My A/C doesn't work so I've decided to pick up an OEM Nissan S14 A/C kit... and I was wondering, through some research I found that there was 2 different "types" of A/C - factory installed, and dealer installed. The factory installed version is in my car, and I bought the dealer installed kit. Is there any differences I should be aware of, or is this a straight "unbolt the old parts and bolt in the new parts" job?
Quick S14 A/C system question
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Nismo_Freak
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Re: Quick S14 A/C system question (itsRaine)
You might have jumped to conclusions here by buying the kit. However, you needed to first diagnose the issue with the A/C system. You can do this with a set of line pressure gauges (commonly used for charging the a/c as well). Put them on their corresponding sides (high and low) and start the car and turn on the a/c.
If overall pressure on the high side is low but steady, then you are low on freon.
If the pressure on the high side is spiking, then you have a problem with the a/c compressor itself.
If the low side pressure is zilch, then you have a bad leak or zero freon. With the majority of the 240SX a/c system being aluminum you won't see the problems with rust and corrosion causing leaks (like in Ford's).
Basically any A/c certified mechanic can tell you whats wrong with the a/c system with a glance at it's operational pressures. They can charge the system with a lb. of freon and check for leaks with tracer dye.
If overall pressure on the high side is low but steady, then you are low on freon.
If the pressure on the high side is spiking, then you have a problem with the a/c compressor itself.
If the low side pressure is zilch, then you have a bad leak or zero freon. With the majority of the 240SX a/c system being aluminum you won't see the problems with rust and corrosion causing leaks (like in Ford's).
Basically any A/c certified mechanic can tell you whats wrong with the a/c system with a glance at it's operational pressures. They can charge the system with a lb. of freon and check for leaks with tracer dye.
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s13sr20chris
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Re: (itsRaine)
well thats one way to do it. i have done it before and its easy. well, its easy if you have done a lot of a/c work. its harder than an oil change and tune up though.
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s13sr20chris
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Re: (DAEDALUS)
im guessing it would include lines and evaporator too. the nissan dealer installed a/c includes the little a/c button even.
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itsRaine
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Re: (s13sr20chris)
That's the one I got - complete dealer kit, including new compressor, compressor bracket, condenser, evaporator, A/C fan, all lines, brackets, hardware, yes the little A/C button for the center dash... even the A/C refrigerant stickers. The only thing I didn't get was refrigerant.
BTW, got the install done in less than a day, and yeah - it's a lot more involved than changing oil, but I didn't need any special tools (unless you call a medium sized torque wrench "special"). Install was straight forward; they even give a large install diagram/manual with good pictures to use as reference. The only hard part for me was installing the new "high hose" hard line around the back of the engine, next to the firewall. You got to snake it through there, but the instructions tell you a method to get it through without damaging or bending the hardline.
All the stuff came in a big box about 2.5 feet square.
BTW s13srchris - I did have to change something (unrelated to the basic A/C install) under my dash:
The airmix motor wasn't letting the airmix door move from "cold" position, so I checked it out and there's this cable - looks like a bicycle cable) attached to the airmix motor. Apparently it was binding up the airmix motor. I disconnected the cable, and now the airmix door moves fine.
My question is, what's that cable for?!?!
BTW, got the install done in less than a day, and yeah - it's a lot more involved than changing oil, but I didn't need any special tools (unless you call a medium sized torque wrench "special"). Install was straight forward; they even give a large install diagram/manual with good pictures to use as reference. The only hard part for me was installing the new "high hose" hard line around the back of the engine, next to the firewall. You got to snake it through there, but the instructions tell you a method to get it through without damaging or bending the hardline.
All the stuff came in a big box about 2.5 feet square.
BTW s13srchris - I did have to change something (unrelated to the basic A/C install) under my dash:
The airmix motor wasn't letting the airmix door move from "cold" position, so I checked it out and there's this cable - looks like a bicycle cable) attached to the airmix motor. Apparently it was binding up the airmix motor. I disconnected the cable, and now the airmix door moves fine.
My question is, what's that cable for?!?!
