A/C bypassing

Hey guys...

I need your help. I have encountered that my A/C is leaking water. The leaking is taking place in the passenger side of the car on the carpet, so I guess the radiator is leaking (the one that sits in the panel... Is it a radiator, or what is it? In this description I am going to refer to it as the radiator). Furthermore a lot of steam is entering the car, so eventually I cannot drive because of safety (the windows are fogging). What I want to do is to bypass the radiator, so here is my questions:

1) Is it safe (does it harm the car if I drive with the bypass) to bypass the radiator, the one that sits behind the panel in the passenger side of the car?

2) Where do you normally do the bypassing? Under the hood, near the wind shield (passenger side), or you have to take out the panel inside the car, and do it there?

3) Can this operation be done by me? I mean, I am not a mechanical guy, but still I am a handy man.

4) What kind of bypass hose would you recommend. A high pressure, a low pressure, a normal hose?

5) What are the two hoses I need to use for bypassing? Are they supposed to be hot or cool? There are two under the hood (the green ones on the picture), I guess those are the ones...


Thanks in advance,

Check this photo out and please tell me if I can put in a hose where the blue color is indicated. The green is the hoses I think is filled with water. Those (I think() is the ones that goes into the radiator inside the car, and this radiator is leaking. If I can manage to not get the water inside the radiator, and just do a bypass, I think I am all set.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/175083pictures1.jpg


Here is another one close up:

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/175083pictures2.jpg

It's your heater core that is leaking. I don't know what year your bird is but it's better to replace the heater core now then it is to butcher the hoses and having to fix or replace them next fall and replacing the heater core anyway when you need heat again. Go to your library and ask to see the Motor's manual for your year car and it will tell you how to replace the heater core.

It's the Heater core like 97Bird said and you should fix it right the first time or it will be harder later

Hey 97bird, thanks for answering...

It is a 94 model.

The problem is that my car is mexican and I had it repaired for that same problem only 2 months ago (in mexico). That means I still have garanty on it, which I will use when I come back in about a month or so. So this temporary solution I am looking for is to hold for a month. Is that possible? I am trying to use this solution, since I have seen it done on my bird some years ago (when I bought it).

If it is possible (only for a month or so), am I looking on the correct hoses?

Another off side question. Let us say, I would go for fixing it here in the US. How much is a new heater core approx? Or to fix it?

Thanks in advance,

I just looked up the heater core on the internet. Found a small image of it, and to me(maybe I am wrong), this one sits under the hood, not inside the cabine in the passenger side. At least there is a piece (the bottom green arrow on picture 1) that looks like it. Am I wrong?

The heater core is inside underneath the dashboard. You can't see it because it's inside of the box thats above your feet if you are sitting in the passenger seat. If you look up under the dash on the passenger side you will see it. On the side closest to the passenger door you will see a round part of case (box) where the blower motor is. It will have a couple of wires coming out of it. To the left of this blower motor (towards drivers side) you will see a flat plate that has a four screws holding it in place. When you take this cover off you will see the back side of the heater core. The heater hoses connect to the heater core at the firewall inside the engine compartment. If you run the engine until it heats up these two hoses should be about as hot as the radiator hose. In the picture you have it looks like you are pointing to a cylinderical part that looks like a can that is actually the Suction Accuulator/Drier for the A/C. DON'T DISCONNECT THIS OR YOU WILL LOOSE ALL OF YOUR REFRIDGERANT!!!!!!!! Like I said before, go to the library and look up how to remove the heater core. Autozone may have a manual you can buy for this car. The heater core looks like a mini radiator-rectangular not round. The heater hoses are usually two different sizes. One is 5/8" and the other is 3/4" and clamped to the heater core with hose clamps. Mine is a 97 but I would think the 94 would be the same. Good luck

Thanks a lot...

Actually I "fixed" it by bypassing the heater core/radiator. Near the engine I put a U hose, directing the water directly back into the engine, instead of going inside the cabin.

Thanks again everybody.