Need some aircon advice for a '92 UK spec

 

Referring to the service manual: http://www.300zx-twinturbo.com/cgi-bin/manual.cgi?list=ha&dir=&config=&refresh=&slide=42&cycle=off&scale=0&design=default&total=168

 

And another good entry thread for aircon topics: http://www.300zx.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=137669&highlight=regas

 

Now I've had someone look at the condition of the aircon and it's not pretty, firstly it's gonna need some replacement pipes which will probably be a bitch to fit, but can they be readily sourced? Or will getting them from a breaker/making them from scratch be the best option?

 

Condenser looks a little shafted too (fins bent and buckled) so that will have to be replaced, is this simple enough to do? Not sure on condition of compressor so it will have to be serviced, how difficult is it to get on and off?

 

Finally, the entire R12 to R134a issues, aside from replacing the receiver/drier & o-rings & valves, topping up with approx 20-30% less refridgerent etc etc, is the standard compressor good for it, providing that it's serviced and in GWO?

 

Thx :thumbup1:

Hi mate,

 

I had to replace the condensor on my "new" Z last year - and then when it was replaced and re-gassed it was discovered that the compressor was very noisy and on its way out.

 

Well, I have just had the compressor replaced with another re-gas and all is well. As for the conversion, I didn't. I took my car to Jeff at Zedworld and he replaced the compressor for me then had it re-gassed with the R12 substitute (as opposed to the R134 conversion) and all is well. The cost for removing/replacing the pump and re-gassing was £230 plus VAT all in. A bargain I'd say!!

 

Here was Jeff's guide to replacing the pump - needless to say I was happier for him to do it!! My advice - give him a call!

 

The job is not too techinical just a ball ache really, radiator out is preferable, rad fan and upper steel turbo pipe on passenger side, big throttle pipe same side also.

 

Air con ancillary belt tensioner release 1 x 14 mm centre locking nut and back off adjuster 1 x 12mm bolt and then remove belt.

 

Compressor has 4 x 14mm bolts two lower (easy) two upper (one easy one a bugger) and the two port pipes each held by 12mm nuts.

 

Richard:thumbup1:

Have just been down to kwikfit to see if they could regass my R12 system and was told no as its a £1200 conversion that has to be done so now im well baffled:wacko:

 

Paul.

Have just been down to kwikfit to see if they could regass my R12 system and was told no as its a £1200 conversion that has to be done so now im well baffled:wacko:

 

Paul.

 

Nonsense!! But Quack Fart can't do anything for you anyway. Find a mobile a/c specialist and ask about the R12 drop in replacement. As said above; JeffTT can get it re-gassed with the R12 substitute for £80 plus VAT.

 

Richard

Thanks ... dunno what the condition of my system is in atm cuz theres no refridgerent in it, has a damaged pipe on the low pressure side which appears to have been repaired before with some dubious looking tape.

 

So can't tell what condition the compressor is in ... need some other bits done down at Zedworld too so may as well get Jeff to suffer the ballache, especially as just today I've landed a 2 month software contract in Leicester, Tamworth being along the way. Hmmm

I got a bit obsessed about this a few years ago with my '90 Silver Z TT because there was a huge amount of bull being claimed by so-called experts. I had the drop-in replacement from a local expert but it was never as good. So I dug and dug and found out there was an official retro-fit kit from Nissan which was never made available over here because it happened just about the time the Z32 was dropped in the UK.

 

There are a number of official Nissan Service Bulletins about this

NTB92-001 A/C System Changes for R134a Refrigerant (All Models)

NTB93-097 R-134a A/C System Service Part Ordering Information

NTB93-188 1994 300ZX Changes for R-134a Refrigerant

NTB94-091 Service Procedure for Retrofitted A/C Systems

NTB95-106 Air Conditioning (A/C) Lubricant/Oil For Nissan Vehicles

NTB96-023a Air Conditioning (A/C) System Retrofit Information & Procedures

NTB98-106 New A/C System Receiver Drier Replacement Guidelines

 

The digest is:

R12 is now illegal

Using R134a in a R12 system can snafu the seals and gum up the receiver drier and won't be as effective as the expansion behaviour of the gas needs a different expansion valve.

No idea how the "drop-in" refrigerant fits into this.

You can still get the bits to do the official conversion - I know because I did just before I sold the Silver one and I think I've still got them somewhere - I'll look tonight.

I think from memory that it's just the receiver/drier, expansion valve and seals which are really necessary. The original kit also changed the filling valves and the compressor.

Here's what the R134a retro-fit receiver/drier and expansion valve look like. Might be the only ones in the UK as no-one else would have been obsessive enough about "by the book" to bother!:helpsmilie:

 

I didn't bother after that as my 1993 NA was R134a from the factory so the R12 issue doesn't arise.

Ahh thats a tidy wealth of information! Thanks!! I'll have a read through all of that later to sum the effort of work required and calculate the critical ball ache to payoff ratio :}

 

So you got no use for those bits? I figure if I gotta swap some pipes out, gonna be taking quite a bit out of engine bay anyway.

ahh expansion valve is in the cooling unit near the evaporator behind the dash eh ... groan :(

 

Probably just go for the R12 substitute, but still gotta mend me pipe work!

Here's what the R134a retro-fit receiver/drier and expansion valve look like. Might be the only ones in the UK as no-one else would have been obsessive enough about "by the book" to bother!:helpsmilie:

 

I didn't bother after that as my 1993 NA was R134a from the factory so the R12 issue doesn't arise.

 

Ooh, that's interesting! My blue Z is a 1994 L reg; I didn't think it might possibly be R143a when I asked JeffTT to sort it for me. Maybe that explains why the later model cars have a different compressor; as Jeff advised me it did when I booked it in for a new one!!

 

I'l have to look into that.....

 

......but in any case; (a big) thanks to Jeff the a/c is working perfectly! Driving back from Winchester on Sunday in almost 30 degrees of heat and the car was like a fridge inside. Lovely!!!

 

Richard:biggrin:

Nonsense!! But Quack Fart can't do anything for you anyway. Find a mobile a/c specialist and ask about the R12 drop in replacement. As said above; JeffTT can get it re-gassed with the R12 substitute for £80 plus VAT.

 

Richard

 

Found one that will come to my house and do it for £50 inc vat:thumbup1: