Searched around and didnt find any posts with this specific problem.
First off, this has been an issue for 3 years or so. Took it to an AC shop several years ago, and they said everything was fine (refrigerent, pressures, discharge air, etc). I have just lived with it. Tired of that now.

The car as 222K on it, so I dont expect it to work like new. But it works pretty good driving down the interstate at speed, at least when the outside air is less than 96 or so. But when in stop and go traffic not so much. If I am at a stop light, I can rev the enigne to 1500 or so and it will work enought to keep me from passing out at the light.

This is what I know is working right: The radiator fans run if the AC is on. The blower is working fine, the controls are working fine as far as I can tell. The engine speed increases 200 RPM when I hit the AC button. I popped the evap cover loose a few years ago and cleaned it as best I could. That helped some.

At idle, the cold refrigerant line does not feel cold, just cool. If I rev the engine and keep my hand on it, it gets cold. It will not sweat.

Before I take it somewhere else, what does this sound like? Low refrigerent? Weak compressor? dirty condensor?

Any feedback or ideas appreciated!

 

Sounds like a compressor issue, brutha. Thats my guess.

Churnin out maximum cold air molecule for 222K in Nashville TN...whew that dude is tired lawd only know!

 

I'd guess the compressor isn't in full health, too. If your freon was leaking or low, throttle wouldn't make a difference.

 

It might be your compressor.
http://www.youtube.com/user/boredmder#p/u/3/UKulYTlhfeA

If not maybe its your:
http://www.youtube.com/user/boredmder#p/u/5/VuJASXZU1kQ

 

What leads you to suggest the condensor?

 

Try cleaning the condenser. Just take a pressure washer to it and spray her down.

 

Going to clean the condensor this weekend. I think I will hold off on pulling the dash to really clean the evaperator.

 

If it turns out to be the compressor, where is a good place to order one from?
Should I jut get the compressor, or one the full replacement kits?

I have a buddy with the equipment to remove the charge and help me replace everything.

 

Get the full replacement kit. On a side note, you should check the compressor clutch at idle. See if the clutch is engaged. If it is not, tap it with something, and see if it engages. If it does, the gap is probably too large, and the clutch and/or compressor should be replaced.

 

Your compressor's probably just worn.. mine's the same way @ 175k. I hooked gauges up and the low pressure side won't drop to where it should be unless the engine's revving at 1.2k+.

 

Have an A/C tech check the system. They can easily determine what's going on once they put their equipment on it.

 

i've actually replaced my compressor w/ a new one from autozone, have the same issue..but it blows freezing cold a/c....

 

had this same problem with my 99. Turned out the ac compressor was bad.

 

I think a bad compressor goes without saying. 96 here today. Took 13 miles to cool off at speed. I am going to get my buddy to put his gauges to use and confirm that.

Any suggestions on where to buy the compressor/kit from?

 

Check to see if you have a 1-800 radiator in your area. Also, advance sells decent stuff.

If you want good stuff, try calling some of the local repair shops and ask them if they can get parts from WorldPac. They carry high quality parts, and OEM stuff at lower prices.

 

NAw man..check the condesor. Its not getting proper heat transfer. Jus clean it with power wash and see if that helps.

Or their is air in the line. Or their is too much refrigerant in the system.

HA-34 of the FSM.

 

Cleaned the condensor Sunday, was not blocked or anything, but i think it helped. Did not solve the problem at idle. It was 100 today, and once I got moving after work got cold and stayed cold, as long as I am moving. I guess I should just keep and moving and never stop!

I am going to get my buddy to check it, just have not had time. \

Thanks for the replies!

 

does the car blow completely warm arm at idle? or is it slightly warmer. If its not a big deal i would do a damn thing. But im up here in mass. its only hot 2 months/yr

EDIT:

EBay got compressors for the low. A new one from courtesyparts is 450.

 

It blows warm, no cooler than the ambient in the car, no hotter. Rev it to 1500 at stop light, it will blow cool, not cold. Running down the freeway at 70, blows relatively cold.

Cant get to my buddys shop until next week to use his equipment. He said it might be a condensor issue just based on my description.

 

Its the seals on the reeds inside the compressor. Youre going to have to replace the compressor. I had this same problem on my i30. Replaced the compressor and expansion valve and now my air blows 42 degree air at idle, sitting in the sun, here in Texas. I do HVAC for a living so I had all the tools and stuff needed to do it. Start to finish it took me 3 and a half hours to replace everything and have it cooling again.

 

What about this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Nissa...item5d2d89927a

 

Thats not a bad deal for all of that.

 

www.ackits.com This guy has a compressor for CHEAP cause he isnt going to carry the part anymore. No warranty but only $142. Great guy, I called him today about my AC prepared to drop 300 and he pretty much told me there was no need and sold me 15 in seals and lube to refresh the system. His site has a great forum to do your own AC recharge....assuming you have already had it "professionally" evacted (mine was empty anyway.....no I didnt dump it in the atmosphere...might kill the ozone)

 

To clarify did you buy the compressor or the seals?
Same prob on my 97 200sx.
DO you remember the guy's name you talked to?

