A/C Work

"CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale)
06/13/2020 at 12:05 • Filed to: Miata, nb

Cool Hoses

Drove up to Davis to bring my partner’s stuff home out of my garage from when I helped him move out of his dorm at the beginning of all this Covid lock down. While we were up here we decided it was high time to fix his A/C. He already had the new condenser and other parts needed. So we went and rented an A/C manifold, pump, and air compressor.

Old Condenser ruined

As you can see the condenser really needed to be replaced, so we also installed a grille in the bumper opening to protect the new one.

Well the work was all really simple and all the hoses came out easy for cleaning and putting back in. The reason this job was such a massive PIA was because we could not get the system to charge. Even our own TFrischt couldn’t seem to help me over the phone cause everything seemed fine. Only after some random testing did we find the low side hose on the manifold was not working properly. So after a full day of trouble shooting we exchanged it for another one and dang it did it work great after that. System drew vacuum, charged, and after some tightening of the new belt blew nice cold air.

Felt so nice

We went for a long drive over the hills and into Napa and back. We first thought well it could be colder until we stepped out of the car and realized how well it was really working.

Lunch Stop

DISCUSSION (20)

getFuckedHerb > CaptDale - is secretly British
06/13/2020 at 12:09

Nice work and I’m sure very appreciated as we head towards the hottest part of summer.

CaptDale - is secretly British > getFuckedHerb
06/13/2020 at 12:16

Thanks and yeah, it is much needed especially while we are still up here in the valley. Today is lovely, but it was triple digits on our test run day.

PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120 > CaptDale - is secretly British
06/13/2020 at 13:24

Nicely done, I had no idea you could rent a/c equipment. Where did you go to rent?

FYI (and while this might sound crazy ) I’d be a little concerned that you’re a little too cold....at those temps you run the risk of icing over the evaporator. I’ve always thought that you should be generating cold above 36 °F after about 15 minutes of running on a cold system.

That said if you’re getting help from TFrischt, I’ll defer to the pros.

CaptDale - is secretly British > PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120
06/13/2020 at 13:30

AutoZone and Oreilly’s both have the rental tools.

It actually cycles somewhere between 29 and 35 when on recirculate . These are the proper temps for the Miata and shows that the temp sensor in the housing is working. Each car and manufacture will have different cycling setups.

Brickman > CaptDale - is secretly British
06/13/2020 at 14:12

Thank you for doing the repair like it should, and not load it up with leak sealant, or plain R134a and not putting the system under vacuum.

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > CaptDale - is secretly British
06/13/2020 at 14:42

You successfully repaired broken A/C?

Kinja'd!!!

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > CaptDale - is secretly British
06/13/2020 at 15:20

Damn you actually drove a miata with the AC on? I cant stand how slow the damn thing gets with AC going. I like to call the AC button the anti-turbo. Have never wanted AC here in Cali in that car either. Sure, hot enough days to put the top up but with the windows open its plenty in that car. If I had a hardtop though Id certainly consider using the AC I guess. The only AC work I want to do is remove the whole damn thing to save space and weight. Mine does work but it certainly leaks considering the refrigerant smell when ive turned it on to try it out.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
06/13/2020 at 19:20

No it definitely gets far too hot even with the top on. Especially when it gets 85+. There isn’t enough air flow to cool hot air.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Brickman
06/13/2020 at 19:20

You’re welcome?

CaptDale - is secretly British > This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja:
06/13/2020 at 19:21

I weigh much more than a duck thank you

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > CaptDale - is secretly British
06/13/2020 at 19:51

But are you faster than the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?

Brickman > CaptDale - is secretly British
06/13/2020 at 21:08

I probably worded that wrong. I see so many people use stop leak and it messes up the whole A/C system, or just keep filling it with refrigerant and ruining the atmosphere.

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > CaptDale - is secretly British
06/13/2020 at 21:57

I’ve actually been fortunate to somehow never own a car with broken AC. My 93 civic was a just a little weak, but my 90 Taurus which had many problems blew meat locker cold. Even my 85 Jaguar still sorta works on its few remaining molecules of R12 long as it’s not too hot and you’re driving fast.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > CaptDale - is secretly British
06/13/2020 at 23:58

This is why I dont go to places where it gets to 85+ with the miata lol. I know the feeling, when I was commuting from woodland hills, those 100+ days in the miata were a little bit toasty, even after 1900 when I would get home. Nice by work no matter what since it rarely gets above 80. And now living nearer to work I get to experience that ocean cooling. Its only right at the house where it gets hot and I can deal with that for a few minutes of driving.

I did a track day at Buttonwillow at 108 degrees. It was uhhh warm!! I was overheating before the car was though at least.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
06/14/2020 at 23:35

Yeah I try to avoid those heats too, but sometimes you just can’t. Like doing a drive in Fresno.

CaptDale - is secretly British > This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja:
06/14/2020 at 23:35

African or European?

CaptDale - is secretly British > Brickman
06/14/2020 at 23:36

Ah yeah. He had used some cans of refrigerant to top it up before, but the compressor died finally.

CaptDale - is secretly British > MiniGTI - now with XJ6
06/14/2020 at 23:37

Yeah. It used to work, but the compressor crapped out.

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > CaptDale - is secretly British
06/14/2020 at 23:43

The compressor in my jag is a bit rattley sounding, probably because it’s low on Freon which probably isn’t good for it. It’s a good bit of coin to convert to R134 and that’s without putting in a new compressor in so I’ll probably just let it go until it dies.

CaptDale - is secretly British > MiniGTI - now with XJ6
06/17/2020 at 20:09

I suppose that is fair