I was sitting in traffic today. As soon as I put the air con on the engine switched off. I restarted the car and it worked fine until I put the air con on again.

 

Was all that abou?. It won't stop doing this now. When the engine cuts out it makes a loud hissing noise and when the sir con goes on there is a slight humming noise...

 

Any ideas?

 

Check your compressor has not seized. Obviously with the engine off - reach down , you need slim hands and fingers - try to turn the inner part of the compressor pulley - it should be free to spin. If it aint it might be seized. Do you use it once a week or so to keep it lubed? Or has it been off for months?

Otherwise maybe electrical fault

I normally use it everyday.

 

What does the compressor pully look like and where is it located. Under the bonet or inside the drivers cabin?

I think there is an idle compensator for when the AC is on (there is on the S13), does the engine die if you are revving?

 

If not it could have something to do with that, basically it keeps the revs up a bit as the AC draws about 15bhp, it the compensator is not cutting in when you turn on the AC it perhaps just stalls the engine.

 

Perhaps?

 

Jezz.

Thats sounds about right. The engine only cuts out when idle. When the revs are up it is fine.

 

So how do I go about fixing the problem?

Jezz, you're right, there is a control to raise the rpm by 500 to compensate for the additional power drain caused by the A/C compressor.

 

It is controlled by the AAC valve. I am not saying that this is your problem Pali, but they are prone to sticking.

http://home.swipnet.se/e-solutions/IdleTech.html

 

I would be tempted to get someone to check the resistance and possibly remove and clean the valves, be warned this is a fiddly job removing the unit.

 

HTH

 

Tim

Originally posted by Pali:

So how do I go about fixing the problem?

 

Er dunno, download the manual and check any fuses and connections (air and electrical) to the relevant bits.

 

I have no experience of Zeds really.

 

You could try your local friendly A/C service place, Nissan won't know and if they did would probably charge you more.

 

Just read Tim's post

 

Oh, I didn't realise it was controlled by the AAC valve, makes sence though, deffo worth cleaing this every once in a while anyway seems to be the cause of 90% of dodgy idling probs on the S13.

 

Jezz.

 

 

 

[This message has been edited by Jezz_S13 (edited 12-03-2002).]

I did my IAA valve when I cleaned the throttle bodies. Just pulled one hose off it and sprayed tons of choke cleaner in it. Maybe yours is faulty - might explain your hissing noise when it stalls the engine.

 

Would suggest also that the increase in rpm when aircon on is only 100 or so on mine, not 500. I think it senses the load and increases rpm to compensate via the IAA valve.

when i bought my z the air con pump was siezed an when u turned it on the engine stoped

Guess what, the car is not doing it now!!!

 

It is only doing it when the 'econ' button is pressed, I don't even know what it does.

 

On that note what does the 'Rec' button do?

That is wierd, the econ button disables the compressor to save on fuel i.e. the "econ" thing . I dont know why the engine would stall when the compressor isnt running but does if it is.

The 'rec' button recirculates the air in the cabin.