I had a non Volvo mechanic work on my car, and he put the car on a lift to replace the drier. He got it into place, but he said the connection popped off later when he was charging the system. I'm guessing the green I see in the photo I took is the oil/dye.

Now, he says that he cannot get the new accumulator to connect to the line. He said I will need to buy a new low pressure line! Is there some trick to connecting the accumulator? He said the connection is like how the evaporator connects, and that one was easy, but this one isn't working for him. My accumulator came from FCP Groton, so it should be OEM and fit properly ...

 

He did not get it locked all the way that's why it blew off.
He needs to play and wiggle the dryer a little to get it to lock in and then make sure it is locked in all the way.

 

He said he tried for an hour to get it to stay on. I wonder if a Volvo specific shop would do this for less than an hour of labor. The way it sounds, I am not even sure a new line that he wants will make things easier. Hmm, even an hour of labor at the dealer would be less than what a new line will cost.

At what point does an accumulator need to be replaced. If he installed the new one, and the line blew off, is the new one still good?

 

Now the dryer needs to be replaced. You might want to replace the spring in the line as well.

 

Wonderful. He didn't mention that I'd need a new drier ...

If I bought a new drier and spring, is this easy enough that a novice, like me, can do? Are there any instructions online for how everything connects together, along with the procedures to get everything else finished, like the PAG oil and freon. When people talking about putting on a vacuum, is that just to test for leaks, or is that something that's done as part of the process?

The mechanic just wants to complete this whole dashboard/AC job and to get me out the door. I think the easier I can make this on him/myself the better, and if that includes skipping him, I don't think he'll complain.

 

If the dryer is open for any length of time it is DEAD. Usually anymore more than about 2 minutes and it is dead.
Sorry no walk through or anything like that but I should be able to help you through it.
When you go to install the new one you just push it in and you should hear the dryer snap in. Then you can look up and see if the spring is locked all the way around. Also you will have to remove the rubber hose from the old one and screw it onto the new one. That is a 7/8 wrench and a 1 1/16 inch wrench.

 

The area is obviously visible from the hood of the car, but is there enough room to do the connections by hand, or is that something done from the bottom? If I jack up the car a a little and remove the bellypan, will that give enough room?

Is the spring something universal I could buy at NAPA tomorrow? I was just curious if I could try to do the hookup with this dead one myself to see how crazy of a connection it is.

What is the visible sign that "the spring is locked all the way around"?

I am wondering why the mechanic didn't tell me to get a new drier ... what happens with a drier that's been open? It fails at removing moisture from the air?

Ah, so frustrating.

 

It is better to do from under the car. Yes remove the air guide and you can see it easy.
Remove the spring from the pipe where the dryer slides onto. You can use a hook tool to pop it out. Napa should have one for it.
Once the dryer it locked in you can see half of the spring looking up at the connection.

The dryer gets to much moisture in it of left open that's why you need a new one.

Also from the post before the system is put under vacuum to get all the moisture out before charging. A good vacuum is needed to make it work properly.

 

Does the spring sit completely be/w the line and the drier? I'm wondering if maybe trying another spring might have been worth trying. Of course, he might have tried that, I but I don't know. In the photo I attached, what components am I seeing?

 

The spring fits inside the line. I doubt he tried that. Also you will know right away once you pull the spring out.

Also in the pick that dryer looks like an old one or he tore it up pretty good.

 

That is the new drier! He showed me the old one, which we tossed. Yeah, it's torn up pretty good from his many attempts at getting it to connect properly. I think he said the connection is just like the evaporator connection, and that one went in easily, and that's why he was surprised this one was so difficult.

 

Yes it is the same connection. He really tore that one up.

 

I took a look today, and it looks like he must have a set of plier around it. I was able to scrape part of that black coating with my fingernails. Is it supposed to just pop into place with some wiggling w/o tools?

 

Yes it should. Also if the edge of the dryer is damaged at all where it goes in that will give you a hard time going in.

 

Any thoughts on the APA brand that many online places sell? FCP Groton doesn't list the brand they sell; it just says "aftermarket". No one seems to sell anything else ...

 

I may have used them before but just did not remember the name. That may work.

 

I went back to the mechanic today, and he said the drier was OK to continue using. He said the drier was never left open to the atmosphere for very long, so it was OK. I didn't have a new one with me, so I just let him reinstall the "new" one.

After spending a lot of time getting the spring out, once it was replaced, the drier snapped into place in just a few seconds. He was surprised it was so easy this time.

I'm not sure if keeping the vacuum for a super long period of time would have made a difference, but it held at close to 30psi without wavering. He put in the R134A, and it got as low as 43.3 degrees, which also surprised him. It was good enough for me.

I'm not in Texas anymore, and here in San Diego I barely will use the AC. So, I think I'm satisfied. finally!

 

Glad it is working good now!!!!