1991 A/C Recharge Question

You can't do it yourself. It needs to be evacuated and recharged properly (with special equipment). For what it's going to cost you, it doesn't make sense to install an unknown compressor. Get a Nissan rebuilt. I advise you to choose carefully who you have do this work. It's not something your average garage that doesn't specialize in AC work is likely to do right.

He's right. I've seen them go 10+ years making "buzz-saw" noises. The only advantage with doing it now is: if this one does "explode" internally they can spit trash into the condensor which will then have to be flushed out. Ussually they just lock up and don't cause any other problems.

This isn't something you can do yourself as far as recovering the freon and given it's probably an R12 car, I don't recomend "converting" it to 134a as they never cool as good unless they were designed to use that stuff. I'd leave well enough alone.

Be careful.... if it has been removed from the system, he should have sealed the fittings with cap plugs to keep insects and such from contaminating the inside. Even if sealed, the interior could start to corrode if it has been "open" for a long time since the surfaces are no longer protected by the compressor oil. The warranty is all well and good but corrosion may not cause immediate failure, and it could damage other components in the system.

Since you have a '91 I assume it uses R-12 refigerant, an ODS. In that case... no, you can't do this unless you are a licensed refrigeration mechanic (in which case you wouldn't be asking this). You can't even buy the R-12 you'll need to recharge it. You will need a pump to draw down the old system, capturing the old refigerant for recycling or disposal, and to vacuum the system before charging it.

Yes (not really a repair...) be sure to have the drier replaced. It should always be replaced if the system is completely opened.

Thanks for the responses.

I didn't get the A/C compressor. I'll wait 'til I have more money to spend on it and buy a rebuilt and let someone else do the labor.

I did get a new driver's door control panel (locks/windows) while I was at the junk yard. I haven't had a working driver's door window for quite some time, so the trip wasn't wasted (I was going by it anyway). Got the panel off a '90 GXE for $25. Swapped out the "used" buttons (for looks) and now I can go to a drive thru again without having to drive slightly passed it so I can open my door.

Bill G '91 SE Auto

I am reminded about an industrial accident that occured at a place where I worked.

On the roof of a three story office tower was an air conditioning unit. The senior maintenance guy was up on the roof on one of the hottest days of the summer, releasing pressure in the AC systems by unloading coolant back into a standard refigeration tank. I don't know if the use of this type of tank was normal, but the activity of reducing the pressure in this fashion was a normal practise, from what I was told.

The tank thta was being re-filled exploded adn the gentleman standing over the tank was extremely badly injured. I believe that he lost a leg and the lower half of his body was severly hurt. He took more than year to recover, somewhat and he was able to learn to walk again.

So, even the professionals can have issues, so inexperiencd folks shoul dnot have a go a folling with the refrigerant system themselves.