Complete Air-cond Install in NB8A

wydra · Postby **wydra** » Sun Nov 13, 2011 11:58 pm

Hey guys,

Has anyone here installed a complete air-cond system before?

I just installed one in my NB8A but am having some electrical issues. When I press the air cond switch i originally heard the engine bog down a bit like it was under load or the ECU changed something but the compressor didn’t engage. It then blew the blower 10A fuse and I am yet to try anything again.

I ended up gassing the system up by bypassing everything and manually electrifying the compressor and powering the air-cond fan which worked fine.

I obviously need to get the electrical air-cond system working so if there is nothing simple that I have missed I might just take it to an auto electrician but I like to try and fix things myself.

Does anyone have any ideas?
Im going to get back into it tomorrow afternoon to see if i have missed something.

Cheers,
Dale

Postby **Okibi** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 12:12 am

Sorry can't offer any help Dale, do you have the factory workshop manual?

geofiz · Postby **geofiz** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 12:13 am

??? compressor stall

wydra · Postby **wydra** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 12:53 am

Yep I have the manual but it seems to be a bit different to the 2000 AUS version I have.

The system is actually working fine and getting nice and cold, its just the electrics that are not working at this stage.

Does anyone know if the non-aircon cars have the air cond relays and other supporting electrical hardware?

93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 11:17 am

wydra wrote:Does anyone know if the non-aircon cars have the air cond relays and other supporting electrical hardware?

Certainly possible that all required relays are not present, as this was the case with other accessories, particularly for newer models as a way of cost cutting. For example, 1993 NA8 requires an additional relay behind the boot rear panel to run a hardtop window demister.

wydra · Postby **wydra** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 2:56 pm

I think i have found the issue.

There is a plastic type panel at the front of the car (near the pasenger side headlight) that people have talked about housing relays. I couldnt find these relays as they are not there on my car. Looking there are two plugs and the space for 2x relays to be bolted in but nothing is there.
This photo explains it:
http://www.miata.net/garage/AirInstall/ ... Relays.jpg

wydra · Postby **wydra** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:41 pm

Great success!

The relays enabled the compressor clutch and the fan to work.

Somehow the internal blower resistor has shorted out in the whole process which only allowed speed 1 to activate the air cond (but no fan at all) and all the other speeds work as fan (but the air-cond turned off). Very odd.
I have now replaced the resistor pack and everything is working perfectly.

Thanks for the help guys, im now ready for the summer

93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 12:07 am

Good stuff!

timk · Postby **timk** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 8:13 am

wydra wrote:Somehow the internal blower resistor has shorted out in the whole process which only allowed speed 1 to activate the air cond (but no fan at all) and all the other speeds work as fan (but the air-cond turned off). Very odd.
I have now replaced the resistor pack and everything is working perfectly.

I had that same part die in my BJ 323, interesting!

Glad you got it sorted.