Leaking AC

[dickyf]

hi
I am looking for someone in the Cheshire/Manchester area who can diagnose and resolve a leaking AC system. The re-gas machine wont allow the system to re-gas because of a leak.

any help greatly appreciated as i don't fancy doing classic Le Mans without AC.

[nobby]

i hope you get you a/c system sorted as it can be very expensive to fix ... and a pain in the butt to sort out :(

you can read about my woes here re the leak in my evap unit ... http://www.nsxcb.co.uk/showthread.php?6702-NSX-Refresh&p=82114&highlight=evaporator#post82114

hopefully u have nothing like this,

mite be wise doing a search over in prime for any other info on potential leak areas etc as evap is just the one i know


hi
I am looking for someone in the Cheshire/Manchester area who can diagnose and resolve a leaking AC system. The re-gas machine wont allow the system to re-gas because of a leak.

any help greatly appreciated as i don't fancy doing classic Le Mans without AC.

[dickyf]

all sorted. the high pressure filler valve was leaking when the machine was trying to gas it. Seems to all be working now. very effective system when it works.

[nobby]

Sweet excellent news :)

[flyingsniffer]

My a/c system appears to be leaking from the area around the filler valve - it looks like the pipe is split (explains the rusting of various parts around the area in what is otherwise a nice compartment - that gas must be evil stuff). Only problem is, the pipe itself is north of £300 from Honda and no stock until September. Anyone had any success with aluminium welding these pipes?

[NSXGB]

Maybe check the Acura parts database to see if it's the same (RHD vs. LHD) and buy new from the USA?

[Nick Graves]

My a/c system appears to be leaking from the area around the filler valve - it looks like the pipe is split (explains the rusting of various parts around the area in what is otherwise a nice compartment - that gas must be evil stuff). Only problem is, the pipe itself is north of £300 from Honda and no stock until September. Anyone had any success with aluminium welding these pipes?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcuT01qdwPc

[flyingsniffer]

The attached pic is the little tike, you can just about make the split out (I think). So question is: £370 for a new pipe or have a go at repairing it?

11479

NSXGB: thanks, but I think on LHD models the pipe runs the other way round the engine bay. At least, that's what it looks like from the Service manual schematic.

[Nick Graves]

Looks like the brazing's failed to me! I'd ask a brazer/welder IIWY.

[Silver Surfer]

Take it to an alloy wheel repair shop and just get them to weld it...cost <£20

SS

[flyingsniffer]

Thanks. If I can get it off (not particularly easy, but with a bit of wiggling I think it will come out), then it's off to www.aluminium-welding.co.uk, it's down the road. Spoke to the bloke today and he said he would do it straight away for a drink. Better than the £600 I was quoted. Honestly, these guys think that because you have a nice car, you just chuck money around like confetti.

So day off tomorrow to take the missus out for lunch. Looks like lunch near Welwyn Garden city!

[flyingsniffer]

It looks like it is finally solved (nearly). Taking the pipe off the receiver/drier revealed that someone had had a go at this before: the thread on the 'out' side of the RD was stripped and the thread of the nut was full of swarf. So pipe was welded up, then commenced the hunt for a new RD (Honda price £270 + VAT, available end of September...great for an air con part!). Thanks to the guys at Compressor Tech, who matched it up with a very close alternative for £55 (Rover 800 - a little bit bigger than the OEM but within the capacity of the holder).

Taking off the old RD showed that the thread on the 'in' side of the RD was also stripped: it would have been easier to clear out the nut thread with that pipe off, but following consultation with Kaz (thanks), decision was to do it in situ as taking off the pipe that connects the RD to the condenser is fraught with danger...these threads have a habit of stripping, obviously! So several minutes of craned neck and scraped knees, I got out what I could.

So all back in eventually, vacuum tested for 20 mins this morning revealed no leak, so bunged in the refrigerant and fingers crossed......and all seems well. Cold air for the first time in my ownership! Following a 20 minute drive to work, it looks like there is still a teeny tiny bit of weeping around the weld repair, so I will make up my mind what to do: I'm wondering if the guy could do a teeny spot weld in situ?

[scottg]

Glad to hear it's fixed Rob

Kind Regards

Scott


It looks like it is finally solved (nearly). Taking the pipe off the receiver/drier revealed that someone had had a go at this before: the thread on the 'out' side of the RD was stripped and the thread of the nut was full of swarf. So pipe was welded up, then commenced the hunt for a new RD (Honda price £270 + VAT, available end of September...great for an air con part!). Thanks to the guys at Compressor Tech, who matched it up with a very close alternative for £55 (Rover 800 - a little bit bigger than the OEM but within the capacity of the holder).

Taking off the old RD showed that the thread on the 'in' side of the RD was also stripped: it would have been easier to clear out the nut thread with that pipe off, but following consultation with Kaz (thanks), decision was to do it in situ as taking off the pipe that connects the RD to the condenser is fraught with danger...these threads have a habit of stripping, obviously! So several minutes of craned neck and scraped knees, I got out what I could.

So all back in eventually, vacuum tested for 20 mins this morning revealed no leak, so bunged in the refrigerant and fingers crossed......and all seems well. Cold air for the first time in my ownership! Following a 20 minute drive to work, it looks like there is still a teeny tiny bit of weeping around the weld repair, so I will make up my mind what to do: I'm wondering if the guy could do a teeny spot weld in situ?

[nobby]

glad you got sorted with the RD ... had to look for a replacement one myself when i overhauled my A/C system ... yes the Honda price ... madness ... the company i bought off was something like 30 odd quid for it ... they had it listed similarly to a Legend I recall so that would tie up with the 800.

Glad you got sorted ... its nice when you experience a fully working A/C in the NSX for the first time ... i know the feeling well!


commenced the hunt for a new RD (Honda price £270 + VAT, available end of September...great for an air con part!). Thanks to the guys at Compressor Tech, who matched it up with a very close alternative for £55 (Rover 800 - a little bit bigger than the OEM but within the capacity of the holder).