it leaked out some refrigerant oil at the same time..

has this happened to anyone before? not sure exactly what happened.. I'm assuming it just got too hot in the engine bay and the pressure rose and overwhelmed it? not sure about the refrigerant oil bit either though...

 

I'm assuming you weren't running your AC while running the Autox, soo, pressure shouldn't have built up. I'm guessing just a bad line or something in the system leaked? Chances are you lost freon and Pag oil, so I'd say look for your leak and fix it, recharge the system and good to go.

 

I have a feeling your AC condenser burst if you don't see any damage in the ac lines.

 

well i was thinking it just got really hot, car (and fan) wasn't on so it couldn't dispel heat or something..? that said, i codrove with someone the week before in hotter conditions and everything ran fine. last weekend i was just driving alone and it happened.

i don't really understand a/c systems so if the compressor burst or w/e i have no idea...

i did have a bad line a few months ago, which i replaced - i assumed it was from there and i retightened those lines BUT - the smoke didn't really shoot out from that area, and doesn't explain the location of the oil, which was right down the middle of the undertray

 

also broke this tab for one of the a/c lines while i tried to tighten it down - any suggestions on how to put it together? for now just using tape to hold it in place, not going to recharge it yet

 

just checked and oil is still coming out of somewhere it seems, must be the ac compressor...

any major reason an ac compressor would blow? I was on the Rev limiter in 2nd a good bit that day

 

Compressor only spins when the AC is on, other wise the pulley spins on a bearing.

Where is the oil coming from?

 

By the way you describe it, it sounds like the condenser blew. That solves the problem of the broken stud. BTW, torque for that connector is 107 inch pounds or 9 foot pounds - a little more than hand tight. Since the system has been open for some time now, you will also need a new drier.

 

i guess that's what i need to figure out - the general populous seems to think it's the condenser, so i will have to see. to be honest i don't even know what the ac condenser looks like.

i will take a look. and yea, that is unfortunately for that connector.. it kept going so i kept turning it... if it's only 9lbfts, i think i can just ziptie it on instead of replacing the stud - thought with the pressure of the system it'd need more than that. what is the drier?

 

It's the oil in the refrigerant that absorbs moisture and holds debris in the system. That vertical tube you see on the driver side when you are at the front of the car is your drier.the big radiator behind it is your ac condenser.

 

ahh gotcha.. yea trying to figure out what exactly needs to be replaced - i'm racing every weekend from here on out but will have to find the time to undo the undertray and see exactly which bit is leaking. seems like it'd be a little easier if it were the condenser and not the compressor?

 

They're both pretty easy. A condenser will be less expensive though.

 

got it, thanks. will check prices tonight, I need the drier too I guess

 

looking at a few options but one question - let's say I replace with stock or stock equivalent - am I going to have to remove the front bumper? one of the bolts holding the bumper on is seized...

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261336749676?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AITProblem solved. Ive purchased from them 3-4 times and they have all been successful.

You can remove the radiator and slide it from behind their.