AC Compressor

[GTSBoy]

12 minutes ago, soviet_merlin said:

I see some more modern setup being sold as an upgrade and I wonder whether it would make it drive like AC in a modern car. Where you don't really hear it or notice it.

Sadly, it won't happen. The AC controls in our cars are essentially on-off. Whereas the AC in new stuff is more a case of variable displacement compressors giving infinitely variable output.

[MBS206]

1 hour ago, GTSBoy said:

Sadly, it won't happen. The AC controls in our cars are essentially on-off. Whereas the AC in new stuff is more a case of variable displacement compressors giving infinitely variable output.

Lots of this, and in older cars, AC is generally controlled by the AC knobs and programming, and the ECU reacts to the load.

Modern cars, the ECU controls kicking the AC on/off at the AC systems request so it can be prepared for the engagement/disengagement.

[kevboost7]

17 hours ago, soviet_merlin said:

I went and got the aircon regassed in the Stagea today and asked the guy about the upgrade to the Toyota Echo compressor. He was saying it is likely not going to be as good. It is newer but smaller and not going to pump as strongly. And it would be better to try and get a new OEM compressor. He was saying that the improvements people are seeing may be more likely due to regassing the system. I thought it was interesting to hear.

Going by the sticker the system in my car was last checked in 2015. Gas was at 50% which is apparently beyond terrible. Under 80% is where efficiency already falls apart.

Anyways, with fresh gas the AC is now bloody freezing. I think it may be working a bit less hard as well. I need to drive it a bit more to try it properly. Previously on hill starts it would utterly bog down the car. I'm hoping this is a bit better now.

The frenchies kit looks great, but $1400 for the compressor upgrade alone makes it a bit of commitment. Very much so compared to a $150 regas.

I was thinking the same thing when i saw the size of the smaller Toyota Compressor, but i'm not an AC expert. Where did you take it to get re-gassed? 

[kevboost7]

16 hours ago, GTSBoy said:

I don't know if anyone was seriously suggesting a retrofit of an Echo compressor in place of a more-or-less working original comp. You'd have to change the hoses at the bare minimum to do so, and that will definitely add significant cost. I had to get my hoses modded when I did the engine transplant and chose to use the Neo's AC over the even older R32 comp. That was startlingly more expensive than expected for what looks like a simple welding job, and a massive pain in the arse when it turned to have a pinhole leak in the weld too.

The Frenchie's kit is for people who have next to nothing of the original system or have more than that but some of it is a bit shit and better off thrown away than salvaged. If you've got 90% of the system, you just patch it up. Mine is currently degassed because it apparently has a big leak somewhere. If I find it is the compressor, I will be looking to take my spare comp to a shop to assess and/or recondition, rather than contemplating a retrofit to anything off-brand.

After reading this and a few other comments, i'm starting to realize something...

Since i got the car, the AC belt was never put on. I installed the belt on a few months ago because i was tired of melting in the hot car. Once i installed the belt, i was troubleshooting the AC and was turning the red switch on/off while driving the car to see if anything was happening. 

The engine was rebuilt by shop before i purchased the car and the shop might not have re-gassed the AC. Which means i was running the AC without any gas/refrigerant inside the compressor. The AC compressor now acts as if its seized up. I'm starting to think, i caused this damage. 

[GTSBoy]

4 minutes ago, kevboost7 said:

Which means i was running the AC without any gas/refrigerant inside the compressor. The AC compressor now acts as if its seized up. I'm starting to think, i caused this damage. 

Yup. She's toast. You need refrigerant to carry the compressor oil to stop the thing from welding itself together.