As a result of my recent A/C system issues, I have decided to replace the accumulator.

The one in the car now has both the low pressure service port and the pressure cycling switch port on the "front" side of the canister, between the in/out pipes. All of the replacements (as well as the Helm manual) show the pressure cycling port behind the left side pipe, almost against the firewall.
Of course, I would prefer one similar to the one I have, with the ports on the front side.

Does anyone know the part number for the accumulator with that specific configuration?

Thanks.

Assuming you have 85+ car. 85-88 accumulator Ready-Aire model #4392N. Are you sure you can't find this info in prior threads? So many A/C discussions from Randy and RWDPLZ.

[This message has been edited by sricka01 (edited 07-08-2013).]

I searched for every thread with "accumulator" in the title. Even the archives.
Several of them even mention the same issue as I did, but none of them offer a real solution.
I googled "ready aire" 4392N. No pictures are available.

The picture below is one of the "suggested" replacement accumulators. Notice that the "bottom-most" (in the pic) schrader port is behind the outlet, where the one I have now has both shraders side-by-side between the inlet and outlet. THAT is the one I'm looking for. Surely it exists somewhere.


It appears that the alternative is to fit a 90 degree adapter to that back fitting, but it sounds like kind of an ugly solution.

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 07-08-2013).]

I've never seen an accum on a fiero with both ports between the inlet and outlet. On mine, the low side fill port is between inlet and outlet and the port for cycling switch is directly opposite the outlet .

This is from the rockauto site



Similar style is shown on the Fierostore site.

------------------
Anything I might say is probably worth what you paid for it, so treat it accordingly!

Dave

www.ltlfrari.com

[This message has been edited by ltlfrari (edited 07-08-2013).]

I got one from Oreilly's and it looks just like the rockauto picture. went in just like the one that came out.

Lest y'all think I'm losing my mind.
Convenient as all heck.


But I give up trying to find one. Autozone has a 4392N. I asked them to get me one.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 07-08-2013).]

When I blew my compressor, the shop replaced the accumulator with a universal one that had the fill port on the back side, pointing against the bulkhead. I don't know how they filled it. I asked them to correct it and they found one like the one you show. The cycle switch goes in the small port that's pointing downward in your pic. The Schrader valve goes in the small port pointing upward.

Okay. One more question and I think I've got this.
Everything that I've read seems to indicate that a "rapid venting" of the system (I'm sure the high side hose blowing off the compressor/muffler would qualify) would cause the loss of about 3 oz of oil.

I removed the old accumulator this evening and only recovered about 3/4 oz of oil from it. (I really would have expected more.)
That accounts for maybe 4 oz.

So... should I expect there to be 4 oz of oil distributed throughout the system, and just re-add 4 oz? More?
I don't want to overfill, but rather there was too much instead of not enough.

I have not flushed the system. It doesn't look badly contaminated. No solids are evident.
Things that I have read seem to indicate that I may cause more issues than I resolve.
I will vacuum down the system before I charge it.

Again... I have read pages of A/C threads here, but nothing seemed applicable to my situation.

Anyone have any ideas?

quote Originally posted by Raydar: Okay. One more question and I think I've got this. Everything that I've read seems to indicate that a "rapid venting" of the system (I'm sure the high side hose blowing off the compressor/muffler would qualify) would cause the loss of about 3 oz of oil. I removed the old accumulator this evening and only recovered about 3/4 oz of oil from it. (I really would have expected more.) That accounts for maybe 4 oz. So... should I expect there to be 4 oz of oil distributed throughout the system, and just re-add 4 oz? More? I don't want to overfill, but rather there was too much instead of not enough. I have not flushed the system. It doesn't look badly contaminated. No solids are evident. Things that I have read seem to indicate that I may cause more issues than I resolve. I will vacuum down the system before I charge it. Again... I have read pages of A/C threads here, but nothing seemed applicable to my situation. Anyone have any ideas?

The autozone 4392N or Advance Auto version accumulator will work fine. I used either one for two Fieros and it came out great. 4392N looks a bit generic with a domed top while the Advance one had a flat top.

