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May 15, 2024 12:54:25 GMT
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[AC - degassed by a garage a few days ago] I need to remove these two unions from an AC Compressor, they are stuck solid. I have another compressor to go on. in the pic, one of them has two nuts on the thread as I tightened them together in the hope of removing the stud which will mean that I could then twist the pipe on its sealing joint, the stud doesnt want to move [nuts are turning on it] and although this compressor is no good I don't want to damage the threads [why? don't know, it wont ever have pressure in it again] and the other union is more difficult to get straight line access to. the pipes are sort of alloy, they arent going to take a beating. so, any suggestions?  |
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May 15, 2024 13:58:43 GMT
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Personally I'd get a needle sander in there to sand off the bolts if they're stuck. I'd ensure whereever there's a crevice on the join is sufficiently soaked in WD40 of whatever your chosen lube is for a few hours. then I'd be using a punch on whatever ledge I can get to from below on the lower face of the union to get them up the studs and out. After that you can cut and drill the remainder of the studs out from the compressor on workbench if you have one, or weld a nut on and turn them out - If you so desire I guess. Or just throw it in the bin.
I find stainless fixings aren't the best for double nut jobs. usually old grade 8's I have around are best as they don't lose their threads so easily.
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Davey
Posted a lot
Resident Tyre Nerd.
Posts: 2,246
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May 15, 2024 14:30:14 GMT
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Not sure how much you know about AC systems so sorry if I'm teaching you to suck eggs. The connectors will look like the below but should have O-rings in the grooves. Your probably fighting a little bit of corrosion and a lot of o ring seal.  Can you get any penetrating oil in the joint? If you can get a little bit of left to right twisting on the pipes they should slowly work their way out. A little tap on the unions with a hammer and punch wont harm anything so long as you are careful not to go too hard. |
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May 15, 2024 14:35:33 GMT
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this is what the end of the replacement compressor looks like, and the studs. on my old compressor, it wont be a problem to damage it, but the unions cant be damaged/scarred  |
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May 15, 2024 14:47:24 GMT
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Not sure how much you know about AC systems so sorry if I'm teaching you to suck eggs. The connectors will look like the below but should have O-rings in the grooves. Your probably fighting a little bit of corrosion and a lot of o ring seal. Can you get any penetrating oil in the joint? If you can get a little bit of left to right twisting on the pipes they should slowly work their way out. A little tap on the unions with a hammer and punch wont harm anything so long as you are careful not to go too hard. If I could extract the studs there would be no problem in getting them twisting and then off, but while the studs are there i've no chance of that. I have a stud extractor but the stud nearest to the engine on the high pressure line is the only one with direct in-line from above access, my extractor doesn't go far enough down the thread to get a grip on it, thats why I tried the two nut method, although I think I didnt tighten then together hard enough fearing the threads would strip. its started raining now and my back is killing me, I have removed the two nuts and sprayed the joints with penetrating oil. fresh eyes tomorrow and have another go. so open to more suggestions, cheers! |
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May 15, 2024 17:50:11 GMT
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for added info, the studs are M6, so wont take a lot of torque for them to strip, where I have put two nuts on, the nuts are approx 5mm thick, the thread on the stud doesnt go all the way to the top, so even less torque can be had on the top nut before it will either strip its own thread or the stud thread.
wont need the studs anyway, replacement comp already has them [pic in post above]
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,855
Club RR Member Number: 174
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how can I remove these?stealthstylz
@stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member 174
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May 15, 2024 18:05:47 GMT
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You need a bit of ally bar ideally, but if you keep tapping the side of the female housing on the compressor itself it will usually break the crud up enough that they wiggle free. Welding a nut onto the studs so they can be wound out helps too though.
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May 15, 2024 18:12:40 GMT
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You need a bit of ally bar ideally, but if you keep tapping the side of the female housing on the compressor itself it will usually break the crud up enough that they wiggle free. Welding a nut onto the studs so they can be wound out helps too though. I did wonder about denting into the housing as its scrap anyway I only have a gasless welder here, and not much in the way of skill with it. Also worried the heat might melt the alloy pipes. |
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May 17, 2024 15:56:12 GMT
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a couple of days later with fresh eyes, a different attitude and some sun, its off. on the low pressure side [largest port] I run my recip saw down the side of the where the stud was, cut right through it, was able to get a wiggle on then and it came out. high pressure port, I used grinder to cut a slot so I could punch upwards on the union with a flat bar, came off really quick.  replacement compressor now fitted with new o rings, while this job was being done I had already removed the tubo as I was replacing it, and the cat/downpipe, to much more access, fixed a few things around there at the same time and its all back together now, just need to have it regassed, and got my fingers crossed it was the compressor at fault. job, jobbed! |
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jimi
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 1,843 
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May 17, 2024 21:47:24 GMT
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Congratulations for getting them off intact, having had years of experience dealing with alloy junction boxes fitted with steel/stainless steel bolts/studs and the problems caused by oxidation I wouldn't have bet on your success  |
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Black is not a colour ! .... Its the absence of colour
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