Rear Underbody Refrigerant Lines
Rear Underbody Refrigerant Lines
Review the applicable warnings and cautions for this system before performing the following operation.
• To prevent any contaminates from entering the rear HVAC system, make sure that the area around the underbody line connections is clean of any dirt or foreign residue prior to disconnecting the lines.
Removing
- Disconnect and isolate the negative battery cable.
- Recover the refrigerant from the refrigerant system. Refer to => [ Refrigerant System, Recovery ] Refrigerant System, Recovery.
- Drain the engine cooling system.
- Raise and support the vehicle.
Do not apply excessive force on underbody heater lines or rear heater hose quick connect fittings when disconnecting the connections. Excessive force may damage or deform the fittings and or lines, causing an engine coolant leak.
- Disconnect the underbody heater lines (4) from the rear heater core tubes (1) which extend through the rear floor panel in front of the right rear wheel housing by releasing the insert (2) in each rear quick connect fitting (3) and carefully pulling downward on the fittings while using a slight twisting motion.
- Lower the underbody heater lines and drain any residual coolant from the lines into a suitable container.
• Illustration shown with rear body cradle removed for clarity.
- Loosen the fitting nuts that secure the underbody refrigerant lines to the underbody refrigerant extension lines (3) located behind the right rear wheel housing.
- Disconnect the underbody refrigerant lines from underbody refrigerant extension lines and remove and discard the O-ring seals.
- Remove the nut (2) that secures the underbody refrigerant extension lines and sealing plate (4) to the rear A/C expansion valve (1).
- Disconnect the extension lines from the rear A/C expansion valve and remove and discard the O-ring seals.
- Loosen the fitting nuts that secure the underbody refrigerant lines (1 and 2) to the front A/C liquid line (5) and the front A/C suction line (6).
- Disconnect the front A/C liquid and suction lines from the underbody refrigerant lines and remove and discard the O-ring seals.
• Replacement of the front heater hoses will be required if the hose ends are cut for removal.
- Release the spring type hose clamps (4) and disconnect the front heater hoses from the underbody heater lines (3).
Underbody Line Mounting Brackets
- Support the rear axle with a suitable jack stand and remove the right rear shock mount from the rear frame rail and position the mount and shock out of the way.
Use care not to damage the ABS wire lead or the brake line when repositioning the brake line bracket.
- Remove the rear brake line bracket from the rear frame rail and position the bracket, brake line and ABS wire lead out of the way.
- Disconnect the exhaust system from the four rubber exhaust hanger isolators and position the exhaust system out of the way.
- Remove the six screws (2 and 3) that secure the underbody lines (1) underneath the vehicle.
- Rotate and tilt the underbody lines as necessary and remove the lines from the vehicle.
- Install plugs in, or tape over all the opened refrigerant line fittings and the rear expansion valve ports.
- If required, place the extension lines and sealing plate (1) on a workbench, remove the nylon retaining clip (4) that secures the suction extension line (3) to the sealing plate and remove the suction line from the sealing plate.
Installing
Be certain to adjust the refrigerant oil level when servicing the A/C refrigerant system. Refer to => [ Refrigerant System, Recovery ] Refrigerant System, Recovery.
• When replacing multiple A/C system components, refer to the refrigerant oil capacities chart to determine how much oil should be added to the refrigerant system. Refer to => [ Refrigerant Charge Capacity ] Capacity Specifications.
• Replacement of the refrigerant line O-ring seals is required anytime an underbody refrigerant line is disconnected. Failure to replace the rubber O-ring seals may result in a refrigerant system leak.
- Position the underbody lines (1) underneath the vehicle body and install the six retaining screws (2 and 3). Tighten the screws securely.
Use care not to damage the ABS wire lead or the brake line when installing the brake line bracket.
- Install the rear brake line bracket, brake line and ABS wire lead onto the rear frame rail.
- Install the right rear shock mount onto the rear frame rail and remove the jack stand from under the rear axle.
- Reposition the exhaust system and connect the four rubber exhaust hanger isolators.
- Connect the front heater hoses (4) to the underbody heater lines (3) and install the hose clamps securely.
- Remove the tape or plugs from all the opened refrigerant line fittings and the rear expansion valve ports.
- Lubricate new rubber O-ring seals with clean refrigerant oil and install them onto all the underbody refrigerant line fittings. Use only the specified O-rings as they are made of a special material for the R-134a refrigerant system. Use only refrigerant oil of the type recommended for the A/C compressor in the vehicle.
- Connect the front A/C suction line (6) and front A/C liquid line (5) to the underbody refrigerant lines (1 and 2). Tighten the fitting nuts to 23 Nm (17 ft lbs).
- If removed, install the suction extension line (3) into the sealing plate (1) and install the nylon retaining clip (4) that secures the suction line to the sealing plate.
• Illustration shown with rear body cradle removed for clarity.
- Lubricate new rubber O-ring seals with clean refrigerant oil and install them onto the underbody refrigerant extension line fittings. Use only the specified O-rings as they are made of a special material for the R-134a refrigerant system. Use only refrigerant oil of the type recommended for the A/C compressor in the vehicle.
- Connect the underbody refrigerant extension lines (3) and the sealing plate (4) to the rear A/C expansion valve (1).
- Loosely install the nut (2) that secures the extension lines and sealing plate to the rear A/C expansion valve.
- Connect the underbody refrigerant lines to the underbody refrigerant extension lines and tighten the fitting nuts to 23 Nm (17 ft lbs).
- Tighten the nut that secures the extension lines and sealing plate to the rear A/C expansion valve to 11 Nm (95 in lbs).
Do not apply excessive force on underbody heater lines or rear heater hose quick connect fittings when connecting the connections. Excessive force may damage or deform the fittings and or lines, causing an engine coolant leak.
- Lubricate new rubber O-ring seals with clean engine coolant and install them onto the rear heater core tube fittings. Use only the specified O-rings as they are made of a special material designed for use with engine coolant. Use only engine coolant of the type recommended for the engine in the vehicle.
- Connect the quick connect fittings (3) for the underbody heater lines (4) to the rear heater core tubes (1) and engage the inserts (2). Make sure the inserts are fully engaged to the rear heater core tube fittings.
- Lower the vehicle.
- Connect the negative battery cable.
- Fill the engine cooling system.
- Evacuate the refrigerant system. Refer to => [ Refrigerant System, Evacuate ] Refrigerant System, Evacuate.
- Adjust the refrigerant oil level. Refer to => [ Refrigerant System, Recovery ] Refrigerant System, Recovery.
- Charge the refrigerant system. Refer to => [ Refrigerant System, Charging ] Refrigerant System, Charging.