radautoworks:


Except that ours have warranties

dannybrasky:

If that's the case,I'll buy from you over and over

radautoworks:


On the same car? And as previously mentioned, it's a myth created by kazeems that a condenser is necessary . All that's necessary is the expansion valve/orifice time and flushing the system. O-rings are recommended but not compulsory.

Eddee:


Nope, not same car. First was a Clk 230k, second the w211.

Come to think of it, no Kazeem in my area will fix your A.C if you're unwilling to change the condenser/dryer. It's like an unwritten rule.

Good to know that a proper flush can save us more money.

radautoworks:


Hallmark of people who don't know what they are doing so they change the whole system figuring they'll catch the problem.

Curious how much it cost you for new manual and installation both times .

Eddee:


Good thing, i keep invoices. An average manual compressor costs between 30k-45k depending on assurance . Usually buy in the 40k range inclusive of waybill from Onitsha or Clegg in Ojuelegba. Condenser costs between 15-17k, mostly Chinese clones. Expansion valves are 3k fixed, again Chinese clones. Freon (I usually get this on my own from ebay or pelican parts, so can't put a cap on the price)

Labour inclusive of AC system vacuuming, 15-20k depending on my kazeem's mood and availability.

Usually costs around 80k give or take, and maybe I've been lucky to have engines with enough hp, so I've never felt those often reported vibrations or subtle loss of power when AC is engaged. In short, I never turn my AC on when I turn off the ignition. Everything is clockwork.

**in all of this, I've not added the welding of the aluminium pipes to ensure it sits properly, I believe thebigkendo has experience in this field

radautoworks:


You've been very lucky because that's the reason all these cars keep coming to us for RTF. We have I think 4 at the shop right now all with the same issue. I posted videos of two.

Eddee:


Saw the videos. Glad, proper auto shops like yours are around. I pray with time there are other radautoworks franchisees around the country. Already documented my sad experience with a Toyota dealership in Calabar with regards to that Lexus IS.

radautoworks:


I didn't see it. Link please? Oh, and thanks for the costing.

Eddee:


No link per se, just rants on I think the Benz thread. They eventually had to get someone from Mandilas Lagos to come down to fix immobiliser and key issues on the car. Terrible indictment on their staff capacity in Calabar. Sometimes they looked and appeared as clueless as I was, good thing I had a lot of folks on here who I could call for remote assistance and diagnosis.

radautoworks:

Well damn... And that was dealership right?

radautoworks:


Yes, but they are putting in manual compressors used or new which will not work with the original condensers hence the recommendation

LeJeun3:




Well I don't know your plug, but I know for sure for landrovers the condenser is the same whether Manual or Auto compressor.... Discharge and Suction hoses are modified to fit the compressor and not the condenser.

Well I might be wrong you know

radautoworks:


Hallmark of people who don't know what they are doing so they change the whole system figuring they'll catch the problem.

Curious how much it cost you for new manual and installation both times.

radautoworks:


Yes, a condenser change is not necessary when doing a compressor except when there is blockage.

We hardly ever changed condensers in the USA and were puzzled when we got here. Now we know why SMH.

radautoworks:


Yes, a condenser change is not necessary when doing a compressor except when there is blockage.

We hardly ever changed condensers in the USA and were puzzled when we got here. Now we know why SMH.

Eddee:


Good thing, i keep invoices. An average manual compressor costs between 30k-45k depending on assurance . Usually buy in the 40k range inclusive of waybill from Onitsha or Clegg in Ojuelegba. Condenser costs between 15-17k, mostly Chinese clones. Expansion valves are 3k fixed, again Chinese clones. Freon (I usually get this on my own from ebay or pelican parts, so can't put a cap on the price)

Labour inclusive of AC system vacuuming, 15-20k depending on my kazeem's mood and availability.

