matty

iTrader: (54)

Well this has been a few years in the making with my a/c not really working 100%...its cool, but runs FULL fan with set at 65 and never catches up to itself, which means the inside of the car ISNT cooling off...
I ran ALL of the diagnosis on the A/C control panel, as per the FSM, and it all checks out ok with No codes.

Well all the new parts include, compressor, expansion valve, inside unit that connects to the expansion valve, charged several different times with negative results.

Now heres the catch, when I had the motor out, the A/C System was complete open for about 2-3 months when I had the new rad support installed, and I am still using that same dryer that was in the car When I did the new compressor, I left the old dryer in there.

Now, can the old dryer be causing this problem with the A/C not being cold....

I just dont know where else to look with this problem. Its getting pretty frustrating.

-matt

Ringo1965

I guess my first question after reading your post is did you pull a vacuum on your system after you reassembled it? You may just have air in the system.

matty

iTrader: (54)

Everytime I have the system recharged, my macanic puts it on a vaccum for hours and sais its stays there with NO leaks. Right now, its the exact SAME it was last summer after the last ditch effort at another recharge....

seanwn

iTrader: (15)

subscribed; I've always had problems with my A/C.

Side question; in your pursuit of fixing your A/C have you found anybody that sales just the clutch?

Best of luck to you, free bump...

matty

iTrader: (54)

Even went to the dealership last year and they just blamed the aftermarket stuff I have on the car.

WhiteMaxima9600

Sounds similar to mine. Except all I had to replace was the compressor, the bearings burnt up in the old one. Mine blows barely cool, not enough to even leak water underneath. i had it put on vacuum and everything and they said it's full of freon?? Im almost sure you gotta replace the dryer though.

NISSANMAXIMA91

iTrader: (1)

Subscribed as well. BOTH of mine do the same thing. Initially my 96 was low on freon and got it charged with the water pump job in December of last year. Now its having trouble keeping up. My 97 just doesnt blow cold anymore at all

f550maranello2

iTrader: (2)

ok what if u get it checked right now... is the refrigerant low?

use the service port and check the pressure..

matty

iTrader: (54)

It will be all be checked in the next week...I had it checked early summer 08 by Nissan, pressure was ok after they tested it all and refilled it back up. Then had another shop, not my normal shop, check it and they said it was "overfilled" ??? kinda weird. Still acted the same, cool but not COLD COLD.

When it was at nissan, they said the temp coming out of the center vents were "within spec"....no way its right.

-matt

JNCoRacer

iTrader: (6)

Out of curiosity what was the air temp coming from the vents?

matty

iTrader: (54)

This was the print out from Nissan

AMBIENT DATA:
Ambient Humidity: 39%
Ambient Tempurature: 87 F

VEHICLE DATA:
Red Vent Temp: 82 F
Blue Vent Temp: 51 F
High Side Maximum: 183 psi
Low Side Minimum: 28 psi
Charge Weight: 1.5lbs

Heres the thread from last year

http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generat...-chance-c.html

fflint_18

That is absolutely the reason that the air isn't cold.

The Receiver/Drier is there to get moisture out of the system. The more moisture the less effective the freon is.

Left open the drier become saturated. Even worse humidity and moisture get in all the lines.

This drastically reduces the cooling of your system.

And pulling a vacuum only tells you there are no leaks unless you do it for a long period. A vacuum will make water boil at a lower temperature. Pulling a vacuum for long enough (1 or 2 days) will boil all of the moisture out of the systems.

It may not however get it all out of the drier.

The correct thing to do is to replace the drier and then put the system under a vacuum overnight if possible.

Then recharge the system making sure you have some refrigerant oil added also to get the oil rings lubricated.

If the rest of you system is okay it should solve all of your problems.

Good Luck.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

I hope you didn't toast your new parts. Not installing a new receiver/dryer will kill the new parts very fast, especially if the system has been exposed for any length of time.
I've seen vehicles have every part on the system replaced and customers insist on not dishing out for the drier, within a day or two the vehicle is back with complaints, most of the new parts are toast.
As soon as the system is open that drier sucks every bit of moisture in and it's junk, it will break down from being 'overloaded' and send particulate from the silicate, etc through out the system, jamming valves and damaging components.

As well, did you ever have the system pressure tested? Vacuum tests are very good, but if you have a shroeder valve leaking a vacuum test will not show it.

You need to find a better a/c shop, that high side pressure seems a little high to me you may have a restriction in the condenser or something, as well, when the refridgerant was recovered the last times you had it charged, was it low at all?

matty

iTrader: (54)

Another consern of mine is that when I did the A/C Compressor, I got it from nissan and filled it, as per the Nissan Tech, with PAG100 oil. All of the books online say to use PAG46. Some say that will make a differene but most of the shops I talk to say absolutely will NOT make a difference.


My other question is, WHERE DO YOU FIND A GOOD A/C SHOP ???? It boggles my mind that each A/C shop just seems to recover, put on a vaccum, and recharge and cant really be bothered on how its actually performing.

There are HUNDREDS of shops in my area, and it seems that every one has the same equipment as the next, and each any every one of them rip you off.

