I'm in the process of swapping a cam on my D2 4.0, and have read a few places that the ENTIRE condenser assembly can be wiggled out of the way to gain the necessary clearance for cam removal....

I call shenanigans! There is an 6" long rubber hose up front that will prevent just about every possible move. Because of the frame the condenser will only move back towards the engine. Sooo... anyone care to set me straight?

Then, sitting there looking at it, I decided the next best thing is the entire AC system removal. Unlike a few of you southern folk, I don't need the AC here in AK, and it may be the beer talking, but that space the condenser takes up is prime real estate. I can put in electric cooling fans, or a winch... AND get unobstructed air to the more vital oil/tranny/coolant condensers. NOW...

EVERYTHING on this Rover has a sensor that's connected to the ECU, so IF I decide to yank all the AC out, is it going to put the Rover in Limp Home mode? Because I totally expect it would. Any opinions? Experience? Thanks!

-M

 

Remove the AC may screw up the controls and make the heater and vent blower act differently. Engine ECU calls for electric fan operation, gets fan request from the HVAC control one path. But we have not had complaints of limp home mode if compressor low on freon, or fuses blown to the HVAC unit. If parts are removed refrigerant if inside will vent (not nice), and air will replace it (killing the drier in very short period of time). You may have some codes.

 

I hate the ECU. Just about everyday I plot it's grisly demise. I like the solid axles, F and R, like the locking center diff, like the headroom, copious amount of cup holders (for my wallet, keys, and phone,) the little adjustable arm rests, and cargo capacity. The electric windows, seats, locks, alarm, sunroof, and all supporting widgets I can live without. I want a Bowler I guess.

So that's one vote against removing the AC completely.

PTSchram says it's possible to wiggle, spin the AC condenser out of the way. Im willing to give it a go with a bit more info.

 

Just remove it, do your work, put back together. Probably no freon in it anyway. Or go by shop, they recover refrigerant, you do your work, they vac down and put it back. Refrigerant of old is one of the causes of ozone depletion and dischareg into the atmsphere hurts everyone, those molecules live on long after the truck is crsuhed and melted and owner buried. Of course you have noticed how that global warming is making your environment so tropical....

 

Oh yeah, the two feet of snow parked in my yard instead of grass has the old timers talking.

 

The A/C is used when you activate the front defroster. Without the A/C dehumidifying the air first, defrosting your windshield would take much, much longer.

 

Good point. That also exercises the AC during cool months, keeping seals and O-rings from drying out.

 

So you are saying... When it's -20 outside and I hit defrost, it kicks the AC on?!

Hehe! If I take care of the sunroof leak, there goes my fogged up window issue. Hats off to Rover engineers, but I'm convinced the AC compressor is in the way of the winch, and the AC pump is missing an inline oiler and aux air tank. Just sayin'

 

Nothing wrong with taking it out if you want, I wouldn't but to each his own.

As to the windshield defroster, yeah, your AC is a vital part of that, but if you have a heated windshield then you don't even need to worry about that.

Personally I remove the condenser when pulling the cam, never tried without, one of the perks of working on these things only in a shop is AC systems are pretty easy to remove and install with the right equipment.

 

It shames me to realize Discovery 2's have dropped in price low enough for this guy to own one.

Seriously, you are thinking of deleting the only well functioning system on a discovery 2 so you can add a -2 MPG cam.

You sir, are brilliant.