Usually costs around 80k give or take, and maybe I've been lucky to have engines with enough hp, so I've never felt those often reported vibrations or subtle loss of power when AC is engaged. In short, I never turn my AC on when I turn off the ignition. Everything is clockwork.

**in all of this, I've not added the welding of the aluminium pipes to ensure it sits properly, I believe thebigkendo has experience in this field

radautoworks:


Hallmark of people who don't know what they are doing so they change the whole system figuring they'll catch the problem.

Curious how much it cost you for new manual and installation both times.

Not entirely correct Ma'am, I would do a complete reinstall. Condenser compressor not because I dont know what is wrong, but because I care about my mental health and the nature of the situation. Car comes in with this FRAIL looking non leaking condenser no way am I installing a brand new compressor with a flushed out condenser. Call me any name, condenser like a handkerchief is reusable, but in my space it is a disposable paper towel.

LeJeun3:




Well I wouldn't know about the USA, but then again most compressor failures are based on blockages or ultimate mechanical failure of the compressor (compressor don grind).

Worries me sick than tho I can do a perfect installation using new parts, why would I when if it fails in under 6Months I am liable??

Oga Eddee, never buy a used automatic from the shelve, I sell from working vehicles....

radautoworks:


Confused by this part. Are you talking about with parts in Nigeria?

LeJeun3:




Not entirely correct Ma'am, I would do a complete reinstall. Condenser compressor not because I dont know what is wrong, but because I care about my mental health and the nature of the situation. Car comes in with this FRAIL looking non leaking condenser no way am I installing a brand new compressor with a flushed out condenser. Call me any name, condenser like a handkerchief is reusable, but in my space it is a disposable paper towel.

LeJeun3:





Parts bought brand new in Nigeria, Yes. Brand New Original parts exist....

radautoworks:


Agree to disagree. You might do it as preference but majority are doing it for the exact reason I stated. When we were doing initial inventory for the store we used advance/Carquest part performance data in the USA and well as Glen's 30+ years of anecdotal evidence. The result, a buttload of compressors and a handful of condensers. Simply put, they are not changed in the USA.

In fact, with us or any parts store in the USA, you have no warranty unless you buy the compressor with the full kit and the kit does NOT include a condenser.

Push comes to shove, would you warranty the system you do your way for two years? Because we do -and we don't change the condenser unless it's damaged or blocked which it almost never is. As a matter of fact since we opened I don't think we've changed five. Have done at least 150 compressors though.

Mrford:



When another person buy your compressor do you transfer the warranty? Or is it only on the ones you installed by yourself?

Mrford:



When another person buy your compressor do you transfer the warranty? Or is it only on the ones you installed by yourself?

radautoworks:


Don't be a smartass. That's not the part I highlighted. I'm puzzled by the under 6 month thing.

radautoworks:


Agree to disagree. You might do it as preference but majority are doing it for the exact reason I stated. When we were doing initial inventory for the store we used advance/Carquest part performance data in the USA and well as Glen's 30+ years of anecdotal evidence. The result, a buttload of compressors and a handful of condensers. Simply put, they are not changed in the USA.

In fact, with us or any parts store in the USA, you have no warranty unless you buy the compressor with the full kit and the kit does NOT include a condenser.

Push comes to shove, would you warranty the system you do your way for two years? Because we do -and we don't change the condenser unless it's damaged or blocked which it almost never is. As a matter of fact since we opened I don't think we've changed five. Have done at least 150 compressors though.

LeJeun3:





Aunt Radu fi mi le, ma koba mi.

Meant I wont risk a job that won't last longer than the warranty given buy the part supplier.

LeJeun3:





Oh now is see something, I hadn't realized that toyota AC system uses a separate drier/filter from the condenser. On Range Rovers and related vehicles, they are a single unit ....

Eddee:
" Gazzuzz
Air-conditioning consultant"


The real consultant will be here in 5,4,3,2,1...

