Monday, January 30, 2006 - 11:47 pm, by: Callum Finch(Sigeneat)
Yes.. yes i did!
I had my aircon regassed in sept shortly after i bought my car as it wasnt performing to scratch... worked awesome after that..
A couple months later and it diminishes a little..
Come early Dec, i had a lot of work done to various bits of my car.. you may remember? <.< Part of the work done was a radiator repair, where i had been told there was a leak behind previously.
Car comes back into my hands and the aircon is now significately worse. "No biggy" i thought, and i would have it checked out when time suited enough, as it was still cooling to my standards.
Then comes late Dec/early Jan.. hot days in WA ='( and nothing in my aircon works!
First chance i get im organising a guy to check it out.. he gets held up and i have to wait until the following week before he can look at it.
While im waiting for this to happen, us WA-ites go for a burger run on the Friday night..and my system starts blinking at me "fskk! out of gass" thought i. Wrong, was i.
Wednesday comes and gets halfway past. I receive a call from Mr. AirCon Guy. "Yeah Callum.. your aircon... mate you have some big problems... Your compressor has siezed up, the condensor has cracked, your evapourator is also leaking and etc.." basically.. some terrorist nuked my aircon!
Friendly guy that he was didnt charge me for checking it out either, friendly guy =). He was also unable to fix it as it was beyond his skill!
*Queue superhero music* so i called my trusty mechanic to arrange the run-around (at the advice of some respected Soarer traders >.> None other than DCI of course ;D )
Long story short (too late?) it would have cost $750 to rebuild my aircon and $Xxx for a condensor from a wreckers (evap isnt leaking badly so were gonna try a sealant) and $300 all up for labor, or $750 to have a new condensor overnighted from Toyota Japan at $750, please allow 3.9-4.0weeks for delivery. (Part not including clutch which i would have had replaced if i went with a rebuild anyway)
Going with the longer life option, i took the new part.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 12:24 am, by: Callum Finch(Sigeneat)
Yeah i certanly opend up a good ol can'o'luck on that one!
My aircon used to be very loud when it was turned on and it was always like that since i got it.. so the bearings or what not may have always been going...
The condensor is the weirder bit to break.. they arent supposed to actually crack from what im told =P Perhaps the seals around it.. but.. *shrugs*
Perhaps when the compressor stopped it caused a sudden temperature change in the condensor prompting the crack.. *shrugs*
On the plus side, i will hopefully have one of the best Soarer air cons in the country by the end of it >.>
Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 08:41 am, by: Daniel Lee(Son_gokou)
Callum,
I took my Soarer to S&LC for a service and i asked them to look at the aircon..
My aircon also very loud when it was turned on and the mechanic called me back yesterday tell me the cost to change the aircon compressor + doing the timing belt + water pump will be $2600..
Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 02:36 pm, by: Andreas Niaouris(Andreasn)
Callum , you've had a baptism of fire haven't you. And to think it was from all perspectives a good Soarer , I would have even bought it. Keep your head up mate!
Thursday, February 02, 2006 - 02:23 pm, by: Andreas Niaouris(Andreasn)
I've had mine fixed (about 2 yrs ago) it's bloody horrible without aircon in summer, especially if you park your car in the sun all day. It's worked a treat ever since.
Thursday, February 02, 2006 - 03:32 pm, by: Michael Keen(Jzz30man)
AIRCONDITIONING PROBLEM people should be aware of. A mate just bought a Soarer. The A/C was not working. Storey as i was told: - turned out bearing in compressor was gone. - turned out metal filings from compressor got into the compressors sump. - turns out the metal filings got into the pipework. - turns out all the pipeworks and gear behind the dash had to come out to clean the pipes, so the next compressor didn't wear out straight away. - the bill ......$2,000 to remove and replace (not picked up and paid as yet) - the mechanic advises he has several soarer's in there at the moment with same problem. - a problem that has made me think twice about noises i hear from my compressor occasionally. - something to look out for now that our cars are getting a little older? I'd have thought that the A/C system would have filters or something to prevent this type of problem from happening. Any advice or comments would be appreciated.
Hey, what do you mean by "noises". I'm just curious, coz my aircon is quite loud, not sure how to describe the noise (maybe I should record it) but it's constant heavy buzzing noise. Louder than in other cars I've been in before. I'd have to compare to other ppl soarers at the next meetup or something... always forget to do it.
