| AC Cap found weak, I have a fix [message #356503] |
Tue, 07 July 2020 17:59  |
GatsbysCruise
Messages: 261
Registered: January 2017
Location: Waukegan, Illinois
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Working on the GMC, want to take it out for some testing, maybe a long distance test run at some point.
Still have to have that fuel tank problem that caused the power loss after the hoses were replaced but thats to come.
Was up on the roof, scoping the condition, found two concerns, The first was the AC Cap, the other is the Refer vent cap, more on this later.
The AC cap had cracks around the screws, also at the rear where the hot air is expelled, the top was cracked in two places. It was really in rough place. I was really careful taking it down, I was afraid it might break a big piece off just in moving it down to the ground for repair.
It stayed together and I looked it over well. It was ready for replacement if I didn't find a fix.
I am not one to give up on something that can be restored to an acceptable level for reuse so I was scratching my head.
I recall a show that used Truck Bed Liner (TBL) to strengthen a weak surface, it sounded perfect, paint it on, it cures over night to a more solid tuff surface.
The cracks needed more I thought. I found some cloth used over seams on roofing projects. You cover the surface that is cracked, lay the material on top, then saturate the material, it almost becomes invisible. Work the air bubbles out by pressing the cloth with a bit more TBL material so it is soaked up in the cloth. The air bubble should move to the edge and be gone.
I covered all the cracked areas, did both sides along the bottom that attaches to the base unit of the AC.
I did the inside of the cover on one night.
The cap has distorted some, the cracks are not sitting aligned and you need to use tape, and some leverage to get them back in position.
After 24 hours I coated the outside of the AC cap, using cloth where the cracks were. The TBL is clear so from the ground, the repair is basically invisible.
After 24 hours of curing, you could feel how much strength was restored into the cap. I was told the TBL coating would help prevent the cap from being smashed in hail storms, so thumbs up to that.
Put the AC cap back on and it looks like any other cap.
Not a bad project, took a couple days only due to cure times, made no visual changes at all and added strength to the cap body.
If I can remember where the other site is I will try to post some pics.
GatsbysCruise. \
74GMC260 Former Glacier Model style. \
Waukegan, Illinois \ Keep those MiniDiscs Spinning \ MY GREYHOUND IS FASTER THAN YOUR HONOR ROLL STUDENT \ WindowsXP-Win7-Win8.1-UBUNTU STUDIO - UBUNTU VOYAGER - Berzin Auto Center
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