Hi all - we currently have an LE in for a replacement aircon condenser

We were aware that the condenser design on the 16v variants is quite different to the later 20v variants (16v version uses a flat steel tube in a zig-zag arrangment with cooling fins, 20v version looks more like a mini water radiator, with small tubular end tanks and straight tubes between - also the 16v version has two lower mounting points as well as the two top mounts)

However, on enquiry to all the usual suppliers, only the early type is listed

So - my question is - has anyone succesfully fitted the early type condenser to a 20v car?



Thanks in advance

I've used the single pipe zig-zag type condenser on my 20vt and it works fine. It had the lower mount points as well, but so did my original Fiat one.

Got it from http://www.autoairconparts.co.uk/

The original 20v condenser does look more like a water radiator type arrangement but I'm not sure that that's not just down to appearance, it may have the same zig-zag arrangement internally if you remove the plastic "end tank" bits.

Superb - just what we hoped to hear - thanks

The flat steel tube in a zig-zag arrangment with cooling fins is a serpentine tube.

The mini water radiator with small tubular end tanks and straight tubes between them is a parallel flow type.

The two types are quite different inside.



The serpentine tube design was initially developed when R12 gas was used. When R12 was discontinued and replaced with R134a it was quickly realised that a higher capacity, more efficient condenser was needed, due to the thermodynamic differences of the new gas. The parallel flow type condensers are significantly more efficient, and significantly more expensive!

So, yes you can get away with fitting a serpantine tube condenser to a 20VT, I have one fitted to my Coupé. But it needs to be accepted that it will never be as efficient as the original parallel flow. On really hot days the car won't cool effectively. Using the air recirculation will help, a bit, but it will still struggle.

living in the UK though we rarely see temperatures in the mid 30's so the old tube type is acceptable, and cheap.