I've got a '92 hatch. I'm driving along the road with the air conditioning on, and all of a sudden I hear a belt make this awful whining sound, my a/c stops cooling, and I smell this burning kinda smell. Every time I turn on the a/c the engine drops in revs and if i'm sitting at a stoplight and turn it on the engine kills. It blows air when it's on, but it's not cold or even cool. Also, now when the engine is running, it makes a noise that's kinda hard to describe, even with the a/c off. Not very loud, but it's there nevertheless.
Any ideas?? Maybe a belt slipped off and it's no biggie. . . maybe the car will explode in one big ball of flames.
December of last year, the evaporator was replaced and the system was recharged with freon. Umm. . . the windows fogged up pretty easily before this all happened too. . . but it's pretty humid down here in N'awlins. . .
Wooh
Thanks!!
Help!! A/C is dead!
-
JadeFalcon
- Posts: 39
- Joined: Wed Oct 02, 2002 5:25 pm
- Car: '92 240SX (sold), '00 Civic Si
-
JadeFalcon
- Posts: 39
- Joined: Wed Oct 02, 2002 5:25 pm
- Car: '92 240SX (sold), '00 Civic Si
-
JadeFalcon
- Posts: 39
- Joined: Wed Oct 02, 2002 5:25 pm
- Car: '92 240SX (sold), '00 Civic Si
The old refrigerant is a lot more expensive (maybe $100?), but you have to consider the cost and risk of doing a *proper* conversion. A proper conversion involves replacing parts and flushing the system. If the current system is good after you replace the drier/compressor, with no leaks, then I would stick with that. If done right with the right parts, the new system should last quite a while. Cost aside, the new refrigerant simply does not perform as well as the old stuff.
It sounds like the compressor siezed and the belt was burned through or was ultimate thrown off. If that's the case then you're going to need a new compressor and dryer for sure. If I remember correctly a reman. A/C compressor itself, for the 240SX, was about $200-250 from a parts store and a dryer will typically be around $50 or so. That's just for parts though. A shop will typically charge you more for the part (up to double the price you can buy it for). Or find a shop that will allow you to buy the parts yourself and install them for you. But I would expect something around the amount quoted above.
You're probably better off changing over to R134a from your current R12 system. They will have to flush your old system anyways. The old R12 is really expensive; roughly $40-50 per 12 fl-oz. can. But it can only be sold to a licensed technician so expect to pay more for it from a shop (they usually buy $1400 cylinders of it anyways). You will usually need 3-4 cans worth of it to refill the system plus compressor oil.
That said, R134a is about $6-7 per can and a retro fit kit is approx. $12-15 (this includes new fittings for your A/C lines, etc...). Obviously it's going to be cheaper to switch. But, as mentioned above, it's general is not quite as cold as the R12 systems were. You can see this starts to really add up; especially using R12. A/C work is SUCH a rip off!
You're probably better off changing over to R134a from your current R12 system. They will have to flush your old system anyways. The old R12 is really expensive; roughly $40-50 per 12 fl-oz. can. But it can only be sold to a licensed technician so expect to pay more for it from a shop (they usually buy $1400 cylinders of it anyways). You will usually need 3-4 cans worth of it to refill the system plus compressor oil.
That said, R134a is about $6-7 per can and a retro fit kit is approx. $12-15 (this includes new fittings for your A/C lines, etc...). Obviously it's going to be cheaper to switch. But, as mentioned above, it's general is not quite as cold as the R12 systems were. You can see this starts to really add up; especially using R12. A/C work is SUCH a rip off!
To remove the compressor you have to disconnect the hi and lo-pressure lines bolted to the unit.
But it doesn't include the flush, the new barrier hoses required, the new seals, or the extra labor to perform/install these items. Skip these and the new compressor will fail and/or the R-134a will leak out likely within 2 years. Like running acid in your engine instead of oil.
Unnatural wrote:a retro fit kit is approx. $12-15 (this includes new fittings for your A/C lines, etc...).
But it doesn't include the flush, the new barrier hoses required, the new seals, or the extra labor to perform/install these items. Skip these and the new compressor will fail and/or the R-134a will leak out likely within 2 years. Like running acid in your engine instead of oil.
True...retrofit kits don't include the barrier hoses, but there are retrofit seal kits that come with every seal and oil for the compressor. That seal kit is an extra $15 or so, but many shops keep mass quanities of this stuff around. If your hoses are good (no leaks) most shops will simply evacuate and flush the old R12 system. Replace the drier, seals, orfice tube or expansion valve and then refill with retrofit oil (Ester oil I think...can't remember), R134a and that's it. On an 11-year old car you might think about replacing the A/C lines regardless though.~Brendan
I've had some A/C yrouble since i hooked mine back up this summer as well. Car runs good up until I turn on the A/C, then it start's to over heat very fast. Any thoughts would help, because my wifes gonna do the work as i talk her thru it(down to 1 hand for 3 more weeks). Just don't want to turn her loose blindly tho.