Eddee:
" Gazzuzz
Air-conditioning consultant"


The real consultant will be here in 5,4,3,2,1...

GAZZUZZ:
The death of a VDC compressor in Nigeria.

VDC compressors are very sensitive to contamination and incorrect installation or refill proceedure. Also very sensitive to excessive heat from condenser area (fan failure)

Major reasons for failure.

1. Self destruction . Kia/Hyundai made in nigeria From 2012 till 2016 had very bad designs and would usually packup without any external interference between the 30-50k km mark. Replacing just the compressor and eliminating the low speed cooling fan setting to high has worked out perfectly.

The Honda Accord 2008-2012 have an issue with the air-conditioning electronics, in most cases the compressor never cuts off, this causes the evaporator to freeze over and short term the evaporator will leak.

2. Fixing a leak and refilling without vacuuming.

99per of all failure starts here especially with foreign used vehicles. Compressor will develop black death and the strainer inside the solenoid that controls the swash plate gets clogged, the solenoid is able to actuate but flow stops. Symptoms of this failure in early stages is an AC system that stops working after running for a while, but resumes when turned off and on again.

3. Cooling fan failure. Cooling fan failure will destroy your VDC compressor prematurely irrespective of being brand new or used.

4. A blocked condenser. Going back to my title I mentioned NIGERIA not USA . You will notice that most car users in the Akure/Lambe/Ogun State region usually have more compressor failure than those in Ikoyi . The reason is mud getting stuck in condenser fins. This causes the high side of the air-conditioning system to spike and short term damage to compressor .

5. Contamination from the system itself .



. A/C components are not designed to work forever (except the Camry 2000 used by dr Olorundare and dare ) The pipes do wear out after long term use and gradually compromise the dryer and compressor. The fins on condenser gradually wear out due to age and become less effective at dissipating heat.

After prolonged use of air-conditioning possibly 10-15 years, if there is failure it's probably best to replace most parts of the system.

Damage due to substandard parts: Substandard parts like compressors have been know to grind to a halt after short term use, also some after market condensers have been know to leak prematurely from joints and weldings. Always best to get original parts and brand names.

6. The use of no gauges. This year I have had over 50 clients that came in for a/c fixes. Usual complain was no cooling especially when the sun was really hot. Hooking up our equipment etc see 240-270psi on the high side sadly their technician had no tools to regulate the refill of refrigerant and put too much. In most cases all we had to do was release a little gas and system would go back to normal.


7. Electrical glitches misdiagnosed. In a lot of cases there is nothing wrong with the a/c system and the technician working with no tools and no scanner goes around fixing what was never bad.

Let me give an example here. The Toyota or Lexus with dual vvti on both banks will instruct the air-conditioning module to halt if for any reason it notices a DTC related to timing inefficiency . Meaning of car threw a p0018 the AC would work for a minute or two then stop. In a situation like this vehicle might end up butchered if in the wrong hands.

Low rpm would cause a VDC system to remain dysfunctional, so cleaning the throttle body to ensure 750~850 rpm before diagnosis is important .

Faulty or wrong charging systems. Alternator voltage above 15v or below 11v would mess up the air-conditioning system or damage the module, it could also cause errors to be found on the module that do not exist. Always good to confirm charging voltage before working.

I'm getting late for work so let me just roundup with this.


The choice between a manual compressor and an automatic is usually due to financial capacity , available parts, technical know how and reliability.

Replacing the condenser to switch from VDC to manual is not really necessary and a waste of money.

Are manual compressors reliable YES. They can swim in a lot of dirt and still function if that is what you want to hear.

There are engine designs that would never accommodate a switch, usually the engine sizes from 1.2- 1.8liter variants. It would come with a lot of shuddering and vibration.

So when you can if you can, just do the right thing.

Modified. An a/c technician cannot work on modern day cars without working with Modern day tools and perfect understanding of the workings of the drivetrain.


Gazzuzz
Air-conditioning consultant