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Mercedes-Benz Sprinter / Dodge Sprinter. Manual - part 524

(5) From inside the vehicle, disconnect the rear

A/C suction line from the rear A/C evaporator and
remove and discard the O-ring seal.

(6) From underneath the vehicle, disconnect the

rear A/C suction line from the underbody suction line
and remove and discard the O-ring seal.

(7) Remove the left quarter trim panel (Refer to 23

BODY/INTERIOR/QUARTER

TRIM

PANEL

REMOVAL).

(8) Remove the three foam insulators from the left

inner quarter panel.

(9) Remove the foam rubber seal from the opening

in the floor of the cargo compartment.

(10) Disengage the rear A/C suction line from the

two retaining clips located on the inner quarter panel
and remove the suction line.

(11) Install plugs into, or tape over the opened

rear suction and underbody line fittings and evapora-
tor tube.

PLUMBING

24 - 97

INSTALLATION

(1) Remove the tape or plugs from the rear suction

and underbody line fittings and the rear evaporator
tube.

(2) Lubricate new O-ring seals with clean refriger-

ant oil and install them onto the rear suction line fit-
tings. Use only the specified O-ring seals as they are
made of a special material for the R-134a system.
Use only refrigerant oil of the type recommended for
the rear A/C compressor in the vehicle.

(3) Position the rear A/C suction line to the left

inner quarter panel and install it into the two retain-
ing clips.

(4) From inside the vehicle, connect the rear A/C

suction line to the rear A/C evaporator. Tighten the
nut to 35 N·m (26 ft. lbs.).

(5) From underneath the vehicle, connect the rear

A/C suction line to the underbody suction line.
Tighten the nut to 35 N·m (26 ft. lbs.).

(6) Install the three foam insulators to the left

inner quarter panel.

(7) Install the foam rubber seal into the floor

panel.

(8) Install the left quarter trim panel (Refer to 23 -

BODY/INTERIOR/QUARTER

TRIM

PANEL

INSTALLATION).

(9) Reconnect the negative battery cable.
(10) Evacuate the rear refrigerant system (Refer to

24 - HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING/PLUMBING
- STANDARD PROCEDURE - REFRIGERANT SYS-
TEM EVACUATE).

(11) Charge the rear refrigerant system (Refer to

24 - HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING/PLUMBING

- STANDARD PROCEDURE - REFRIGERANT SYS-
TEM CHARGE).

(12) Install the cover onto the rear A/C evaporator

housing (Refer to 24 - HEATING & AIR CONDI-
TIONING/DISTRIBUTION - REAR/A/C EVAPORA-
TOR COVER-REAR - INSTALLATION).

REFRIGERANT LINE COUPLER

DESCRIPTION

A spring-lock type refrigerant line coupler is used

to connect the front section of the underbody dis-
charge line to the compressor section of the discharge
line. A secondary retaining clip may be installed over
the connected coupler for added protection.

The spring-lock refrigerant line coupler requires a

special disconnect tool for disengaging the two cou-
pler halves.

OPERATION

The spring-lock coupler is held together by a garter

spring inside a circular cage on the male half of the
fitting (Fig. 37). When the two coupler halves are
connected, the flared end of the female fitting slips
behind the garter spring inside the cage on the male
fitting. The garter spring and cage prevent the flared
end of the female fitting from pulling out of the
cage.

Fig. 36 Rear A/C Suction Line

1 - REAR A/C SUCTION LINE
2 - RETAINING CLIPS
3 - EVAPORATOR OUTLET TUBE
4 - UNDERBODY SUCTION LINE

5 - FOAM RUBBER SEAL
6 - FOAM INSULATORS
7 - LEFT INNER QUARTER PANEL

24 - 98

PLUMBING

Two O-rings on the male half of the fitting are

used to seal the connection. These O-rings are com-
patible with R-134a refrigerant and must be replaced
with O-rings made of the same material.

Secondary clips are installed over the two con-

nected coupler halves at the factory for added blowoff
protection. In addition, some models have a plastic
ring that is used at the factory as a visual indicator
to confirm that these couplers are connected. After
the coupler is connected, the plastic indicator ring is
no longer needed; however, it will remain on the
refrigerant line near the coupler cage.

REMOVAL

WARNING: Refer to the applicable warnings and
cautions for this system before performing the fol-
lowing operation (Refer to 24 - HEATING & AIR
CONDITIONING/PLUMBING - WARNINGS) and (Refer
to 24 - HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING/PLUMBING -
CAUTIONS). Failure to follow the warnings and cau-
tions could result in possible personal injury or
death.

(1) Recover the refrigerant from the refrigerant

system (Refer to 24 - HEATING & AIR CONDITION-
ING/PLUMBING

STANDARD

PROCEDURE

REFRIGERANT SYSTEM RECOVERY).

(2) Remove the secondary retaining clip from the

spring-lock coupler.

(3) Fit the proper size A/C line disconnect tool

(Special Tool Kit 7193) over the spring-lock coupler
cage (Fig. 38).

(4) Close the two halves of the A/C line disconnect

tool around the spring-lock coupler.

