This is going to be my last summer w/o A/C

[Buzo]

Just ordered everything I need to fix my A/C.
New compressor, expansion valve and dryer.

It should be received in less than a week, in the mean time I am going to remove all the A/C hoses from the car and send them to be rebuilt.

We are still in the 95's down here

[nswst8]

Good to hear, these systems are so easy to maintain. It eludes me why so many do without A/C.

[DBMaster]

^I am sure everyone has reasons. To me it is the most important accessory on the car. That is, if I don't want to spend the entire spring/summer/fall in this area being very cranky, sweaty, and smelly.

[Oldblueaccord]

[IMG] Uploaded with ImageShack.us[/IMG]

Get r done!




wp

[DBMaster]

There have been times when I have cursed at the car, or even punched or kicked it. Now, what I see above is new. Are you thinking you'll get so frustrated that you'll just put a bullet into the block? LOL!

[Oldblueaccord]

Actually what really made me mad was that red can of 134a is 15$. I just bought to top off my systems last week. I hooked it up on my way home from work and when I pulled the can off the schrader valve stuck open and dumped the system. I used my last two 5$ cans refilling it.



wp

[DBMaster]

Yeah, I guess that's step 1 of the phase-out. Make it more expensive. I used to buy R-12 for 79 cents a can and we froze ants with it. HFO-1234yf is going to take its place. So, we'll get to have twenty MORE years of rumors, lies, and misinformation.

[Buzo]

The new compressor with Mazda's MPV manifold is installed in the car, but I don't like the new routing of the hoses (hard bents, rubbing, etc). I'll check with the A/C hose repair shop and see what they recommend.

[Buzo]

I fixed the routing. Just installed the hose in the old compressor and used a hammer and a piece of wood to correct the angles to avoid the hoses hitting the radiator. The metal tubes were really easy to bend. I mean, I am talking about 10 or 15 degrees, not 180.
The problem right now is that it doesn't hold vacuum. I guess I am going to buy the MPV's hose connectors, because I had to remove the roll pins in order to fit the Accord's connectors in the MPV's manifold.

[Buzo]

I should buy the hoses and just steal the manifold the first time. they sold them to me as two separated items just because I bought them in a different day.

Regardless, I have now the right connectors for the Mazda's manifold so I can re-install the roll pins and help the alignment. The leak was due to a pinched o'ring while trying to put the honda connectors without the roll pin to guide them.

All the hoses are being rebuilt at this time, with the Honda's connector in one side and the Mazda's connector in the other. So I can reinstall and do the leak test tomorrow. I haven't changed the valve and drier yet, I'll do it in the last minute before charging the gas.

One question though, This compressor has a label in the back saying it has been filled with oil for R12, Should I change this oil and put oil for R134a?

[POS carb]

yes

[Buzo]

yes

A man of few words. OK, the next question would be HOW?

[Buzo]

Finally got back to the A/C project today and changed the expansion valve and drier.

I am so glad I opened the little radiator where the expansion valve is at. It was plenty of dirt and bugs so I cleaned all the air passages and put the new expansion valve in place. The one I got has a third small port while the original has only two, so I cut the little one and sealed it using my soldering iron.

Then made the leak test with vacuum, everything was apparently OK, then put a can of gas and one of the hoses that goes to the firewall got a leak. Half of a turn more was enough to stop the leak.

Everything was OK, the temp got to 50, but when I removed the quick connector of the low pressure side it threw all the gas away.

This low pressure side connector is a tricky one, because it has a pivot valve right in the tube, which is the one that actually seals. And there is another pivot that goes in the adapter for R134a. This one is just an extension for the quick connector to reach the pivot valve below. Well, that one was somehow missing and that's why it threw all the gas away. I had replacement for those pivot valves at home, but no more gas. I'll wait until tomorrow to get another set of cans and continue with the experimentation.

The cost so far:

Denso compressor: $207 USD
Dryer and expansion valve: $20
Mazda's MPV Manifold and hoses: $60
Fabrication of A/C hoses: $45
Set of A/C o'rings: don't recall
Pivot valves for R12 to R134a conversion: don't recall
cans of R134a: $30
more cans of R134a: $30

[Oldblueaccord]

I never converted my fittings from R12 to 134a style. I made that hose yellow fill hose,r12-r134a, up years ago and its always worked. I didn't want to give it a chance to leak any where else. I think those adapters leak.


wp

[Buzo]

The outside temp was 91 tonight, the inside temp was 40 when the car was moving.

Very good, but the real success will be when I find how long is the charge going to last.

Regarding these r12 to r134 adapters, they are just like a "jacket" to allow the r134 hoses to be connected to the car, but they actually don't do the function of sealing after the system is charged. I had the problem because the pivot wasn't there. I should forget to re-install it since my last attempt to fix the A/C last year.

[Buzo]

I noticed something after my second day of evaluation. The temp when the car is moving is really cold and comfortable (40-43) but when I'm in a stop light the temp rises to 50-55. I'm afraid I am going to need to uninstall my knight rider scanner, since it is blocking the air to the A/C radiator.

But before I do that, Does anybody experience the same effect of rising temp at stop lights?

[ADRIANFARINA]

if you rev up the engine , does it get colder again?
if yes , so you are missing gas.

can you please upload a picture of the Mazda components?
I've lookd at one V6 MPV here , and it had a different compressor.

[89HatchbackLxi]

I noticed something after my second day of evaluation. The temp when the car is moving is really cold and comfortable (40-43) but when I'm in a stop light the temp rises to 50-55. I'm afraid I am going to need to uninstall my knight rider scanner, since it is blocking the air to the A/C radiator.

But before I do that, Does anybody experience the same effect of rising temp at stop lights?

Well, I have my knight rider scanner in about the same spot you have yours at, but I don't notice a change in temp when I'm at a stop light. The air gets colder as I drive of course, but once it gets cold it stays cold.

[DBMaster]

It is one of the possible effects of the R134a. Make sure both of your fans are running when the compressor is engaged, of course, and hose off the radiator and condenser to get them as clean as you can. I did OK with the Freeze 12, but not quite as well as with R-12.

[Buzo]

I found the A/C fan working intermittently. Opened the electric motor and found one of the brushes hung up. The brushes may be 90% worn out already, but enough to make it work while I find the replacement fan/brushes.

Working great now! Thanks for all your advises.

For Adrian: These are a couple of pics of the Mazdas manifold installed in the compressor. One top and one bottom view.

[DBMaster]

I replaced my condenser fan with one I bought on Rock Auto. It had a Mitsuba motor and was "plug and play." I had an intermittent short in the wire going into the motor cases originally and was able to extract a few more years use out of the original by popping open the motor and soldering in new leads. Ultimately, the motor is disposable.

[POS carb]

MAZDA MANIFOLD ON 10PA15E WITH ACCORD HOSES

https://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php?t=78212

[Buzo]

Wow POS Carb! Actually your post was what inspired me to fix my A/C the right way.

Now that I look closer, the manifold you got is different than the one I got. That's why I had to change the connectors of the hoses. But it was OK, because I wanted new hoses anyway. Yours is a type of face-radial sealing combination and mine is a radial sealing only.