 

Im pretty sure I talked to the owner (it may be a one man operation and he runs the air conditioning forum as a help tool for the DIY people to ask professionals questions). Really useful information....I now understand and am not scared of the one part of my engine I have always been afraid to touch. Its actually very simple.

My compressor is fine. The problem with my system is the evaporator had a leak in it. When I called him and started explaining what was wrong with my car and told him the dye was leaking out of the evaporator box drain tube (the tube all the water leaks from when your ac is running) he stopped me and told me that there was a very high possibility that in my car the problem may not be the evaporator. Instead of just trying to sell me parts basically he told me that in the cars where the expansion valve is a separate part within the evaporator box many time one of the seals will dry out and leak because there are 4 seals in there where everything bolts together. He told me to pull it and double check those connections before I dropped allot of money on replacement parts. Unfortunately for me it was in fact the evaporator. Still, I got a new evaporator, expansion valve, drier, seals, sealant lube and shipping for 170.

If you are having problems with your system and the compressor turns on I would put some dye in the lines (ONLY DYE!!! NOT THE CRAP WITH SEALER IN IT!!!) Use a UV light and look for where it is leaking. If your compressor doesnt turn on the problem is more than likely you dont have enough pressure to allow the compressor to turn on which means you have a huge leak in your system somewhere. To diagnose this you can introduce one can of r134 until the compressor kicks on. Let it run for thirty minutes and then look for the leak. ONLY PURCHASE AND USE THE PLAIN R134 - NOT the expensive crap with sealer....Those will F UP your system! (if you research on the net and ackits.com you will see what the sealer stuff does to your system....its like putting a bandaid on a gun shot wound). the plain r134 will be the lease expensive can of r134 autozon/advanced sells and the kid behind the counter will probably try to upsell you to something that can kill every part in your ac system!!! this is VERY VERY important to only introduce plain R134!!!

Hope that helps. There is a thread on the forum where someone did a write up on how to test your compressor. The manifold tool to test your compressor can be purchase for $50 and if you have access to a BIG air compressor you can get a venturi vacuum pump for 30 bucks. because I had the leak in the system I didnt care about cracking the line because when I put a new drier on and pull a vacuum it will remove all the air and moisture from the lines.

 

Yup
He knows what he's talkin about

 

Okay, hooked her up to some gauges.

Ambient Temp 92, 60% relative humidity.
FSM HA 31 says output at 1500 RPM should be 59-64 degrees. It was 60.
Says High side should be 199-262. I read from 150 to 160 max.
Low side should be 23-27, I read 33-35.

HA 32: Should not apply, as High side appears low. Anyway, splashed with water, dropped from 155 to about 148 then came back, low side is cold and sweating.

HA 33C seems to apply, High side too low, low side too high. But when I turned the AC off with engine running, The high side dropped to 140, the low side rose to 55, and held steady. They did not equalize.

When I shut the engine off, low side went to 60 and stayed there. High side went to 0 after I opened the gauge and stayed there when I shut it. Is that correct??

To the amatuer (me) I would say the compressor is on the way out, but why dont the high and low sides equalize with the compressor off???

 

Same here. Thought it was the compressor, swapped that out, didn't make a difference. Cool @ RPM, nothing at idle. Eventually did the expansion valve, what a PITA, and that fixed it. Sucks having to charge it each time!

Dr J

 

Confirmed that it is the compressor. My buddy got the same results that I got. Vacuumed the system, was a little low on refrigerent. Charged it to spec, same result.
Luckily he gets a discount, so the parts will be cheaper. Hope to get it back up and running Saturday.

 

Yuk! 15 years of gunk! Cleaned it up, new expansion valve, dryer, compressor and now 50 degree air! FTW!

 

What exactly did you clean?
Dr J

 

Thats the evaporator coil. It gets dirrrrrrty.

 

Yes it does! Why dont we have cabin filters? LOL.
That was not my problem, weak compressor. The only way to really clean it is to take it out, which you have to do to replace the expansion valve.

 

Yes. Since we dont have the cabin filters I usually take the evaporator coil out once a year and clean/disinfect it. Makes the air smell cleaner too.

 

Regarding cleaning the evaporator, do you disconnect the hoses when u do this? I'd like to try on my car, but looks like a lot of work, including discharging then recharging the a/c.
Dr J

 

YEs, the system has to be evacuated and then recharged when done.

 

You cant get to it with out disconnecting the two hard lines in the engine bay and removing it from under the dash.

You can get the box partially open without removing it, I did that 3 years ago, but you can see how much I could not get too!

 

i had a similar issue in my '98 I30t, where my A/C would pump out warm air. I had several "pros" test my A/C system with no luck. Even changed frion and system tests out fine. But still blows out warm air. Even changed my A/C pressure switch at the recommendation of someone, again with no result.
I recall once going to the Nissan dealer and they said it was a common thing amongst that year i30/maxima. Mentioned something about a switch located behind the glovebox that was cutting off power at some point early. Any clue what this might be?