Automotive Air Conditioning Information Forum

I purchased an accumulator/drier for my 1998 Cherokee. I was expecting something sealed up pretty good (to keep the dessicant dry), but the part I got was in an open bag, with the out-going port covered only by a thin strip of rubber that wasn't sealed on the port (it looks like it was just put there to keep the paint our of the port).

Should I expect an accumulator/drier to be shipped in a more sealed fashion than this? Will the vacuum I put on the system before it is charged pull any moisture out of the drying agent?

As you suggest, anything with dessicant in it should be well sealed so that it doesn't absorb moisture in storage. Every OEM receiver/drier I've ever installed has been tightly capped, and some are even vacuum sealed.

I once purchased an aftermarket R/D that came with the sealing caps loose in the box and the ports completely open. I decided to reject that one in favor of a new, vacuum-sealed OEM unit.

Once the dessicant becomes saturated, I doubt whether pulling a vacuum on it would ever dry it out. I would just get another well-sealed new unit.

Thanks John, I ordered a 4Seasons unit yesterday from otterzone; hopefully it will be properly sealed.

The one I have now (and will be sending back) is a Spectra "Premium" I ordered from Amazon (well, suppossed to be anyway, it has a SP label over the UAC branding on the box).

The first one you received sounds iffy. If the second one seems questionable as well, this site's sponsor can provide a quality part that you won't have to worry about.