Don Bagnall Moderator New Zealand I have LESS Soarers than Hayden :-(
Thursday, February 02, 2006 - 04:35 pm, by: Don Bagnall(Baggs)
Basically folks, it's an OLD car, and OLD cars WILL get problems, not the least of which is the AC carking it!.
Our cars (in the case of most of us) are 14 + years old, so ergo, stuff wears out, or gets cranky & noisy.
I've been lucky, I've only needed a re-gas, and it's running quietly and efficiently (touch wood!). But it's something that's worth budgeting for, to save MAJOR wallet-ache when it blows bum, especially in this HOT friggin weather!!!
As Daniel said, once it's done, it's gonna last you for at LEAST 14 years, and if ya's don't keep the car for that long, you're prolly gonna sell ya car quicker if the A/C is in PREMO condition.
Friday, February 03, 2006 - 07:42 am, by: Michael Keen(Jzz30man)
Daniel, It wasn't my car so i can't describe the noise. All i can tell you is the mechanic, who we respect on this forum, apparently has a couple of cars with the same problem. All i can suggest is you get an a/c mechanic to check the noise and advise. I'm seriously thinking of getting somebody to check mine. The last thing i need is a $2,000 a/c repair bill. I have a spare a/c compressor. I imagine these things can be reconditioned or serviced. Anybody know of somebody in Sydney who does it? I might get my spare reconditioned and installed.
I've got no idea what gas is in there. I would probably need to check a sticker somewhere in the engine bay when I get home. I havent done anything to the aircond since i bought the car, and rarely switch it on, but when I do the noise just doesnt sound right. What difference does it make though? I should get it checked out, or at least compared to other soarers, it should be ok, I just won't use it for the time being, then if it is broken i won't break it further. If something is wrong then it is probably cheaper to get it rebuilt, i dunno, something I will find out about in the future.
Friday, February 03, 2006 - 06:00 pm, by: Clayton Webb(Clackers)
Daniel, you can differentiate between HR-12 and R134A by looking at the glass window near the battery. HR12 will appear cloudy as where R134A will appear clear. If your gas is low you will see bubbles through the eye.
Friday, February 03, 2006 - 06:12 pm, by: David Vaughan(Davidv)
I recently had my A/C recharged. The problem was that when it was 35 outside, the A/C could not really cope (whereas the is300 kills such heat easily). Now that it has been evacuated, oiled and recharged, it could barely cope with 32 today, this from what should be one of the best places around here. They commented to me after the work that it now measured 3 degrees at the output. My lay view is that they forgot to mention the other twenty. My car is a '94 and was recharged with R134a which is presumably what it had in the first place, given that R134a came in in 1992.
Any comments?
Daniel Lee TryHard Victoria Soarer GT Limited UZZ31 V8
Friday, February 03, 2006 - 08:20 pm, by: Khalid Sarwari(1jzspeed)
daniel how much did it cost to get that done matey. and back to my original question does anyone else know where i can get my compressor replaced and regassed for cheap.
Neil Griffiths Trader NSW I have MORE Soarers than Hayden :-)
Saturday, February 04, 2006 - 07:42 am, by: Daniel Lee(Son_gokou)
Khalid,
The new aircon compressor for mine V8 Soarer cost me $1370 and this with removed + replaced the compressor with new unit flush out system to suit r134 gas then regassed and leak tested..
I'm not sure how much will a new aircon compressor for TT or will be the same, guess best to call up S&LC and ask them for a quote first..
Oh yer to recondition my old aircon compressor it would cost $1100, since the difference is not so great that why i went with the new aircon compressor..
Friday, March 10, 2006 - 02:47 pm, by: Roger Costello(Roger)
Callum
You are much better off with the new compressor. I had the same bits replaced after the compressor went leaky (with a cracked head!) and the evaporator developed a water corrosion caused leak. This was about 3 years after converting to R134. The new compressor is much quieter than the old unit. Apparently they are a different spec for the new gas. Every single Toyota I have owned has needed a new A/C evaporator except for a SWB Landcruiser that had no A/C but plenty of rust. Apparently Toyota changed the alloy in the evaporators in the late 90's and corrosion is no longer an issue.
On the metal chips issue there is a specialist in WA who has the gear to flush them in situ along with all the old goo, stale oil, bits of O rings etc. $200 including new gas and oil. Absolutely astonishing what comes out when he shows you. The A/C also works a lot better afterwards. My understanding was the Toyota OEM receiver dryer had a rock filter in it that should catch most of the bigger bits after they have gone through the compressor.