I just changed out my condenser. The guys at the auto hobby shop on naval base are telling me i need to chang out dryer and orfice tube. Do I really need to? Also, do I need to add oil or anything and how much. Also , how much freon do I need? It is getting vacuumed and then adding freon. Any suggestions while I am doing this?

 

You will know if it never works as good as it once did.

 

It never worked that great anyway. Hope this makes it better than before. Besides it's been 2 years I hardly remember what it was like. Maybe 3 years.

 

New dryer for sure.

Ken

 

I just vacuumed the system and added 3oz oil and 12 oz advanced auto brand r-134a and it works like a champ!! Better than before. Gets almost ice cold. Car calls for 14.8 oz.

 

You don't have a dryer or orfice tube.

 

There is a sticker on the hood with the correct amount of refrigerant for the system. IIRC it's .9 lbs
You do not want to under charge nor over charge the system.



Please explain how there is no drier accumulator.

 

Simple; this system doesn't use that component.

 

The purpose of a receiver drier/accumulator is to remove moisture from the refrigerant and filter the refrigerant. It also can act as a small storage "tank".

Additionally it protects the expansion valve from letting ice accumulate in the valve itself and creating blockage.
How does ice accumulate in a sealed A/C system? Moisture.
Ever notice de-fogging your windshield automatically turns on the A/C? The system removes practically all moisture of the air being passed through the evaporator by the blower motor. Fog on your windshield is moisture.

Your correct, it doesn't have a separate ("stand-alone drier" if you will).

It has a multi-flow condenser with a modulator which is AKA a receiver-drier.
This modulator ensures only liquid refrigerant is then passed through to the expansion valve. It does filter the refrigerant as well from moisture and contaminants should they exist in the system.


So can I ask again, reworded. How does a system not remove moisture from the system then?


OP.
Since you replaced the condenser, you essentially replaced the (receiver-drier) modulator.

The system does not have a FOT (fixed orfice tube) it uses the expansion valve to release high pressure refrigerant into the evaporator. (And its buried by the evaporator core.)

Per the service manual for replacing the condenser. 20ml/20cc/ 0.7fl oz.

Judging from what these "guys" told you I wouldn't think you need to replace the expansion valve. But I need to see the pressure readings and what the car is doing exactly.

 

Thank you

Who said it didn't?

 

Isn't the drier part of the receiver-drier pretty much a one-shot dessicant? Removes moisture that entered the system when it was open? After that, there isn't any way for more moisture to get in.

Ken

 

Correct.
You have to assemble it quickly otherwise within ~10minutes it absorbs moisture in the air.

 

We need more members like you.

 

Thanks but I lurk a lot on this forum. Too many jerks on this site IMHO.

 

HA! I agree, I just love interacting. I learned how to deal with the d-bags on the last few car forums I was on. There are a lot of good members here too.

 

Update, haven't really worried about it but, it is only ice cold while going down the road, when idling it blows hot air, hot due to being hot outside. The air temperature **** works perfectly.

 

In order for the air passing over the evaporator to be cold, the condenser has to remove heat. That obviously is not happening efficiently at idle. If the system has the proper amont of refridgerant then that means that the fans are not pushing enough air over the condenser. When you start moving the air coming in from under the car removes the necessary heat and viola, cold air. Check the refridgerant level, and your fans.

 

1.3 Litters of Furry puts out 65 degree air at idle, mine is as warm as the air it sucks in. There is a dryer element I found on autozone.com, its only desiccant, but maybe the evaporator valve needs replaced? I replaced the compressor, evaporator valve, and dryer on a honda civic and it got 55 degree air only by starting it and idling. My fans work so I'm unsure why it blows hot air.

 

Here you go starting threads again on stuff that is already covered many times over.

http://foxed.ca/rx7manual/2003mazdar..._S01_0651.html

 

Thanks 9k that didn't help. I have cold air, just need to be cruising down the road.

 

And why would that happen? Think about it.

My point was to properly trouble the problem instead of asking random people to guess for you. Have you tested anything (fans, refrigerant, etc) according to the FSM? You said you have not had ac is years, was your old condenser punctured or removed completely? Is your radiator clean?

 

Radiator was brand new with the brand new condenser that I installed. I vacuum pumped it for about 30 minutes and it held the vacuum after I stopped pumping it. I used the manifold gauges to fill the r-134a. The fans kick on and the pressure seems to be good. Only thing I didn't install was a new compressor or new evaporator valve. My understanding is that the drier is built into the condenser, but they have a new one on autozone.com, if I were to break open the system again. I didn't test anything, it works fine going down the road so unsure why anything would cause this except the drier, not enough freon or evaporator valve clogged.

 

Mine does exactly the same thing when it's hot outside. Just not enough air coming through at idle. One of these days I'll try the fan rewire thing to see if that helps. A/C is not one of the stronger features on this car, so I think this is pretty normal for an 8.

Ken

 

It's fairly common for the factory fans to just get weak over time. Most don't realize it until they get new fans. If your fans are original then I would suggest replacing them just for good measure considering where you live and how many miles are on your 8.

 

What kind of pressure readings were you getting?