Condenser/oil cooler

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1998_K1500_Sub

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After looking at the pictures, I would be inclined to replace the combination oil cooler / condenser *if* I could confirm that the fittings can be taken apart (i.e., they aren't seized, which can happen).

But I would do it myself, which would be a LOT less costly then paying some bloke to do the work.

Why would I do this? I wouldn't want to re-engineer the engine oil cooling / 2nd guess the original design by putting in a replacement for the engine oil cooler.

You know what you have, works (or, that's my assumption).

You might, or even "can probably", hack something together that works as well, at least for a while. Heck, maybe you'll do a bang-up job and it'll work great for a long time.

But motorhomes have a long history of having problems, and as they're often "far from home" those problems when they happen take on a level of immediacy. I (for one) wouldn't want to introduce a latent problem if I could avoid it. Thus, I would try to fix what's there, to take advantage of the proven, time-tested OE design.

That's my $0.02.
 

udidwht

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After looking at the pictures, I would be inclined to replace the combination oil cooler / condenser *if* I could confirm that the fittings can be taken apart (i.e., they aren't seized, which can happen).

But I would do it myself, which would be a LOT less costly then paying some bloke to do the work.

Why would I do this? I wouldn't want to re-engineer the engine oil cooling / 2nd guess the original design by putting in a replacement for the engine oil cooler.

You know what you have, works (or, that's my assumption).

You might, or even "can probably", hack something together that works as well, at least for a while. Heck, maybe you'll do a bang-up job and it'll work great for a long time.

But motorhomes have a long history of having problems, and as they're often "far from home" those problems when they happen take on a level of immediacy. I (for one) wouldn't want to introduce a latent problem if I could avoid it. Thus, I would try to fix what's there, to take advantage of the proven, time-tested OE design.

That's my $0.02.
I was considering that but the Ac system is where I was going to be stumped. No means of evacuating the system correctly. And not easy to find anyone willing to do it once you make mention it's in an RV LOL!
 

1998_K1500_Sub

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I just need to know the fitting size so I can order the stand alone oil cooler. Figure someone here may know off hand.

@Schurkey or others may recognize that fitting style, possibly with the aid of the pages from the GM manual for which you included the link. I've looked at the fitting in your pictures, and as-illustrated in the manual, and I'm still drawing a blank... but I'm not a fittings wizard :33:
 

1998_K1500_Sub

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I was considering that but the Ac system is where I was going to be stumped. No means of evacuating the system correctly. And not easy to find anyone willing to do it once you make mention it's in an RV LOL!

For me, I can take the vehicle in to the local Chevy dealer and they'll recover the refrigerant from the system for me and leave it "empty".

I then leave, return to my shop and service it, as I wish.

At some later time / date, I then take it back to them, and they'll evacuate and recharge it for me.

Well, that's how I used to do it some years ago... and that could work for you.

Now I do it all myself. I recover the refrigerant using methods that are approved in most (but not all) 3rd-world countries. When it's time to evacuate and recharge, I "rent" for $0 a vacuum pump from AutoZone or O'Reilly. I have three (or four?) 30# cans of R-134a and a refrigerant scale, and a handful of the other tools that make it all happen. All handy stuff. But you don't need them. You just need a shop that'll work with you on the recovery / recharge process.

BUT... if those AC fittings on the condenser can't be loosened, it's time to re-consider your original plan.
 

1998_K1500_Sub

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My wrenches are hanging me up given they aren't offset. Perhaps off set flair wrenches?

I usually try open-end wrenches first, and I watch closely for deformation as I don't dare ruin the fitting.

If the fittings won't yield, I then use 6pt flare nut wrenches and/or flare-nut crows' foot (feet?).

Backup wrenches are mandatory, which you probably knew.

Offset wrenches can be handy, but I don't have them except in box-end (unusable here).
 

1998_K1500_Sub

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Fortunately for you, there's no "service" required of the AC system (I assume). You don't need to flush lines, or replace compressors (unless you wish to do so proactively), or deal with the range of issues associated with "AC".

Evidently, you just need to recover, remove & replace the condenser, and recharge. Tell the shop what you did, they'll likely add a few oz of oil during the recharge to make up what was lost in the old condenser.

If you're diligent, you'll drain the old condenser into a measuring cup. That'll give you an estimate of the amount of oil that was within it. Some will remain within, of course, so what you drain will always be a tad less (~1/2oz) then what was actually within. This provides a basis for estimating the amount of make-up oil to add.
 

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My earlier comments still stand. But you may have other ideas, so...

Here's a different tack. I'm back to the scenario of installing an adjunct cooler and leaving the existing in-place.

Those fittings on the end of your engine oil lines. I haven't been able to identify them; maybe somebody can.

Let's perhaps eliminate them, so as to work around them.

Something I've used (which may be usable here) are these adapters that mount on existing tubing (such as your oil lines); they affix onto the existing tubing using a compression fitting, and they provide an AN fitting to which one might connect a hose. See one, here, for 3/8" OD tubing:


Here's another view of an identical adapter:

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They come in a variety of sizes, e.g., for different OD tubing. Perhaps there is one sized for your engine oil lines.

So, I naively assert you could cut your engine oil lines with a tubing cutter, and, using these, adapt your lines to (standard) AN fittings. Read on...

Turning now to the oil cooler (such as that which @Frank Enstein suggested) you could fit it with the same style AN fittings using appropriate adapters.

Finally, you could make (or have made) a set of hoses such as @Schurkey described with appropriate, mating AN connectors on each end, and use them to plumb the new cooler's AN fittings to the AN adapters' fittings on the engine oil tubing.

I won't claim this is a good solution, but it's *a* solution.

Here's a link to Earl's (Holley) product catalog. They show adapters for 3/8", 1/2", and 5/8" tubing.


(edit) Consider cutting the engine oil cooler lines AFTER the existing fittings, in order to retain those fittings so they can be available to use in the event the condenser / oil cooler assy is ever replaced in the future.
 
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