Air Conditioning

Help, I would like to run aluminium tubing from the front condenser to the pump and back to the evaporator (flexible pipes at the ends for movement vibration) and the pipes would run along side the fuel tank in the sill. should I insulate these metal pipes or can they be uncovered (I have had a look at a modern car and thay are not covered)and would it be OK by the fuel tank?
I want to use aluminium pipes as I think they can be hidden away more than the rubber ones and are a little bit smaller in size.

Thanks for any help

Geoff

Hi Geoff,

Mine are s/s & run in the tunnel with the coolant pipes, so I unsulated them just to be safe. The foam stuff I used came as a "split tube" with about 1/4" wall thickness & was designed to fit around 1/2" to 5/8" hot water pipes. It came with a "zip-lock" seal along the full length (like on a self-seal plastic bag). Cheap (about $10/m), very easy to install after the event, can be squashed down to get thru tight spots, & stops the pipes vibrating against anything.

My A/C guy advised me to insulate as much pipe-work as I could - even the short rubber ones between the front bulkhead & the under-dash unit (if only to cut down on the chances of condensate dripping onto passengers' feet !), & especially the ones between the rear bulkhead & the compressor (a bit close to the headers, so Al/fglass sleeving was used there).

Cheap + Easy = Why Not !!

I have run the car on many days over 35degC & not had a problem at all.

Kind Regards,

Peter D.

Peter

Thank you for your help on this will make my pipes in aluminium

All the best

Geoff

Geoff, no problems - let me know if you need pics, etc.

Coool driving !

Kind Regards,

Peter D.