Two Ways To Prevent A/C Damage from Rocks DIY/Photos
 

Quite a few posts have been made about rocks causing holes in the A/C condenser, loss of refrigerant/loss of a/c function, NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. Posters have had to pay $700.+ to the dealer for condenser replacement, or have bought their own replacement condenser from parts stores or eBay auctions, and replaced it themselves.

HERE ARE TWO WAYS TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM

1. Use metal screen (as I did), or perforated metal sheet, or plastic "gutter guard" (keeps leaves out of rain gutters) as posters in several other threads did, or any other perforated material to act as a "rock and bug catcher" to stop damage to your condenser. The ideal material would be 1/4"- 3/8" mesh stainless steel screen. Unfortunately, that is impossible to find at any store, and Internet vendors for such materials have minimum purchase of at least $1000. Whatever you use needs to be as open as possible, while having openings small enough to stop rocks big enough to cause damage.

2. Add a custom grill that bolts on/over the existing joke of a plastic grill.

I used the screen method first, but got annoyed by the constant collection of leaves that would cling to the screen. So I bought the Aluminum Billet Grill, which will do the job without collecting leaves.

SCREEN METHOD

Tools needed: metal shears, scratch awl or center punch, electric drill with 3/16" drill bit.

Materials needed: black plastic zip ties, 4"-6" long, metal screen, ideally 1/4" mesh (but 1/8" mesh is far more common) 6" wide. The grill length is about 2-1/2 feet. Screening comes in rolls about 25 feet long, sells for around $16.00.

Take off the bumper and lay it face-down on a blanket to prevent scratches. Measure and cut the screen to allow about 1/2" extra on each end. Drill 3/16" holes in the plastic vanes of the grill about 1/4" down from the top edge. Put the holes in the center, between each of the vertical vanes, and put two holes in each end between the horizontal vanes.

Lay the screen, perforated metal sheet, plastic "gutter guard", over the grill. If you are using 1/8" mesh screen, use the scratch awl or center punch to form holes along the inner edges of the grill to match the placement of the drilled holes.

Now use the plastic zip ties to stitch the screening material in place. Reinstall the bumper, and you are done. Only a bullet will damage your condenser in the future.

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People who have used other materials can either add their own replies and contributions to this thread, or can post their own DIY tutorials.

THE CUSTOM GRILL METHOD

1. Remove the bumper, and set it face up on a blanket. Test fit the grill. If it looks OK, follow the grill manufacturer's instructions.

I used this grill:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/07-20...mZ250304712205

If you buy this grill (GREAT quality materials and workmanship, good fit)-- take one of the supplied mounting screws to your hardware store, and buy 4 (sheet metal screws, button head, phillips drive, I think size 8 but make sure with your example) that are 1/2" LONGER than your example.

2. Lay the new grill on a table, drop the mounting screws through the holes, and thread on the "Z" hooks just until they are engaged on the threads.

3. Lay the grill over the plastic stock grill, sit down with your legs under the bumper, and position the hooks over the vertical ribs of the grill while you tighten the screws and draw the hooks into contact with the back edges of the plastic ribs. Don't tighten the screws too much or you will bend the plastic ribs.

4. Put the bumper back on (don't forget to reconnect the fog light - I did, and had to take the bumper loose one more time), re-fasten all of the bumper clips and screws, and you're done. Pics----------

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Looking good. I like the lower grill guard and cannot wait to see it in conjunction with the upper grill guard.


Rep +1!

