NB SE air-con

dzzb · Postby **dzzb** » Sat Mar 23, 2024 9:33 pm

It was just a Repco shop, nothing special. The cooling is good but as I have one of the vents blocked with a boost gauge it could be better. I took the old compressor apart to look - absolutely incredible construction with an interlocking set of scrolls as compressing elements. I am looking for a new seal to restore it sometime. The only problem was the seal, the rest of it is as new inside.

greenMachine wrote:
dzzb wrote:I recently replaced compressor due to front seal leak. Cost was about 430, not that horrific. See pic for p/n

Welcome to our little forum!

Did you do the job yourself, or have a shop do it? If the latter, might be useful to someone to know who, and whether you are happy with the job - see above comments on how well the SE aircon works. You might also put your location in your profile.

greenMachine · Postby **greenMachine** » Sat Mar 23, 2024 10:26 pm

dzzb wrote:It was just a Repco shop, nothing special. The cooling is good but as I have one of the vents blocked with a boost gauge it could be better. I took the old compressor apart to look - absolutely incredible construction with an interlocking set of scrolls as compressing elements. I am looking for a new seal to restore it sometime. The only problem was the seal, the rest of it is as new inside.
greenMachine wrote:
dzzb wrote:I recently replaced compressor due to front seal leak. Cost was about 430, not that horrific. See pic for p/n

Welcome to our little forum!

Did you do the job yourself, or have a shop do it? If the latter, might be useful to someone to know who, and whether you are happy with the job - see above comments on how well the SE aircon works. You might also put your location in your profile.

I just googled that info, and all it said was Mazda 121 fitment. That may not be definitive, but can you confirm that your car is the 2004 NB SE (turbo) model?

:mrgreen:

dzzb · Postby **dzzb** » Sat Mar 23, 2024 11:27 pm

2004 SE, yes. The number is correct from the box label.

greenMachine wrote:
dzzb wrote:It was just a Repco shop, nothing special. The cooling is good but as I have one of the vents blocked with a boost gauge it could be better. I took the old compressor apart to look - absolutely incredible construction with an interlocking set of scrolls as compressing elements. I am looking for a new seal to restore it sometime. The only problem was the seal, the rest of it is as new inside.
greenMachine wrote:
dzzb wrote:I recently replaced compressor due to front seal leak. Cost was about 430, not that horrific. See pic for p/n

Welcome to our little forum!

Did you do the job yourself, or have a shop do it? If the latter, might be useful to someone to know who, and whether you are happy with the job - see above comments on how well the SE aircon works. You might also put your location in your profile.

I just googled that info, and all it said was Mazda 121 fitment. That may not be definitive, but can you confirm that your car is the 2004 NB SE (turbo) model?

greenMachine · Postby **greenMachine** » Sun Mar 24, 2024 7:36 am

Thanks.

That is the first concrete information I have seen on the SE aircon compressor. I understand that it is different (smaller) to the regular NB compressor, and couldn't see that Mazda would have created a totally unique one for just one small volume sub-model.

:mrgreen:

MrBrad · Postby **MrBrad** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 11:53 am

Hi Everyone, I've finally had my air-con fixed!! Everyone has experienced that, oh jeez it's an MX-5 person who says their cars are different and you need to make sure your doing the right works on it...

The reason why my high pressure hose kept blowing was because the air con place was putting too much refrigerant into the system.

I tried a few different air con places with no success then I found these people in East Perth. I went through everything that had been going on with the system and, I don't know anything about air-con prior to this with it blowing hoses. Funnily enough being a typical anal mx5 owner - I even gave them a list of things not to do while they had the car for four days. Things like, don't lean on the bonnet, don't lean on the guards etc because it will all bend. I even went around the car showing where the slighted scratch was so they knew not to screw anything up.

long story short, when I collected the car, jumped in, drove on the freeway home straight into my driveway and got out and saw the dent going down the drivers door I called them and sent images. They've immediately claimed it didn't happen in the shop, but in their car park - so they can skulk out of responsibility. They were non responsive for three weeks, unless I stopped by and asked what was going on - Oh yeah within 24 hours the gas had leaked out of the system again.

