Ac regas/diagnostics on Sydney's north shore.

MrRevhead · Postby **MrRevhead** » Wed Dec 10, 2014 5:22 pm

A drier will set you back $25-30.

Hopefully it is just an o-ring on the condenser to hard line. If so, it is easily accessible from under the car to undo the nut to change.

Replacing the oil in the compressor isn't difficult and shouldn't cost too much.

Once you get an itemised quote, try and get a few more opinions/quotes.

dmad_dood · Postby **dmad_dood** » Wed Dec 10, 2014 7:26 pm

Yep, he said $30.00 for the ac drier. And thats the plan once i get a quote. Is there anyway to check the leak with resources at home like an air compressor?

I mean i should be able to take everything apart or the condensor out without catastrophy as there is no gas in the system now.

MrRevhead wrote:A drier will set you back $25-30.

Hopefully it is just an o-ring on the condenser to hard line. If so, it is easily accessible from under the car to undo the nut to change.

Replacing the oil in the compressor isn't difficult and shouldn't cost too much.

Once you get an itemised quote, try and get a few more opinions/quotes.

dmad_dood · Postby **dmad_dood** » Fri Dec 12, 2014 4:28 pm

Is the nb condenser the same as the na8? I'm having trouble souring a na8 unit.

I also spoke with the mechanic and he said that there was a hole in the condenser so it wasn't the o ring leaking. Is it possible to get the condenser repaired. Ive heard about holes in radiators being repaired shouldn't it be the same deal?

Thanks again.

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Pamex · Postby **Pamex** » Sat Dec 13, 2014 10:53 am

The only way to really check for a leak is to have the system under pressure. There are dyes you can put in, sniffer tools etc, but you can only really do it under pressure.

If you're going to play with it at home, make sure you don't get any dirt or water ANYWHERE in the system. I'd just leave it to the person who'll be servicing the rest of it. Fittings are very easy to bork in A/C if you don't have the right tools.

Once they've pressurised the system, there are gauges you hook up measuring the low and high side of them system, and you diagnose from there. If you've got further issues, it will show up then.

Or just run without A/C.

dmad_dood · Postby **dmad_dood** » Sat Dec 13, 2014 12:13 pm

Pamex wrote:The only way to really check for a leak is to have the system under pressure. There are dyes you can put in, sniffer tools etc, but you can only really do it under pressure.

If you're going to play with it at home, make sure you don't get any dirt or water ANYWHERE in the system. I'd just leave it to the person who'll be servicing the rest of it. Fittings are very easy to bork in A/C if you don't have the right tools.

Once they've pressurised the system, there are gauges you hook up measuring the low and high side of them system, and you diagnose from there. If you've got further issues, it will show up then.

Or just run without A/C.

Just trying to save some money doing what i can do myself, its turning into a very costly exercise. Let alone just trying to find a replacement condenser. Are there any other cars not necessarily mazda that are a direct fit replacement condenser?

Its not the heat. Its when i'm driving home in a storm and the condensation builds up and because of the soft top it gets really humid in the car and i cant see anything!! Everything becomes sticky humid and unbearable. Plus i love the feeling of icy cool ac - for me its pretty important.

Pamex · Postby **Pamex** » Sat Dec 13, 2014 5:29 pm

Unfortunately with aircon, there's not much you can do at home, if you don't have the equipment. And yes, you can go and buy the equipment for a few hundred, but unless you're licensed, you can't really buy gas etc. And if you're playing around with high pressure stuff, I'd strongly recommend you be licensed/ trained. Sorry dude, it's just one thing that's not really worth mucking around with unless you are licensed or properly tooled up. One stuffed fitting and it will cost you a heap more.

Not sure on other cars that share the same condenser or compressor.

Because the gas is under pretty high pressure, it does need to be pressurised to test for leaks. Because you're not going to really find anything otherwise.

Totally get trying to save money, but it's not a system you really can save money on. Sorry dude. :-(

Just a disclaimer. Be very, very careful playing with A/C (or LPG) systems. You can hurt yourself quite bad. If there isn't a leak (diagnosis was wrong) and the system is still pressurised and you release it through playing around, you can burn yourself, blind yourself, etc. Even with only a little bit of gas left in the system, you can still hurt yourself. Be very careful. The new gas isn't as toxic, but if you still have the old gas (your system hasn't been converted) for some reason, it's pretty bad stuff. Ok, mandatory disclaimer out of the way. :mrgreen:

dmad_dood · Postby **dmad_dood** » Sun Dec 14, 2014 2:10 am

Pamex wrote:Unfortunately with aircon, there's not much you can do at home, if you don't have the equipment. And yes, you can go and buy the equipment for a few hundred, but unless you're licensed, you can't really buy gas etc. And if you're playing around with high pressure stuff, I'd strongly recommend you be licensed/ trained. Sorry dude, it's just one thing that's not really worth mucking around with unless you are licensed or properly tooled up. One stuffed fitting and it will cost you a heap more.

Not sure on other cars that share the same condenser or compressor.

Because the gas is under pretty high pressure, it does need to be pressurised to test for leaks. Because you're not going to really find anything otherwise.

Totally get trying to save money, but it's not a system you really can save money on. Sorry dude. :-(

Just a disclaimer. Be very, very careful playing with A/C (or LPG) systems. You can hurt yourself quite bad. If there isn't a leak (diagnosis was wrong) and the system is still pressurised and you release it through playing around, you can burn yourself, blind yourself, etc. Even with only a little bit of gas left in the system, you can still hurt yourself. Be very careful. The new gas isn't as toxic, but if you still have the old gas (your system hasn't been converted) for some reason, it's pretty bad stuff. Ok, mandatory disclaimer out of the way.

Thanks for looking out

I get what your saying. Wasn't the 1994 na8 the first mx5 to be swapped to the new gas?