Thanks! With today's styling trending away from chrome styling hardware, I am hoping that both grills together won't remind me of a 1956 Cadillac or Buick. If there is too much "shiny shit", I will take 'em off and paint the front surfaces flat black and re-install them.

cool thanks for this DIY :wavey:

sorry but i think it's kind of ugly

I'm sure that you will have company, and you are welcome to your opinion. I think that cheap plastic with holes big enough to cause failure of the a/c condenser is ugly, as well as short sighted on Honda's part.

yeah.
maybe if you did the same thing, but painted it black.
i'd like to see that

Yeah I really don't like that ebay grille installed

im not a fan of how it looks but it serves a purpose and that is good. i bet it will look 1000 times better painted black. but if you paint it, you will have to worry about the paint being chipped and probably will need repainting every 2 months. maybe its time to invest in a "hotcoat" powder coating kit.

oh dave, i forgot to ask, what type of ramps are those? i am in the market for some.

These are Blitz Rhino Ramps from a vendor on Amazon. I think the price was around $30.00, but that was 1-1/2 years ago. To use these, you have to make a ramp-for-the-ramp from a 10" length of 2X6 or 2X8. Bevel one end, and on the other countersink a hole for a 3/8" bolt to serve as an anchor pin. The pin drops through the hole in the low end of the ramp.

Manxman, thanks for posting this. After reading your post I have been looking at Honda carsl. I think this is a Honda design issue. The accord, civic, and the odessy all have wide opening.

Well, since after I paint them it will be impossible to get the polished anodized finish back, I am going to wait until I see how the upper and lower grills look together. But I do think that all black would look the best.

I think that the grill is the best solution for rock damage. For those who make a shield for the back side of the plastic stock grill, and for those of them who live in the Northern states who choose to use sheet metal or plastic that is perforated, I think that your shields will have an excellent chance of icing over in the winter and cutting way down on air flow. That may, or may not, cause overheating.

People in cold climates used to, maybe still do, put sheets of cardboard in front of the radiator just to get enough engine heat for the interior heater to work during the coldest periods.

It must save them a lot of money in fabrication cost that they don't spend on an effective grill. It also costs the owners a lot of money in repairs, or in my case, a lot of effort to prevent damage.

Nice idea...
 

Hey Dave,

Hmm... leave it alone, or paint it. I guess if it were my car, I would prolly just leave it alone, at least until I definitely knew which way to go.
I was inspired by your DIY. I started researching other materials/sources. I found this link at JCWhitney:Pro Plus Mesh Grilles : JC Whitney: Auto Parts & Accessories
I am going to try using this some of this stock for my attempt.

Here is my spin on what Kelsodeez mentioned earlier. "Although, im not decided on how it should look, it serves a purpose and that is good. Either way, it will look 1000 dollars better than a damaged condenser."
-macbuddy-

Hey Mike-
Having bought both of the grills, I like the grill solution for the rock problem, but THAT IS A GREAT FIND!!! Very low price, extremely open with no air restriction, color anodized so no corrosion, plenty strong enough to be a perfect shield, zip ties will hold it in perfectly, would resist icing over because of the angles and slants of the mesh,and VERY LOW PRICE. I should use J.C. Whitney more often in my own research. Thanks for your contribution.
Dave

How often does this really happen (serious question)? My civic was the same way, condenser open to the world behind kind-of a grille, but 12 years and a large portion of that on gravel roads and it still worked. Heck it hardly had dings, unlike the radiator that the huge Pontiac horseflies here pummeled into a flat sheet of metal.

At first I thought this was the same thing as I saw on an Si forum, rocks taking out the A/C, then I realized it said "condenser," not "compressor" like those cars are having the problem with.

Rocks don't "take out" compressors. How often do they punch holes in condensers? I don't know or care. Read the threads from people who HAVE had this happen. They don't number in the hundreds, but why do YOU buy liability insurance? How many accidents do you have where you are at fault? I am happy to be guaranteed that a rock CANNOT ruin my a/c condenser.

This is a great find. I placed my order 30 sec after reading this post. +1 rep for you!!

Post pictures when you're done. Since the lower grill is so low and I don't have a lip, I'm going to see if I can do it without removing the bumper cover.

JC Whitney?
 

That is a good find! +1 rep. I'm normally one to insult JC Whitney patrons but I might need to shut up!