They got security camera footage from the business across the road from their shop, but refused to let me see it until they had gone through what was there. They were individual files, which obviously could be deleted and you wouldn't know later. They've only recently said I can have the footage, this has been going on since the 25th of January.

I know that if damage happens in a parking lot, then its falls to my insurance. My point is that they had my car for four days, they are responsible for it while it was in their possession and I'm supposed to believe them that the damage didn't happen while it was in their shop.

They've basically been ignoring me unless i go to the shop, or send three or four emails and they'll respond but that has only happened in the last 6 weeks - in terms of responses to emails.
The place is called AutoCool. https://www.autocool.com.au/
They also won't tell me how much refrigerant they loaded into the system, they've given a range of 350 grams to 450 grams according to their book, but they won't confirm how much - obviously they have no idea what they put in but given it leaked immediately, it was the wrong amount for my car.

What I have learned - I didn't know the amount of refrigerant is different in NB models. some take something like 420 grams, some 450. The SE.. Evidently 350!!!!! Which must be to do with heat and expansion because its a turbo and explains why the hoses kept leaking. The key is that you need to have someone working on it who actually looks at the model of the car and what it requires, not a she'll be right attitude. Something I expect from a business charging money for a service!

I know this has been a rant but, these A$$holes have charged me for a service, not actually fixed the car. And they have damaged it and are lying about whats happened. Oh also, they've managed to somehow chip a rim as well..

ManiacLachy · Postby **ManiacLachy** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 2:20 pm

Thats frustrating that the shop was not more careful and respectful.

So how did you find out about the amount of refrigerant to use? If too much is used and it leaks out, wouldn't it level out at the appropriate level? I really don't know much about the system, other than I need to get mine sorted before next summer!

Is it all sorted and working now?

greenMachine · Postby **greenMachine** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 2:36 pm

So the SE has a different compressor (from a 121) ... maybe the smaller compressor = smaller volume inside the system, therefore less refrigerant? Thanks, that number is good to know.

I reckon you have the basis of a complaint to 'consumer affairs' or somebody, at least on the air con, if you think it is worth the effort. That's a dog act they have perpetrated, and deserve to be hung out to dry.

I'd run the line on the damage that 'I don't care where it happened, it happened while in your custody, therefore it is on you and your insurance'.

Good luck

:mrgreen:

MrBrad · Postby **MrBrad** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 5:49 pm

you can see the games they have played - first it was, it happened in the carpark and not in the shop. then it was ohh well we aren't responsible for what happens once the car leaves the car park. just slimy.

RE gas leaking out and leveling out - I imagine once you have it over pressurize it just leaks out as the seal is cooked.

I'm not sure about compressors, but I reckon its probably something to do with heat and the turbo and what it does to the refrigerant as the system gets hot.

Yep, i've said that from the beginning. I don't care where it happened - you had my car.. I've just been emailing him trying to get a refrigerant number out of him. now he is referencing his book that says 350-450grams.
kind of like saying a commodore takes 3.5 to 5ltrs of oil... but he doesn't check if its a v6 or a 6ltr v8...

yep, that's what I'm going to do re consumer affairs.

what gets me is he went to the business across the road, said a car had been damaged and asked for cctv footage.. so i asked that business if they would be happy to sign a stat dec saying Auto cool approached them for footage as a car was damaged. Which proves it was damaged there. as you would imagine... they didn't want to get involved..

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Sat Apr 13, 2024 12:19 pm

Ask a paintless dent removal guy to have a look at the damage. If he can fix it, get a quote. Either way, somebody's insurance will pay for it.

MrBrad · Postby **MrBrad** » Mon Apr 15, 2024 4:08 pm

Hi Bruce, I've already looked at it - unfortunately its gone through the paint. it would have been a very hard hit to do that amount of damage, who ever did it would have known they did it.
the way it is, Auto cool are denying it was them, they claim it was done in their carpark, or after the car left... so i'm holding the bag.

hopefully one day someone destroys their business.