-matt

njmaxseltd

iTrader: (19)

Matty, here we go again with your A/C issue. Well seeing that the dryer is the last component to replace, go ahead and replace it. I do agree that if your old dryer is saturated, your system isn't going to work 100%. Moisture and refrigerent don't mix. Big no no. Replace the dryer, evac. and recharge see if it works.
That's pretty much all you can do.

matty

iTrader: (54)

waitin for it in the mail, gonna go ahead and have that done and I will report back. If this doesnt fix it, im done. Its kinda dissapointing figuring all the money I have spent on this, and it should be ice cold. NEW COMPRESSOR FROM NISSAN !!!!!

-matt

SVI30

I hope that fix it for you too.

WhiteMaxima9600

You can always use the "Two Sixty" method....... Both front windows down driving sixty mph. Only seems to get really cold during the latter half of the year though?
Im j/k.... please don't me.. Good luck though, im currently using the above method myself

Crusher103

iTrader: (10)

im going to put my money on the dryer, i was told that anytime u open the system up the dryer must be replaced in order for the system to work properly

matty

iTrader: (54)

I know I have heard that too. This has been an ongoing thing for the past few seasons and its getting kind of annoying. Lets hope that this fixes the problem.

Do I have to get the system "Flushed out" before I put in the new dryer ??
And can they really tell the performance of an a/c system by the Pressure ?? I hear mixed reviews on that

djipka

iTrader: (9)

how much did all this cost you? I am another one with the same type A/C issues. Mine seems to work ok but not great only when the RPM is above 2k. Last summer I drove from Salt Lake to Reno and as I was keeping above 75mph all the way, the temp in the car was ok but it still wasn't as cold as other cars I know and have driven.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

Yes you need it flushed out.

They will not be able to accurately tell the PERFORMANCE of the system, but it IS a very good indicator, if the pressures are appropriate, the system should function correctly, any pressure issues on the HI or LO side best indicate an issue with a component in the system or a low refridgerant charge.


However, that is NOT and accurate way for performance testing the system,
I do want to note strongly that if Nissan said it was within spec, and they did the entire performance test according to the proper procedures, then they are correct in telling you it's ok (unless it was an intermittent problem).
But if they are just telling you that the PRESSURES are within spec, that's not good enough of a test, the vent temperature and pressure specs at a determined humidity % and ambient temp are the readings that matter during a test.

FYI just ONE drop of water in the system will cause component corrosion, damage, break down refridgerant and cause compressor/clutch fatigue due to excessive cycling.

matty

iTrader: (54)

Well what is the right process to go ahead and FLUSH the system ?? Without clogging the orfiss on the expansion valve ?? Im dropping it off on tue to have it looked at, install the dryer, and have the system charged back up. He told me he was going to let me know if it needs to be flushed or not...

-matt

matty

iTrader: (54)

I am dropping it off tomorrow night for wed and im pretty good friends with my macanic so I can talk to him about what I think needs to be done.

What actually has to be done with doing a "Flush" ? Does that occur with the OLD dryer on there, then after the flush out, you put the new one on ? How long does the flush occur for ? How about putting the system on a vaccum overnight ? Is that really a nessecary thing to do ?

Any help is appreciated.

-matt

Torqmonster

Im having the same problem as stated above. Im probing the box and its 43 degrees, however at the vent Im getting mid 50's. I'm going to bypass the heater core and then check to see if it makes a difference. That will let me know if my system is mixing.

Does anyone know the capacity for the system? I pulled a good vacuum, however it only took 1.5 lbs of freon...is that correct?

matty

iTrader: (54)

Well I picked up the car last night and he said the system was completly filled with oil....It was flushed, new dryer installed and recharged.

Its amazing to me that Nissan OR the other macanic didnt catch this. I guess they really cant catch it unless the system is completly opened up and they see all the oil.

I havent tried it yet since when I picked the car up last night it was cold out, and set at 65 just didnt really turn the compressor on

-matt

venturous

Good luck on your fix.
I bought a 96 off a lady that had spent over $1,000 on the A/C at the Nissan dealer over several years because it just did not get cool enough. I talked to a guy at a salvage yard about a compressor and he said these cars have more problems with the dryer than anything else. I checked with the dealer and then went to Auto Zone and bought one. The dryer looked absolutely identical to the one I took out. Like it was welded up on the same fixture on the same day.
Vacumed it down and recharged it and it works real good now, even when we go to the gulf coast in the summertime.
randy

Max95Max

I have two ac related questions for my 96 Maxima. My ac blows at ambient temperature; it's not cold at all. I figured there was a leak and that I'd be able to use a recharge kit for a temporary fix. I purchased the kit with a gauge and hooked it up with the car running and the temp set to 65, fan on max. Before I dispensed any R134A the gauge read a pressure of about 65 psi, which according to the can is on the verge of being overcharged.

My first question is, where is the low side port? It's the aluminum tube right on top with the blue/green cap that says "L" on it, right?

Second, if the ac doesn't blow cold, what could cause the system to be on the verge of overcharged?

thanks

Max95Max

I should also add that when I turn my defroster on the serpentine belt usually squeals unless the engine is turning at around 2000rpm or greater. This doesn't happen when just the ac is on. Think it could just be a bad compressor?

kitticat295

My A/C doesn't work at all. I really need to get it looked at haha