Got a 92 Civic LX with 192,000 miles.

I need to replace my condenser(not the fan..just the condenser) pretty soon but I'm not sure how I'm gonna get it out. I looked in the manual(Honda) and it says unplug this, unbolt the lines, take a few screws out then just pull up on it to get it out. But when I take a look at my civic, it looks like I have to remove the whole lip above the headlights just to get the condenser to be "pulled up" and out...which means I also have to remove the bumper & the headlights.

Google is my friend but it didn't find hardly anything on removing the condenser.
Is there a way to remove the condenser without removing everything else(bumper, latch lip, headlights)?
I thought this was suppose to be an easy task...

 

It is an easy task. The refrigerant pressure must be zero (I assume your condenser has a hole in it, so no problem there. If there is any refrigerant left it needs to be removed with a recovery machine.). Disconnect the wiring and remove the fan (unbolt the top of the fan from the condenser and lift it out, there should be no bolt in the bottom) Disconnect the lines and the pressure switch and unbolt the brackets at the top of the condenser. Tilt the condenser backward and lift it out.

The A/C system was designed for "bolt on" installation at a dealer after the car was otherwise completely built. So being the last thing to go on, it can be the first thing to come off without taking other major parts apart.

 

Thanks mk. My condenser doesnt have a hole in it, I just need to replace it because I don't know how long my ac system been "open" since I brought it over a year ago. Now as I read about ac systems they say you have to basically replace the compressor, drier, condenser, and evaporator if you don't know when the last time the ac was operational.
Hmm..am i missing anything else to restore my back to its working condition? O-rings, gaskets, etc?

 

An "open" system is were one of the parts is missing, leaving the lines open, or a part has a hole in it causing a total leak out. If that doesn't describe you then you really don't need to replace everything. The drier should be changed in any case. Use new o-rings on any connection you take apart. The whole system is sealed with o-rings not gaskets.

Since the 1992 was built for R-12 if it hasn't been (properly) converted yet you'll need to change the oil to convert for the more readily available R-134a. It should work well with R-134a since it's the same parts that later designed for R-134a models have.

 

Well last summer i tried to vacuum & recharge the system myself and found a leak from the relief pressure valve(button been popped out for who knows how long..months?..years?). The compressor spun for a few seconds then stopped because it was losing pressure. Would the button popped off the relief valve for so long be considered "open" as well?