2003 air conditioner aluminum tube replacement

T

todd

Test Drive
Hello all, New to this site. Looking for help with my 2003 Xterra 2wd 3.3L 6 cyc non-supercharged. The smaller all aluminum (no flexible rubber) hose/tube that goes from the condenser to the firewall cracked at the condenser inlet and needs to be replaced. I need some tips on what to take off to accomplish this and if there are any other parts I should replace while replacing this part. This is generally an L shaped tube smaller than some of the others so I believe its going to be high pressure. It connects to the condenser on the driver’s side, crosses to the passenger side on top of the condenser then snakes back to the firewall on the passenger side.

Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide,
Nolan
 
Muadeeb

Muadeeb

Nissan al Gaib
Admin
Location
Dallas
todd said:
Hello all, New to this site. Looking for help with my 2003 Xterra 2wd 3.3L 6 cyc non-supercharged. The smaller all aluminum (no flexible rubber) hose/tube that goes from the condenser to the firewall cracked at the condenser inlet and needs to be replaced. I need some tips on what to take off to accomplish this and if there are any other parts I should replace while replacing this part. This is generally an L shaped tube smaller than some of the others so I believe its going to be high pressure. It connects to the condenser on the driver’s side, crosses to the passenger side on top of the condenser then snakes back to the firewall on the passenger side.

Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide,
Nolan
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Receiver /dryer should be replaced anytime the system is opened.

Have a shop recover the refrigerant, then rent a vacuum pump and manifold gauge to refill with new refrigerant. Rental will wind up free, parts shouldn't be too expensive.
 
T

todd

Test Drive
Thanks for the info. I got a dryer, manifold gages and vacuum pump from Auto Zone. I guess I'm going to have to dive in and figure out what to take off to accomplish this tube replacement. It appears I can take the radiator brackets off and hopefully I will have enough space to maneuver the tube toward the front connection at the firewall and into place on top of the condenser. May have to take the power steering lines loose to be able to get the tube in place without bending it too much. Any recommendations about this process I am so looking forward to. Should I leave it to a professional so they can crimp the tube and ruin it instead of me?
 
Muadeeb

Muadeeb

Nissan al Gaib
Admin
Location
Dallas
No crimping needed, the tube should have any flex parts it needs. I can't remember the exact routing, but should be above / around the radiator, so worst case is you remove that. Receiver is accessible from the front, just remove the grill.
 
T

todd

Test Drive
Revisiting this post - I was able to route the tube around everything and only had to loosen the radiator and remove the front grill. Wasn't easy but with some pushing and pulling with care and some patience I was able to get the tube into place. I actually recorded everything on my phone camera and then lost that and a bunch of other things when it did a factory reset on its own.
 
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