I have a 1986 Cutlass Ciera International coupe.

The previous owner somehow snagged the condenser on a curb or something other, and bent the unit. I bought a condenser from one vehicle, and a driver side A/C hardline from another vehicle. I thought I was being clever by choosing two excellent condition vehicles on two different trips with identical engines and transmissions and I chose the best condition parts (both A-bodies and both Cieras with the older MPFI 2.8L). Naturally, when I arrived at home the fittings decided to both be female and I don't have a way of connecting them.

I'd like to know - was there a male to male adapter (as these lines are also two slightly different sizes - 3/4-16 UNF2B on the condensor and it looks like 5/8-18 UNF28 on the hardline) or were there different part numbers for the A/C lines or condensers for different years or trim levels?

Thanks for any advice. Could someone post photos of the area I am speaking about properly connected?

Here is a photo of my car, with an inlay of the hardline and its female-thread fitting as it comes through the firewall by the driver side framerail, and in the bottom left the condenser's female-thread fitting. These won't fit without an adapter or adding a new fitting on the end of one of the lines to make them fit

Photo of my condenser fittings

Is there any way to go back and look at the donor vehicles? I am sure you have already thought of that. Try GM parts? If there is a male to male adapter like you mentioned, it will be relatively cheap, and the dealership should be able to identify it with their computer parts system.

Brando - Does alldata have anything to say about that?

This was from a wrecking yard - both vehicles are long crushed by now.

If PartsAmerica's photo is corect, this is the correct unit that I have in possesion. So I might have the wrong hardline, or there is an adapter I am missing. I'm going to the dealership tomorrow morning to get a diagram and part number details.



Thanks for the help!

The dealership was utterly useless. They informed that that my fittings do not match, and they don't know what that means. Big surprise...

My condensor looks *exactly* like the one in that photo from PartsAmerica. This seems weird since the one that GM shows they came with actually is this one (photo from Autozone). You can see the fittings appear to be the the same location and size/shape anyways - and the interchange information I have says the condenser is identical from 1983-1993.



So do I have the wrong hose, and how can that be if the interchange details I have are correct? Are they?

Sorry for all of the questions. It would be nice to have A/C again.

I have a 1986 98 regency and I'll take a look at my couplings tomorrow and see if they are the same but I have a 3.8l so it's probably different. Did you look in a haynes manual? I have the ciera and cutlass edition but it doesn't show anything conclusive.