Did you also replace the orifice tube?
Also, did you order Schraeder valve adapters? I found that Advance auto was the only one that had them in stock!!! You WILL need to replace these by using the schraeder removal tool.
The tool part #59302. You will be kicking yourself at 10pm at night if the schraders are leaking because you didn't remove them. You MUST remove them and install the adapters over the R12 style fittings on the new accumulator and the high side fitting down below in the tray. Reason these have to be removed is if you attempt to install the schrader adapters over the old fittings, it will bend the old schrader and the new schrader pins, and they will leak causing you have to do this all over again, or delay your repair if you are planning a road trip the next day. Trust me.

https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/128738.html


Factory AirAir Conditioning Adapter
Part No 59976


Factory AirAir Conditioning Adapter
Part No 59978


Did you order a new pressure cycling switch for the accumulator too? If you are going to run R134a, the switch is slightly different. You also want to run PAG150 oil.
Istall the oil (4oz in accumulator canister, and 4 oz in compressor).

I thoroughly flushed the A/C lines on both cars using compressed air and lots of rags. I even flushed the accumulator and the condenser. Reason I flushed the condenser on the 2nd Fiero is because it wasn't dirty with black death, but I wanted to get all the mineral oil blown out. Now you are scratching your head thinking "but I thought everyone says don't flush the condenser!". I took the risk and flushed it anyway. Ideally, it would be better if the flush was done with the condenser off the car so you can tip the inlet/outlet pipes downward. Now why did I take that risk? I was reading Factory Aire compressor install instructions and I took their interpretation that only late model cars with parallel condensers have extremely small tube openings that plug easily. Since the Fiero condenser looks like it has wide diameter tubes, I took that risk. I didn't have black death grit on this car but I wanted to get the solvent in the condenser to bust up the mineral oil. The hardest part was holding a rag over the outlet pipe with the compressed air and thoroughly taking the time to get all the flush mist fully blown out.

I used Harbor Freight gauge set on the schrader valves. The trick is to not tighten down the port knobs to the point that you damage the schrader pins!!!! Gently turn it till you feel the pins depress. You need to pull a vacuum on the system. I pulled vacuum for well over an hour. Turned off the pump and confirmed negative vacuum was holding for several hours.

[This message has been edited by sricka01 (edited 07-10-2013).]

Thanks!
I wasn't aware that the fittings had to be adapted. Mine has already been converted, so I suspect that I have the correct cycling switch. It is adjustable.
I have the correct R134A adapters on the high side connection and the accumulator, but I will grab a new fitting if the new accumulator still has the R12 fittings.
I am going to replace the orifice tube with a variable one, since I live in the south. Every little bit of efficiency helps.

Based on my previous post, how much oil would you expect there to be left in the system?

quote Originally posted by Raydar: Thanks! I wasn't aware that the fittings had to be adapted. Mine has already been converted, so I suspect that I have the correct cycling switch. It is adjustable. I have the correct R134A adapters on the high side connection and the accumulator, but I will grab a new fitting if the new accumulator still has the R12 fittings. I am going to replace the orifice tube with a variable one, since I live in the south. Every little bit of efficiency helps. Based on my previous post, how much oil would you expect there to be left in the system?

I don't know. I replaced compressors on both of mine so I consider it starting from scratch. 4oz in compressor and 4oz in the accumulator. One condenser was replaced and the other was re-used. Both cool at 39 degrees.
Get those R134 adapter fittings and the schrader removal tool. Be sure to remove the schrader from the new accumulator and the high side line. Don't be tempted to install the schrader over the old fittings, they will bend and leak. It might install okay but when you screw down the vacuum fittings, the adapter pin will slip off the old schrader pin and will bend both pins and leak out all your hard work.

Heh...

Just discovered (by reading the directions and paying attention to stuff) that my orifice tube was installed backwards. It's how it was when I got it.
Nice. I'm surprised it freakin' worked at all.

I'm glad I actually read, and didn't just put the new one back the same way the old one came out.