The suction line from the firewall, around the back of the engine, under the LH exhaust manifold, to the compressor, has a major leak. It holds a vacuum fine, but leaks like a sieve under pressure. I've read the few threads available and there appears to be no way to get the hose out in its entirety with the engine in the car. I also see where the line was upgraded in '03 to a two-piece unit. I have sourced both halves but they are quite pricey. Which leads to my question.

I have an exhaust leak at the rear of the LH exhaust manifold. I will smoke test it to be sure, but I think it's going to need a new gasket.

The question is, if I have the exhaust gasket off (and the expansion tank, too, of course), is there then room to disconnect the A/C hose from the compressor and bring it up, between the engine and fender? With the manifold on that doesn't appear to be remotely possible.

Has anybody done this? Opinions yay or nay?

 

Is your leak at the manifold itself, or the join between the manifold and the cat?

I'm not sure it's possible to remove the single-piece suction line without moving the engine or cutting the pipe:- hence its replacement with the two separate parts. You might have room with the cat removed. The 3rd pic in this post will show you the workspace if you do:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...2/#post2179685
It also shows where the join is with the 2-piece solution

Getting the unions off the back of the compressor is a royal PITA as access is so difficult, and may be even harder for you as you have the added obstacle of the steering rack boss. A 1/4" drive set (with around 18" of extensions) will help. The union bolts are 8mm and IIRC, about 8Nm torque.

Sorry - but I really hated this job and 'manufactured' a brand new leak which I'll have to revisit this spring.

Gus has a how-to on compressor R&R which will help you:
JagRepair.com - Jaguar Repair Information Resource



Make sure that you have a good stock of expletives before you start

 

I'm not sure if the leak is at the manifold or cat flange. So, I intend to disconnect the exhaust and do a smoke test from the cat back into the manifold. If it's just the cat flange we'll go with the 2-piece solution.

One way or another the cat will have to come out, that's a given. For manifold removal the manual says to remove the LH bolts of the steering rack and loosed the RH bolts in order to provide some clearance. This is probably good advice for compressor access, too, I suppose.

I just wonder if that bulbous in-line muffler will be too fat to squeeze out between the fender and the engine, if the manifold isn't in the way. I have the 1/4" ratchet, sockets, swivel sockets, and a bunch of extensions, so I think the tool portion is covered. I'm stocking up on expletives. My store was a bit depleted when the damn new alternator croaked on Saturday. I really wonder about the designers of this car. The AC line must have been installed before the engine was dropped in, and the radiator has to come out to service the alternator. SMH.

Thanks, as always, for the advice. It's greatly appreciated. I'll advise what the smoke test reveals when I get to that point.

 

The issue is that you have to manoeuvre the pipe backwards away from the compressor to clear the engine mounting point, and if it's rigid I can't see that there would be enough 'give'. I took it out from the underneath as there's plenty of room once the cat is out (and the joint between the two pipes is disconnected).

As you say, at the factory, all of this stuff is in place before the powertrain goes up into the car...

If you can get the studs out of the cat, it will make removing it easier as you need room to clear the cat's bottom connection to the middle 'H' box. This was a slide fit on mine rather than the later flange & 2 bolts. JEPC seems to show it's the same on MY2000 but you may be lucky. I had to remove the box

That shouldn't be necessary. I didn't take the fan shroud off either. If you don't have the 'suppression module' fitted below the airbox, then the alternator will come out from the top after taking out the airbox. It may be possible to drop it out from the bottom if the oil filter is removed. I'll be trying it that way when I get to mine and include the oil/filter change at the same time.

Note it's much easier to tackle the connector on the back of the alternator once it's free of the mounting as you can then juggle it around to get access.

Good luck with the job and I hope this makes sense!


P.S. Check the condition of the transmission cooler pipes 'while you're in there'

 

It'll be up on the lift. I have to remove the center section of the exhaust, or so it seems, in order to smoke test the cat/manifold, as well as remove the cat. I'm pretty sure that H section is still a slide fit. I'll know more this afternoon.

What you say about the line makes sense now. It has to move backward in order to detach it. I guess we'll know more once I find the exhaust leak.

One option might be to replace and recrimp the hose while on the car. They have an interesting portable bead-lock crimping tool on Amazon. The head is connected to the pump via a hose. So, it might work...


Oh, interesting. Sometimes following the manual is the worst way to do something. With the radiator removed you can get under the car and slide the alternator forward. I can't remember if I took it out from the top or bottom. I think bottom. But I'll try it without removing the radiator first. That would save a lot of brain damage. Oh, and I do not have that supressor thing. I read about it, but apparently don't have it.

 

OK. Just to follow up with this thread. I thought about this and there were three options.

1. It seems you could support the engine from the top, remove the crossmember, disconnect the line from the compressor, and drop the line down and remove it from the bottom of the car. I thought for about 3 seconds before rejecting this idea.
2. Cut the line in the middle, remove both halves (after first removing the exhaust and the left-hand cat in order to get room to remove the bottom half. Then replace with updated parts. After much digging I found the new part numbers that had superseded the old, and some dealers have them. The cost for both was north of $400. Several used ones on eBay but the condition of the hose would be an unknown. I thought this option was too expensive but a good last resort.
3. Repair the line in situ. It was worth a shot. I'll need a Dremel and a hose crimping tool. I already have the Dremel. Hmmm.

First step was to remove the intake and throttle body in order to expose the hose and have room. In the bottom pic you can see the offending hose.






Next, using the Dremel and a bunch of cut-off wheels, I ground horizontal cuts in the ferrule. You'll need two, more or less on opposite sides. Then the ferrule will come off the hose.




Next I did the end that connects to the firewall. I used a razor blade to make cuts in the hose in order to get it off off the line. And the old hose, rock hard and crunches when bent. And I did the same to the other end. There were some scratches in the aluminum from the razor blade that I pretty much polished out with a Scotchbrite pad.






I cut the new hose to the approximate length of the old one - 14.5 inches. I used #12 Reduced Barrier hose and steel ferrules because aluminum ferrules are almost impossible to find, at least when buying a few at a time. I removed the line from the firewall and crimped it on the bench.






Next I fitted the other end of the hose, and ferrule, onto the immovable portion of the line and crimped it.







Then connected the hoses and pulled a vacuum. It held vacuum well and was still holding it the following day. I reassembled the engine, charged the system, and now I have A/C!! It's been working well for four days now!

 

Well done....