removing a/c
 

Does not running a/c give the car better cooling as the condenser is no longer interfering with airflow to the radiator? And would having an IC and a/c make a car much more likely to overheat as there is a lot of metal in the airflow of the rad?

I'm asking because a stupid deer made me hit a storm drain cover, and ruin my a/c condenser. And now I am debating weather of not to get rid of my a/c system and just deal with it, or try and fix it.

You don't need no stinking A/C in California. Why would you ever drive with the top up? Get rid of it.. makes routing your IC pipes A LOT EASIER!

lol, ok thanks. I pretty much never drive with the top up anyways, so thats a good point. Any info on how to remove the entire a/c system? Is there a writeup or something?

Oh and will my second fan then be useless unless I wire it in parallel?

uh hu.

K then, so... any more info on how to remove the a/c system?

There aren't any removal instructions that I know of, but there are install instructions that you can work backwards from.

First thing is to have it professionally drained. There's probably a shop in your area that will do it for like $20. DON'T GO TO PEP BOYS or a name brand place. Take it to Jose's Radiator and AC Shop or something like that and just say you want it drained. Freon or R-134 whatever is nasty stuff... don't fuck with it yourself.

Past that, just start unbolting. You'll need a replacement PS belt if you've got that system. It's pretty easy. There are a bunch of hoses that go from the compressor/condensor/evaporator. Remove them, then unbolt the compressor motor and condensor. If you decide to remove the evaporator in the passenger footwell, you'll need the crossover tube to insert in it's place. They're like $35 from a dealership... or you can leave it in and just cap the tubes sticking through the firewall (use duct tape).

Seriously, it's EASY. Just unbolt everything and take it out.

I THINK... I have already accidentally drained the system when I smashed the condenser into the storm drain cover:).

Thanks for the info, I'll get to unbolting stuff as soon as possible.

Nope, there'll still be some in the evaporator and residual in the lines. They put some vaccum line sucking thing in it and REALLY get it all out. That stuff is nasty, take it to a pro just to be sure.
-Sam

uhh.. if you drive to San Bernardino, the temps easily get into the 90s. Or you could be sitting in a black car, in traffic, in a SUIT/tie/jacket, trying to go to lunch, and being roasted alive... say.. like.. TODAY.

speedf50 (i think i PM'd you on Miata.net last week about your tsudo?), the condenser can be had for < $50 from all the local junkers. as long as the junked car hasn't been sitting outside for too long, a salvaged condenser will work just as well. it's totally easy to uninstall/install (4 bolts, 10mm head & 2 crescent wrenches to undo the A/C hard lines.

then you can just go get your r12 recharged by a local A/C shop. total repair bill shouldn't be more than $200. not having operating A/C also significantly detracts your car's resale value.

I just pulled my AC and will sell AC parts if you are interested.

Where does the price jump from $70 ($50 condenser and $20 to drain system) to $200?? If it's going to cost me that much to get it refilled, then I will just go without a/c. I am on a really tight budget, and even though I do drive a black car... I need tires right now.

Oh and ya, you get the tsudo?

r12 costs beauceau dollars. 2 cans of r134a + 1 can of oil runs... $20... filling r12... costs something like $100. of course you can call around, etc.

there's no need to remove it even if you can't fix it right away. the busted condenser isn't hurting you car. you should've TOLD me about your busted condenser. I had one (from a '96) in my hand last week @ Ecology junkyard (Santa Fe Spring). Would've only cost you $33.

as far as tires vs. a/c vs. everything. let's put it this way.. you bought a $250 catback. but you can't afford tires? nono: my falken 912s cost me $200 mounted out the door. Chinky hookup in Monterey Park. :gay:

But to replace the condenser, I have to drain/refill the system anyways right? So basically to have a/c will cost me a lot.

And a few weeks ago I could have gotten my a/c fixed and tires, but after ordering my voodoo II system and accompanying parts, I'm quite broke. Think your chinky hookup can get me RT-615's:)?

Chinky Hookup offered me 15" RT-615s for $340 installed. no tax...

if your a/c system is completely drained due to busted condenser, i'd just go fill that baby up w/ r134a for $20. that'll put the cost of fixing a/c at.. $50 if you can find a condenser for CHEAP. and you can. it's LA. junker Miatas everywhere.

Wait, wasn't r12 only in the older miatas? Would my 97 be r134a? And do you think a shop would charge around $20 to just fill with r134? Or is that something that I can do myself because I would not be dealing with the r12. If thats the case then I already know of a place that has junker miatas, so I can get a condenser for cheap.

I just hope that my system is completely drained from smashing my condenser, as I preferably want to put the condenser in while my radiator is out (now) and save the hassle of re-draining/filling it just to drive it down to an a/c place.

Thanks for the help. And Tony, delete some of your pm's, your box is full and I have a chinky question:D.

Nope. If any part of the system was open to ambiant air it's empty. The high and low sides equalize via. the orifice before the evaporator so the entire system is empty. The only thing in there is oil. The reason they vac it down is to "boil off" any water or humidity in the system and remove all the air so there's nothing but freon (and oil) in there.
Call me 2 cent.

So... that something that I am going to want to have done right? From what I have heard the a/c system gets really easily damaged from humidity and that stuff.

But with that in mind, this means that I can first switch out my condenser as there is no pressure in the system now, and then take it to an a/c place to get the humidity and gunk out and put freon back in? If this is the case, then sweet tits! This will be a lot easier.

