Leak in my condenser and can't find an aftermarket new one. I though that it would be possible to get a condenser from a different application, cut off the pipes/connections from the old, and silver solder them onto the new. With this and a little pipe bending it should be possible.

If there is no problem with the above idea, the trick would be to find one with a size that would fit and piping for hookup that is at least somewhat similar to original. Anyone ever tried this?

There is enough room to go a little bigger in overall size which I assume would be a plus when converting to the newer refrigerants.

 

Silver solder? I'm not sure that would be acceptable at the operating temperatures and pressures in a condenser...nevermind chemical compatibility questions with the refrigerant and oil.

There are "universal" parallel flow condensers (parallel flow is a must for this application due to the size and airflow constraints) which are very close in size to to the stock unit on the car. The only trick would be getting the lines to fit...that could be a huge PITA. How much is a condenser from Mazda?

 

Malloy quoted almost $600 for new condenser, said this was the club price. List closer to $800.

I don't know about silver solder myself, I mentioned this because a reputable radiator shop in my area said they likely could fix the leak with it and said they had done these types of repairs before but they are going to charge $100.

Right now I was just looking at some condensers on Summit Racing site. They have some horizontal multiflow models that will fit if the connections can be worked out.

This is the first time I have done something like this before. Are these AN type connections of the FD piping. Some of the Summit ones say they have AN connections.

 

I'm not sure I would trust the local radiator bubbas with a parallel flow condenser. LOL

This unit would probably fit, and I suspect you could re-use the factory brackets to mount it. Might need a little bending 'cause it is likely to be a touch too wide.

As for the connections, your best bet is to take the old one, the new one, and the lines that attach to it to an A/C shop and have them weld and splice and make it work. The fitting threads and sizes are different depending on whether or not you have a MANA or Nippondenso system.

 

When did you call up malloy to get a quote for the condensor?

Is this car a touring model?

The reason I ask is because 1 month ago I was going to buy a new condensor from mazda and called up ray and he said that the condensor was discontinued, and no dealers in the U.S. had one. My car is a base model though.

I think your best bet is to have the radiator shop repair it for $100 rather than trying to figure out how to make one fit. Just make shure they will guarentee it.

Where is it leaking from did a rock hit it?

The problem with mine was that a rock hit it puting a small hole in it. I had a friend comeover with his inverter tig machine and with literaly 3 seconds of arc time the hole was patched up. no solder needed.(he can weld beer cans together) And is good as new.

Hope this helps.


John

 

That unit says it is 12 x 14 although it looks wider in the picture. From getting underneath the car and measuring it looks like could safely go up to at least 24 x 12. Summit has some in this size as well as some short lines with AN fittings.

Nippondenso system on my car.

 

Today, but did not talk to Ray. The guy said that I would have to call back later to be sure we had right unit.

Yes, touring with Nippondenso system that I assume was installed at factory, not the port. I would guess that a base has a port installed system from what I have read.


Right of center, none of fins were damaged in the area so I assume it was not rock damage.

That's interesting, but I guess when you take something to a shop it's hard to know if they are really that good to be able to do really delicate welding.

 

I am going first thing tomorrow to get my condenser back from the shop before they have a chance to get any money in it. I am going to try to put in an aftermarket unit. This one looks good to me:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/VTA-03704-OVA/

That one has an fittings which I don't know anything about. I don't know if FD fittings are AN, how to measure AN threads, etc. I would like to verify what my car has with the Nippondenso system. Come to think of it, I assume that foreign stuff would not have AN would it?

I guess I will buy a unit get things as far along as I can and take it somewhere if need be to get finished up with welding etc., as suggested above.

 

I had a problem getting a AC condenser for my car, I have a FC but had the same situation.
Local crash and rust replacement houses that provide these parts to auto body shops could not get it, local auto parts stores, including the old fashioned ones where people actually know what a AC condenser is could not get one.

I ended up getting one from http://www.car-stuff.com/store/?N=11...667+11921+9171

I had to get a FD alternator from them as well because locally it was rebuild with core only, they had a brand new lifetime guarantee one

 

Yeah, I called all over the place and didn't find any condenser application specific. I'll look at that site too.

 

Only problem I see with that one is the mounting flanges are on the top and bottom, and not on the ends where you need them.

*shrug* Never tried to see exactly what the fittings on the stock condenser are. Plus you'd likely make a mess out of the stock lines trying to bend them to get them to line up.

 

I needed custom lines made, my condenser accepted AN fittings, but the compressor did not, so I welded an fittings onto the stock fittings, and used custom lines with an fittings on both ends.

BUT that is because I was running a FD compressor and the rest of my system is FC.

 

Since I can't repair it myself, I think I'm going to try to make one of these work. Getting a new condenser vs. paying $100 for the repair, the former seems a much better value proposition.

 

Couldn't you just get a good condition used one from the classifieds here?

 

You can buy an entire system for about $200 so I am sure you could get a condenser for about $40 shipped.

 

$100 won't seem like much when you experience the hassle of properly mount & connect an aftermarket replacement.

I would first search for a replacement in the classifieds, as has been suggested. I bought one there a few years ago.

Depending on where the leak is, and the general condition of your unit, a repair may be very feasible.

These condensers are furnace brazed aluminum and should be repaired with an aluminum braze, zinc, or an alloy of the two. Because of the brazing process, they generally cannot be tig welded unless sufficient material exists to grind the surface down. I would not dismiss the radiator shop as an option.

Silver solder (aka silver braze) is the gold standard in the world of refrigeration; however, it is typically used on copper, brass and bronze connections and is NOT suitable for aluminum.

Good luck.

 

the site I listed showed condensers for 1993 cars, I am sure they have yours

 

The "Silla" brand condenser appears to be a much less efficient tube and fin design. Not appropriate for this car due to the limited surface area and airflow.

 

Just a head for guys with 93 Touring Model, we have the Denso system and all of the lines and dryer are completley different from the port installed or the mana system. I know cause my a.c condensor die on me and I brought a complete used one from this forum only to find out that pipe threading is different from the mana or port installed system. However on the mana system it's a 6 an and 8 an fitting, anyway I still had to endup buying the one and only denso condensor left int eh country 2 years ago fromt he midwest dealer for $675.00, so if u guys see any one parting out a 93 touring jump on the a.c system.
Khris

 

I looked at the first one on that site. It was for the US air conditioning. I called about the Silla one and they couldn't tell me anything about it so decided to pass.

You are saying that the Silla one is just one long tube that snakes around - right? I couldn't tell from the picture.

 

I thought that the line connections on mine would be metric. I have a touring model and my drier is what the FSM shows for the Denso system.

When I measured the connections the large is 3/4 x 16 tpi, the smaller is 9/16 x 18 tpi.

 

Yep. Or maybe it splits into two or three tubes that snake around, and then back together at the exit of the condenser. If you look carefully at the line drawing you can see where the tubes "U" back and forth on the end views. Plus, I've seen pictures of this unit from forum members and on eBay.

 

that's correct the only touring model have the metric system unless I am wrong but i try the base model lines and R1 lines and none will hookup to the denso system.

 

Ironically, the MANA systems (used in base & R1 models) have metric fittings and the Denso systems use standard US AN/JIC sizes. (Denso is used in most Tourings, IIRC).

 

Go electric.