A/C routine maitenance?

lewcheeheng

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Nov 20, 2014
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Dear all inspira man,
Service booklet indicated air con compressor oil change interval at mileage 30k! Anyone service at eon before? Can share? Maybe outside air con specialist is better.. Thks
 

gunnerzz

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Regardless of what car the basic ac system is the same.
There are mainly 2 opinion abt ac maintenance.

opinion 1:
The aircond system needs regular maintenance of changing the oil,cleaning the coil,changing the filter,drier.some say once a year,some say 40k km.
reason is for the system to last longer and to prevent forking huge sum of money for repair or replacement of parts.
The piston in the compressor needs the oil for lubrication and failing to replace the oil according to the interval will caused premature failure.

opinion 2.
just drive on and only change the cabin filter.only replace part when they needs replacing.

my experience is just to replace the aircond filter.no oil top up or gas refill what so ever.my car is a waja year 02,mileage is 186k km.
ac is super cool.i must say that the compressor's internal is worn and so is the clutch.i diy repair the clutch.replacement compressor is about rm350,total plus installation,gas and all abt rm650++.thats cheaper than changing the oil at 30k interval until reaching 186k km.

Your choice.
 

6UE5t

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Regardless of what car the basic ac system is the same.
There are mainly 2 opinion abt ac maintenance.

opinion 1:
The aircond system needs regular maintenance of changing the oil,cleaning the coil,changing the filter,drier.some say once a year,some say 40k km.
reason is for the system to last longer and to prevent forking huge sum of money for repair or replacement of parts.
The piston in the compressor needs the oil for lubrication and failing to replace the oil according to the interval will caused premature failure.

opinion 2.
just drive on and only change the cabin filter.only replace part when they needs replacing.

my experience is just to replace the aircond filter.no oil top up or gas refill what so ever.my car is a waja year 02,mileage is 186k km.
ac is super cool.i must say that the compressor's internal is worn and so is the clutch.i diy repair the clutch.replacement compressor is about rm350,total plus installation,gas and all abt rm650++.thats cheaper than changing the oil at 30k interval until reaching 186k km.

Your choice.
Well I surely choose option 1 coz I cannot DIY car's AC system and I'm sure most people also the same. So if you send to shops, should be much more expensive, more over there's the risk of getting conned by shops to fork out even more money. Consider also if you own much more expensive cars with also expensive AC parts, so routine maintenance should benefit more.
 

stupidcar

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My friend has replied me since the father and himself own the air cond service shop.

He said don't listen to those who in forum said need to service compressor oil.
There are no need for preventive maintenance just the filter itself.
If your air cond doesn't feel cold, turn it off immediately. If it keeps running, whole set will be totaled.
 

6UE5t

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My friend has replied me since the father and himself own the air cond service shop.

He said don't listen to those who in forum said need to service compressor oil.
There are no need for preventive maintenance just the filter itself.
If your air cond doesn't feel cold, turn it off immediately. If it keeps running, whole set will be totaled.
Well then how come compressor oil gets so dark just like engine oil after long period of usage? I'm not an aircon service man, but if I look at the darknes of old compressor oil, then I just cannot imagine to keep using it.

If aircon is not cold, not necessarily due to compressor or the oil but most often due to gas leakage. Aircon can still be cold enough even when already starting to run harshly (making humming noises). Now that's when you know you're probably too late already to rescue your compressor. I experienced that before when I also ignored changing the compressor oil (even when the car mileage was still <100k km). Ever since that, I change compressor oil regularly and I never had such problem again.

Anyway, it's up to you what do you think it's the best thing to do coz it's your money after all. But for me I will keep doing what I've done all this while based on my own experiences and I don't mine the cost of those routine ac maintenance including changing the compressor oil.
 
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YYC

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in the airconditioning system of car, compressor is the only place with moving piston and shaft, and it takes a lot of pressure and heat, and located just beside the engine, so do you think it is a maintenance-free component? My car compressor had not been serviced for a very very long time until one time I ask the air-cond expert to open it up and there is zero oil in it!
 

vr2turbo

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My friend has replied me since the father and himself own the air cond service shop.

He said don't listen to those who in forum said need to service compressor oil.
There are no need for preventive maintenance just the filter itself.
If your air cond doesn't feel cold, turn it off immediately. If it keeps running, whole set will be totaled.
Told you also, right? Even my own regular mechanic tell me not to touch the system if every thing running fine....:driver:

---------- Post added at 09:37 PM ---------- 6 hour anti-bump limit - Previous post was at 09:32 PM ----------

Well then how come compressor oil gets so dark just like engine oil after long period of usage? I'm not an aircon service man, but if I look at the darknes of old compressor oil, then I just cannot imagine to keep using it.

If aircon is not cold, not necessarily due to compressor or the oil but most often due to gas leakage. Aircon can still be cold enough even when already starting to run harshly (making humming noises). Now that's when you know you're probably too late already to rescue your compressor. I experienced that before when I also ignored changing the compressor oil (even when the car mileage was still <100k km). Ever since that, I change compressor oil regularly and I never had such problem again.

Anyway, it's up to you what do you think it's the best thing to do coz it's your money after all. But for me I will keep doing what I've done all this while based on my own experiences and I don't mine the cost of those routine ac maintenance including changing the compressor oil.
If have gas leak, the system needs repair and once you re-gas then need to refill the oil already.
Well, all in all, also depends on luck. My VR in use for 14 years, changed 1 recon compressor before only and car is 23 years old dy. My Hyundai also in use for 11 years, also repair the compressor once only. Some Wira owners I know change coil every 2 years, compressor every 3 years and so on...:banghead:
 

6UE5t

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in the airconditioning system of car, compressor is the only place with moving piston and shaft, and it takes a lot of pressure and heat, and located just beside the engine, so do you think it is a maintenance-free component? My car compressor had not been serviced for a very very long time until one time I ask the air-cond expert to open it up and there is zero oil in it!
Exactly, an AC compressor is like a small engine with pistons & shaft which are subject to pressures and heat, so the oil would not last forever. When I changed the compressor oil on my Mark X shortly after I bought it, the oil is totally dark grey like mud! Compare that with the new oil which is clear color, it's scary.

