Air conditioner underdash removal oily fluid

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1983Pinin
Posts: 57
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 2:50 pm
Your car is a: 1983 Pininfarina

Air conditioner underdash removal oily fluid

Post by 1983Pinin »

Hello,
I am pulling out my 1983 Pinin air conditioning unit. THe underdash unit is coming out slowly but surely-- now left with the two refrigerant hoses coming out of the firewall into the underdash unit to disconnect. I started backing off the lower one at the underdash unit connection and green oily fluid started dripping out. It looks like thick anti-freeze but doesn't smell like that. WASSS ATTT??

I was naively expecting a little hiss, after which I would be feeling bad about releasing 1CF of R-12 into the air.

I'm stumped...

I am figuring I am missing one important fact about refrigeration theory , and I don't want to ask my brother who is an HVAC engineer, because he'll give me grief for not knowing what I am looking at.

--Peter
--Peter

1960 something 850 Spider in 1974-1976
1970 something 124 Spider 1977-1980
Currently 1983 Spider 2000
DieselSpider
Posts: 2130
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2014 10:21 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 Spider with Isuzu Turbo Diesel

Re: Air conditioner underdash removal oily fluid

Post by DieselSpider »

Potentially a heavy refrigerant oil charge settled in the dash unit possibly mixed with some kind of stop leak product that is supposed to swell seals an plug minor leaks along with the green dye used to make locating leaks easier. Is the green almost a DayGlow Fluorescent Green?
Last edited by DieselSpider on Mon May 18, 2015 12:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
1983Pinin
Posts: 57
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 2:50 pm
Your car is a: 1983 Pininfarina

Re: Air conditioner underdash removal oily fluid

Post by 1983Pinin »

Yes-- was green like anti-freeze ( but not antifreeze ).
It turns out that only a tiny bit came out-- probably half a cup at most. I got nervous thinking that the refrigerant lines would have been plugged with this stuff, but thankfully not the case.
I looked around on Google and it may be some kind of treatment added with the refrigerant. I think it was a little bit foamy when it came out
--Peter
--Peter

1960 something 850 Spider in 1974-1976
1970 something 124 Spider 1977-1980
Currently 1983 Spider 2000
DieselSpider
Posts: 2130
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2014 10:21 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 Spider with Isuzu Turbo Diesel

Re: Air conditioner underdash removal oily fluid

Post by DieselSpider »

1983Pinin wrote:Yes-- was green like anti-freeze ( but not antifreeze ).
It turns out that only a tiny bit came out-- probably half a cup at most. I got nervous thinking that the refrigerant lines would have been plugged with this stuff, but thankfully not the case.
I looked around on Google and it may be some kind of treatment added with the refrigerant. I think it was a little bit foamy when it came out
--Peter
Stop Leak with dye added to show the problem areas. Are there any stains from the dye leaking out elsewhere in the system?
User avatar
1983Pinin
Posts: 57
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 2:50 pm
Your car is a: 1983 Pininfarina

Re: Air conditioner underdash removal oily fluid

Post by 1983Pinin »

Thanks DieselSpider.
So far I have only removed the underdash unit and without tearing into that unit I see no tell-tale signs of leaks.
I still need to pull the compressor and the radiator unit . Maybe I will see something there.
--Peter
--Peter

1960 something 850 Spider in 1974-1976
1970 something 124 Spider 1977-1980
Currently 1983 Spider 2000
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