(5) Push the A/C line disconnect tool into the open

side of the coupler cage to expand the garter spring.
Once the garter spring is expanded and while still
pushing the disconnect tool into the open side of the
coupler cage, pull on the refrigerant line attached to
the female half of the coupler fitting until the flange
on the female fitting is separated from the garter
spring and cage on the male fitting within the dis-
connect tool.

NOTE: The garter spring may not release if the A/C
line disconnect tool is cocked while pushing it into
the coupler cage opening.

(6) Open and remove the A/C line disconnect tool

from the disconnected spring-lock coupler.

(7) Complete the separation of the two halves of

the coupler fitting.

INSTALLATION

(1) Check to ensure that the garter spring is

located within the cage of the male coupler fitting,
and that the garter spring is not damaged.

(a) If the garter spring is missing, install a new

spring by pushing it into the coupler cage opening.

(b) If the garter spring is damaged, remove it

from the coupler cage with a small wire hook (DO
NOT use a screwdriver) and install a new garter
spring.
(2) Clean any dirt or foreign material from both

halves of the coupler fitting.

(3) Install new O-rings on the male half of the cou-

pler fitting.

Fig. 37 Spring-Lock Coupler - Typical

1 - MALE HALF SPRING-LOCK COUPLER
2 - FEMALE HALF SPRING-LOCK COUPLER
3 - SECONDARY CLIP
4 - CONNECTION INDICATOR RING
5 - COUPLER CAGE
6 - GARTER SPRING
7 - COUPLER CAGE
8 - O-RING SEALS

Fig. 38 Refrigerant Line Spring-Lock Coupler

Disconnect

PLUMBING

24 - 99

CAUTION: Use only the specified O-rings as they
are made of a special material for the R-134a sys-
tem. The use of any other O-rings may allow the
connection to leak intermittently during vehicle
operation.

(4) Lubricate the male fitting and O-rings, and the

inside of the female fitting with clean R-134a refrig-
erant oil. Use only refrigerant oil of the type recom-
mended for the compressor in the vehicle.

(5) Fit the female half of the coupler fitting over

the male half of the fitting.

(6) Push together firmly on the two halves of the

coupler fitting until the garter spring in the cage on
the male half of the fitting snaps over the flanged
end on the female half of the fitting.

(7) Ensure that the spring-lock coupler is fully

engaged by trying to separate the two coupler halves.
This is done by pulling the refrigerant lines on either
side of the coupler away from each other.

(8) Reinstall the secondary retaining clip over the

spring-lock coupler cage.

(9) Evacuate the refrigerant system (Refer to 24 -

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING/PLUMBING -
STANDARD PROCEDURE - REFRIGERANT SYS-
TEM EVACUATE).

(10) Charge the refrigerant system (Refer to 24 -

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING/PLUMBING -
STANDARD PROCEDURE - REFRIGERANT SYS-
TEM CHARGE).

UNDERBODY LINES

REMOVAL

NOTE: The underbody refrigerant lines for the
optional rear A/C system are serviced in five sec-
tions. Two sections are connected the A/C compres-
sor. Two sections of the underbody suction line
(low-side) are connected together by a tapping
block with an O-ring seal. The underbody A/C dis-
charge line uses a spring-lock type refrigerant line
coupler with an O-ring seal.

DISCHARGE LINE

(1) Remove the cover from the rear A/C evaporator

housing (Refer to 24 - HEATING & AIR CONDI-

TIONING/DISTRIBUTION - REAR/A/C EVAPORA-
TOR COVER-REAR - REMOVAL).

(2) Recover the refrigerant from the rear refriger-

ant system (Refer to 24 - HEATING & AIR CONDI-
TIONING/PLUMBING - STANDARD PROCEDURE -
REFRIGERANT RECOVERY).

(3) Raise and support the vehicle.
(4) Using the proper A/C line disconnect tool, dis-

connect the underbody discharge line spring-lock cou-
pler from the compressor section of the underbody
discharge line and remove and discard the O-ring
seal (Refer to 24 - HEATING & AIR CONDITION-
ING/PLUMBING/REFRIGERANT LINE COUPLER -
REMOVAL) (Fig. 39).

(5) Disconnect the underbody discharge line from

the rear A/C discharge line and remove and discard
the O-ring seal.

(6) Install plug in, or tape over all of the opened

discharge line fittings.

(7) Disengage the fuel lines from the retaining clip

located near the transmission and position the fuel
lines out of the way.

(8) Remove the screws and brackets that secure

the discharge line to the underneath of the vehicle.

(9) Support transmission with a suitable lifting

device and remove the rear transmission crossmem-
ber (Refer to 13 - FRAME & BUMPERS/FRAME/
REAR

CROSSMEMBER-TRANSMISSION

REMOVAL).

(10) Remove the underbody discharge line from

the vehicle. Push the discharge line forward and over
the transmission, then pull it rearward to remove.

(11) If necessary, remove the bolt that secures the

compressor section of the underbody discharge line to
the A/C compressor and remove and discard the
O-ring seal. Make sure to plug in, or tape over the
opened discharge line fitting and compressor port.

24 - 100

PLUMBING

Content .. 522 523 524 525 ..