Told you also, right? Even my own regular mechanic tell me not to touch the system if every thing running fine....:driver:

---------- Post added at 09:37 PM ---------- 6 hour anti-bump limit - Previous post was at 09:32 PM ----------



If have gas leak, the system needs repair and once you re-gas then need to refill the oil already.
Well, all in all, also depends on luck. My VR in use for 14 years, changed 1 recon compressor before only and car is 23 years old dy. My Hyundai also in use for 11 years, also repair the compressor once only. Some Wira owners I know change coil every 2 years, compressor every 3 years and so on...:banghead:
Well I don't want to rely on luck, especially if it's an expensive car with most probably equally expensive AC parts. I had compressor failure below 100k mileage of the car and had to fork out a substantial amount relative to my income level at the time. That's why I'd rather do routine maintenance.
 

vr2turbo

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Exactly, an AC compressor is like a small engine with pistons & shaft which are subject to pressures and heat, so the oil would not last forever. When I changed the compressor oil on my Mark X shortly after I bought it, the oil is totally dark grey like mud! Compare that with the new oil which is clear color, it's scary.



Well I don't want to rely on luck, especially if it's an expensive car with most probably equally expensive AC parts. I had compressor failure below 100k mileage of the car and had to fork out a substantial amount relative to my income level at the time. That's why I'd rather do routine maintenance.
In a way it is better for you to do maintenance since your parts are costly. My parts are relatively cheaper therefore the maintenance cost added up can be my repair cost or more...:hmmmm:
 

6UE5t

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In a way it is better for you to do maintenance since your parts are costly. My parts are relatively cheaper therefore the maintenance cost added up can be my repair cost or more...:hmmmm:
Last time it happened over 15yrs ago to my 1991 & 1996 Lancer only. Even so at that time I cringed already coz I did not have much spare money. But maybe also if you drive a lot (say >20k km/yr), then can be rather costly. I drive about 15-20k km/yr, last time was only 10k km/yr.
 

gunnerzz

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If I don't use air-cond regularly? Will it slow down the process?
Or the oil still deteriorate after years?
in theory,the oil will last longer because the piston is not moving as the clutch is not engaged.

another cause for quicker compressor failure is frequent run at high speed.
this will cause strong shock to the compressor everytime the clutch kicks in.
i guess u gues have heard of aircond clutch explode into few pieces and fly through the bonet.
my uncle have 1st hand exp on his vios...and no,the compressor was not a recond unit.
it was new with the car.car is only serviced at Toyota.mikeage was below 150k km when it happen.

He always cruised at high speed.the clutch punch a hole through the hood,through the front windscreen and landed near the handbrake lever.and...no, i am not making this up.
 

YYC

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in theory,the oil will last longer because the piston is not moving as the clutch is not engaged.

another cause for quicker compressor failure is frequent run at high speed.
this will cause strong shock to the compressor everytime the clutch kicks in.
i guess u gues have heard of aircond clutch explode into few pieces and fly through the bonet.
my uncle have 1st hand exp on his vios...and no,the compressor was not a recond unit.
it was new with the car.car is only serviced at Toyota.mikeage was below 150k km when it happen.

He always cruised at high speed.the clutch punch a hole through the hood,through the front windscreen and landed near the handbrake lever.and...no, i am not making this up.
Though I heard of a/c compressor explosion during servicing, I doubt car speed contributes to a/c compressor explosion on the road (at least not a direct and near cause). There could be something within the compressor system, things like internal failure, electrical short, contaminants etc causing excessive pressure. I definitely need further reading on the topic.
 

vr2turbo

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in theory,the oil will last longer because the piston is not moving as the clutch is not engaged.

another cause for quicker compressor failure is frequent run at high speed.
this will cause strong shock to the compressor everytime the clutch kicks in.
i guess u gues have heard of aircond clutch explode into few pieces and fly through the bonet.
my uncle have 1st hand exp on his vios...and no,the compressor was not a recond unit.
it was new with the car.car is only serviced at Toyota.mikeage was below 150k km when it happen.

He always cruised at high speed.the clutch punch a hole through the hood,through the front windscreen and landed near the handbrake lever.and...no, i am not making this up.
That is why when I do pick up in my VR I off the compressor....:biggrin:

---------- Post added at 06:10 PM ---------- 6 hour anti-bump limit - Previous post was at 06:09 PM ----------

Though I heard of a/c compressor explosion during servicing, I doubt car speed contributes to a/c compressor explosion on the road (at least not a direct and near cause). There could be something within the compressor system, things like internal failure, electrical short, contaminants etc causing excessive pressure. I definitely need further reading on the topic.
Got one time I rev quite high, the high pressure hose burst.....:smokin:
 

gunnerzz

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That is why when I do pick up in my VR I off the compressor....:biggrin:

---------- Post added at 06:10 PM ---------- 6 hour anti-bump limit - Previous post was at 06:09 PM ----------



Got one time I rev quite high, the high pressure hose burst.....:smokin:
Guess u need a BOV on the ac system oso...hahah
On the high pressure hose,is it the same as hydraulic hose?
If yes then i do believe sending it for fixing is cheaper as i discover when changing a pwr steering hose.
 

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