Correct. Water=bad. It causes corrosion inside the system. '97 is a 134 system. You don't HAVE to vacuum it down but it's recomended. I have a trick I use to purge -some- air out but I don't recomend it. lol I'm just a cheap bastard. :gay:

So, getting the system drained is about $20 right? And a refill in 134 is not that much either, and is the refill something that I can do with one of those cans? Or is it not much more at a shop?

thanks for all of the help

That's interesting. So the refrigerant simply evaporates or what? When I did mine, it had been open for a couple weeks, and I had some green-snotty-sludge stuff in a couple places that looked like the radioactive shit the guy had spilled on him at the end of Robocop. I guess if you wear gloves it can't really hurt you. OK, I guess the professional vaccum job isn't necessary.

TonyC, sorry man, when I think of SoCal, SanB/Riverside is the last place I think of... I'm trying to block out my 2 years at UCR.

The green "radioactive goo" was oil that had UV reactive dye in it. Someone at some point in time was searching for a leak in your system. Yup refrigerant evaporates. That's how it works. When the compressor turns on it creates a low pressure zone in the evaporator and when the freon hit it it evaporates. Think of the "compressor" as more of a vacuum pump. It only works with the freon in vapor form and sucks it thru the system. Which is also why you never hold the can upside down when charging the low side with the system running. The liquid -could- make it's way to the compressor and blow it.

the sluge is the "oil" that's inside the a/c. freon is like your fart. it just dissipates if you opened a bunghole in your a/c system. (uhhh.. apparently lazzer types a LOT faster than i)

samnavy: sorry to hear about UCR.. they wrote a song about Xmas in the 909 didn't they? i effin hate SB county. with a passion. smells like sh*t.

speedf50: chk ur pm. i brought the biz card for the chinky tire store into work cuz i hv ESP biatch.

and yes, your 97 has r134 (should say so on the back of the compressor itself). get ur A/C fix dude. it's CHEAP. i hv an extra freon refill hose you can borrow. Walmart has r134 for ~$6/can.

Cool, so is it essential to get the system drained then? As it sits now it seems as if the only thing that I am going to need to go to an a/c place for is to get it drained, but if that isn't needed... I'm quite the cheap bastard myself. Could I just leave one fitting open and put a can of that stuff through the system?

And I'm going to try to get a condenser today.

Tony, your ESP rapes.

If you leave a port open then the freon you put in will just evaporate. It isn't a liquid unless it's under pressure. You -can- just fill the system and be done with it. People do it all the time. As a mechanic I can't tell you everything will be fine and dandy unless you do it right. It's my job. ;) But 95% chance it'll be just fine.

Well the worst thing that could happen is that I would have to get it emptied and refilled again, right? I think for now I am going to go the cheap route.

Just do it.

This is ez, buy a used condensor and new dryer and hard line(s) as needed - get it charged (not sure about R12 I believe it's harder to get but 134a is cheap and comes in 12oz w/compressor oil in it, for every part you replace you will need to add 2oz compressor oil - don't ask why i know this) if you can get a can premixed with oil that's good but you'll still need to add the oil (it's like wd40 unpressurized) when you install the dryer - which will need to be replaced after being in an open ac system for 48 hrs. You can forgo having a shop purge and fill (that costs $$$, even for r134a they charge 95-250 to do this with their golden tools...) if you replace the dryer and refill yourself - the a/c won't be quite as strong but plenty strong. This is the route I took when my IC destroyed my a/c dryer... Total cost on mine was 120$ including the dryer, a hardline from the dealer, compressor oil and a premixed can of compressor oil/R134A and the tool to fill the system (get this anywhere-even walmart caries it). I've been told by many you can put R134A in R12 system and it should be fine but dunno on that one - wouldn't hurt to try - worst case it leaks out of the o-rings. Oh yeah and if replaceing o-rings which you will be - buy new o-rings and put some compressor oil on them b4 installing them. Mine hasn't leaked since I did the repair - it took ~2hrs in the garage.

Well, I am getting tired of all of these other things and I really just want my car to be running again.

So.... I'll deal with all of this a/c stuff later if I feel the need to. I think I'm just going to rip it out for now lol. Or just take off the smashed up condenser and plug up the line for now.

What ever you do...Do it quick. Im starting to feel your Anxiousness to drive your car again : /

R12 is different from r134 sam r12 is halon based, type shit that is and was alot more effecient but the CFC's that everyone bitched about killing our ozone layer caused the government to stop the production of it so the price of a bottle of r12 went from 3-4$ a can to 30-40 $ a can depending on where you bought it from. As of today to my knowledge r12 can only be recylced not reproduced etc. Also r12 and r 134 are not compatible the different oils in the system will eat your orings etc and kill your system. + the different freons don't play nice with each other eiteher. all 94+ cars are r134 all 134's are compatible with each other. I hope you guys found this enlightening. :D

I say HAARP and others killed the ozone layer, or the shuttle launches, ect ect. Freon was a coverup to put blame on anything else.
http://www.haarp.alaska.edu/
http://www.haarp.alaska.edu/haarp/images/pan.jpg
180 antennas? a few (3.6) million watts? in a vertical beam? There talking to someone. ;) After all. Ionic research doesn't need a carrier wave.

But Remo Williams destroyed the Harp project remember geez but i agree the hole and all that greenhouse shit has been blown out of proportion.

I have a similar problem. My compressor went and I bought a new one off a guy. Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but my system has been retrofitted with R134a from R12. Most likely the compressor is R12, so I'm wondering, can I just take an air gun to the compressor and flush out the oil, or would there still be too much R12 oil in it to be safe?