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s13sr20chris
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Re: (itsRaine)
i would think you are refering to the control cable. with cable disconnected does the control thingy still work? if not there may be some other sys that is controlled by air mix door position. i will look it up if you continue to have probs with it. by the way, much props for tackling a job like that. i dont know many girls that would replace the entire a/c in their car.itsRaine wrote:My question is, what's that cable for?!?!
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itsRaine
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Re: (s13sr20chris)
I'm a guy - the girl in the pic is my GF.
Anyhow, if you could look it up I'd appreciate it. The A/C and heater work now, I filled up with R134a and there doesn't seem to be any leaks in the system... all the in-dash controls work correctly also. There's only one thing I noticed: after having the A/C running for about 10 minutes continuous, the engine does this "skipping" thing, where every 10-15 seconds the idle drops then goes back up, and it sounds like something is disengaging/reengaging. This occurs very quickly, at about 10-15 sec. intervals, but the car doesn't stall or anything else of the sort. It's very quick - like if you were to disconnect the TPS switch then reconnect it right away.
I'm guessing that this may have to do with that "bicycle cable" that I detached from the airmix door motor assembly.
Other than that, everything seems good so far.
EDIT: I found it in the FSM - water c*** cable. It's connected to a water c*** that's mounted on one of the heater hoses (see diagram at http://home.earthlink.net/~dig...2.jpg)
How important is this? I'm assuming it stops the flow of hot coolant to the heater core when the A/C is set to cold...
...also, this doesn't seem to logically explain the "idle burping" I discribed above.
???
Modified by itsRaine at 7:35 AM 9/13/2004
Anyhow, if you could look it up I'd appreciate it. The A/C and heater work now, I filled up with R134a and there doesn't seem to be any leaks in the system... all the in-dash controls work correctly also. There's only one thing I noticed: after having the A/C running for about 10 minutes continuous, the engine does this "skipping" thing, where every 10-15 seconds the idle drops then goes back up, and it sounds like something is disengaging/reengaging. This occurs very quickly, at about 10-15 sec. intervals, but the car doesn't stall or anything else of the sort. It's very quick - like if you were to disconnect the TPS switch then reconnect it right away.
I'm guessing that this may have to do with that "bicycle cable" that I detached from the airmix door motor assembly.
Other than that, everything seems good so far.
EDIT: I found it in the FSM - water c*** cable. It's connected to a water c*** that's mounted on one of the heater hoses (see diagram at http://home.earthlink.net/~dig...2.jpg)
How important is this? I'm assuming it stops the flow of hot coolant to the heater core when the A/C is set to cold...
...also, this doesn't seem to logically explain the "idle burping" I discribed above.
???
Modified by itsRaine at 7:35 AM 9/13/2004
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s13sr20chris
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Re: (itsRaine)
oh, crud! sorry bro. seemed to good to be true.itsRaine wrote:I'm a guy - the girl in the pic is my GF
Modified by itsRaine at 7:35 AM 9/13/2004
ok, the idle burping/skipping sounds similar to a/c compressor clutch operation. look at your compressor and see if it engages/disengages as the idle changes.
doh, i should have known it went to the hot water control valve(aka water c***)! so simple, just did not think. ok, you can fix the cable or be ghetto(like the rest of us mechanical types). set the valve to closed for no coolant flow to heater core in the summer. set it to open for coolant flow in the winter. you will still have full access to your mix door if the water valve cable is disconnected. i have done this before on a friends car.
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itsRaine
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Re: (s13sr20chris)
weird, the idle thing disappeared this morning, and it didn't happen again all day.
As for the water c*** thing, I got what you're saying. I checked out the cable and it binds somewhere along the line, so I just left it disconnected. Also, that mechanical idea of yours doesn't seem like much of a hassle, so I'm gonna go with it.
Thanks for all the help man
As for the water c*** thing, I got what you're saying. I checked out the cable and it binds somewhere along the line, so I just left it disconnected. Also, that mechanical idea of yours doesn't seem like much of a hassle, so I'm gonna go with it.
Thanks for all the help man