Before After Cleansing with RCA-GF5
A/C Condensers - Flush or Replace?
Should you flush or not flush a dirty condenser? When an A/C system contains sludge,
compressor debris or other solid contaminants, what is the best course of action?
Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to this repair dilemma because the answer depends
on the circumstances, the vehicle, the contaminants in the system and the style of the
condenser.
Condensers are trash collectors. Any debris that comes out of the compressor goes straight
into the condenser. It is a low spot in the system so debris and oil naturally collect in the
condenser. But the debris does not stay put. Refrigerant flowing through the condenser can
pick up debris and carry it to the orifice tube, expansion valve or back to the compressor.
Debris can plug up the orifice tube or expansion valve, causing a blockage and loss of cooling.
Such blockages also can prevent the circulation of oil in the system, starving the compressor
for lubrication.
If the condenser is dirty, why not just replace it? That is what many experts recommend. But
condensers are expensive to replace, especially on some newer vehicles that have a
radiator/condenser cooling module. The alternative is to clean the condenser with an approved
flushing chemical that hopefully will remove most or all of the contaminants. Flushing can save
money, but it also increases the risk of a repeat compressor failure or an orifice tube or
expansion valve blockage if the flush fails to remove the entire gunk from the condenser.
Many compressor manufacturers will not honor their warranty if a replacement compressor
fails due to recontamination or improper flushing. If you flushed the condenser and failed to get
it clean, or you used a cleaning product that is not approved for flushing A/C systems and the
new compressor dies as a result, you risk a repeat compressor failure.
Something else to keep in mind about flushing is that it follows the path of least resistance. In a
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