TIMENOW4U@yahoo

hello all, I'm bringing back a salveaged 2014 GLK. Ive purchased an AC condenser that seems correct in every way except that it is missing holes for alignment pins on the lines from the car. Several aftermarket suppliers assure me that this is the correct condenser. Has anyone ever cut off the pins on the lines? Am I going to have to purchase a condenser with the alignment holes at 4-5 imes the cost?\
Thanks in advance
Chris

super7pilot

You might think about getting that thing treated with an anti-fungal coating. The very small modern condensers seem to stay wet and your GLK (like mine and many others here) will start to smell like an old gym bag. I've had to have mine treated every summer (at a cost of $200) to have the mold in the condenser compartment killed.

AzCamel

So that is the smell, i though it was the cabin filter so i changed that but the smell is still there on start up

super7pilot

Yes. Unfortunately it's an issue across all brands. In an effort to safe weight, Space and money through less metal used. The condensers have become so small that when they get wet the water stays on the fins from surface tension and it stays wet long enough to cause mold to grow.

There is a silver coating that can be applied that will prevent mold from growing. That's why I recommended that to the OP.

AzCamel

not sure I agree with that, I have never had this issue with any of the japanese brand I have owned, Honda, Toyota, Lexus, Acura, Inifiniti, etc.. I have owned new and used cars with over 100k and never had this mold issue.

super7pilot

perhaps you can explain this away.

https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-...mry-ac-system/

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums...rom-air-vents/

Those are just two. There is extensive discussion on MB's with this issue on this forum. Saw the issues on a Ford forum, Chevy forum, VW forum.

AzCamel

interesting, thanks for the read. my two most preivous 2010 Camry and 2008 Acura TL had no issues like that, we had each car for over 80k miles. I actually never had this smell problem until this GLK, guess I have been lucky.

super7pilot

AzCamel, Our GLK is also the first car I've owned that has had this issue. But I have been in other folks cars that I have smelled the nastiness. It seems to be more common now than in the past. Maybe it has to do with the auto set and forget climate control systems and the fact that auto makers are trying to shave ounces everywhere. They also save on resources as well when less aluminum is used in evap coils. Older evap coils looked like a radiator, Plenty of air flow to be had. Now they look more like a mesh screen because the fins are so close. Hence why they stay so wet. I live out west where our humidity is in the single digits to low teens. My evap box shouldn't be very wet at all.

Mmr1

Do these condensers mold even with the drain clear and visibly functioning ?

ItalianJoe1

A condenser isn't an evaporator...
You could remove the pins and run the aftermarket condenser, just make sure the lines are aligned correctly when you put them on. That's all the pins are for.

Mmr1

Your right, does the evaporator mold if you see water dripping out?

super7pilot

Yes it can. Simply because the fins are so close to one another that the water is trapped from surface tension and doesn't drip off the evap coil to the drain hose.

And apologies to the OP. It's sometimes easy to confuse the Evap/condenser. So sorry for the inadvertent thread hi-jack.

TIMENOW4U@yahoo

thanks Joe
That was my thought as well but I never heard from anyone until I saw your post. Since the $55 condenser was the lease expensive part I decided to drill holes in the mounting blocks for the alignment pins. I cut the old blocks from the damaged condenser, drilled striaght through the old block pin holes, then attached the old block to the new condenser and used it as a guide to drill the pin holes. perfect alignment.
Chris

ItalianJoe1

Very nice, that sounds like the best way to make what you have work like OEM.