aircon removal

Archives of Posts to the NZ MX5 List back in 2003
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Phil McArthur

aircon removal

Post by Phil McArthur » Wed Nov 19, 2003 7:48 pm

The comment from Glenn made me think- my aircon has not worked since the day I
purchased my 5 and I wouldn't use it anyway, so how easy is it to remove?
Can't find anything on miata.net, and I don't think it has been discussed on
this forum before. I can't even identify the unit itself under the bonnet...
Any thoughts/ links? Presumably it involves plugging some plumbing up and
changing a nelt that drives the compressor. Would rather DIY if possible.

Thanks

Phil.

Grant
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Posts: 175
Joined: Thu May 18, 2006 9:41 pm
Location: Sunny Blenheim

aircon removal

Post by Grant » Wed Nov 19, 2003 8:47 pm

I would never remove my aircon. I drive around in winter with the heater on,
and in summer on those 30 deegree sunny dry days, driving around with the
aircon on to keep the feet and hands cool is very pleasant!! The roof is
never up on my car unless it's raining or the car is being washed.

Grant in Blenheim.
Red 2006 NC Tiptronic
FIX A PC

nmr

aircon removal

Post by nmr » Wed Nov 19, 2003 9:24 pm

I would never remove my aircon. I drive around in winter with the
heater on, and in summer on those 30 deegree sunny dry days, driving
around with the aircon on to keep the feet and hands cool is very
pleasant!!
But doesn't the massive loss of power bother you?

Chic & Morven

aircon removal

Post by Chic & Morven » Wed Nov 19, 2003 9:53 pm

Massive power loss? I prefer to call it 'traction control' ;-)


On Wed, 19 Nov 2003 21:24:30 +1300, nmr@iprolink.co.nz wrote:
I would never remove my aircon. I drive around in winter with the
heater on, and in summer on those 30 deegree sunny dry days, driving
around with the aircon on to keep the feet and hands cool is very
pleasant!!
But doesn't the massive loss of power bother you?

From Michael_VanZoggel@bcait.com.au Fri Apr 27 16:47:52 2007
content-class: urn:content-classes:message
Subject: RE: Unclassified RE: aircon removal
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Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2003 19:57:21 +1100
Thread-Topic: Unclassified RE: aircon removal
Thread-Index: AcOucEB3CR1dQWu0RWKcD2r+a4ZyAwACnPhQ
From: "Michael Van Zoggel" <Michael_VanZoggel@bcait.com.au>
To: "MX5List" <mx5list@mx5club.org.nz>
Precedence: list
Message-ID: <j059XC.A.YgF.LIYMGB@L733>

I'd agree with Gareth's comment. At the end of the day, if you sell the car,
have it re-gassed ($60-$90) and it should add substantially to the value at
sale time. Great in Auckland to get rid of windscreen foginess in high
humidity days, great in the rest of the country on those really hot summer
days.

Other than a weight loss (15kg max?) - what have you to gain?

Cheers - Mike

Grant
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Posts: 175
Joined: Thu May 18, 2006 9:41 pm
Location: Sunny Blenheim

aircon removal

Post by Grant » Wed Nov 19, 2003 10:30 pm

I should have added that once out of the town boundaries, the aircon is
usually turned off. Plenty of breeze to keep you cool then. If you need the
'massive' increase in power for the traffic light drag, there's always the
a/c button on the dash. Just paint it red and label it TURBO.
No traffic lights in Blenheim (or any of Marlborough, for that matter)
Grant.
Red 2006 NC Tiptronic
FIX A PC

Bill Rehm

aircon removal

Post by Bill Rehm » Wed Nov 19, 2003 11:25 pm

Aircon is also great as a windsheild defogger in winter, just set the temperature lever mid way -- it clears up the windshield immediately

Regards
Bill

lou Girardin

aircon removal

Post by lou Girardin » Thu Nov 20, 2003 8:10 am

Power loss, what's that?
Lou

Phil McArthur

aircon removal

Post by Phil McArthur » Thu Nov 20, 2003 8:11 am

Thanks all, the point remains that I don't use it, wouldn't use it, and it
needs more than a regas as that was tried early on ( twice) and lasted about
a week each time. Needs seals I think - cost unknown. My windscreen seems
to demist happily without it. The best cold air comes from the 20,000m
headroom. So - is it easy to take out? Or put back in for that matter?
Resale values have dropped to the point that I'm not convinced aircon or not
makes a big difference to this factor. I guess I can just leave it as a
functionless mass as it has been all this time, I presume it doesn't sap any
power if the turbo button is not pressed...

Phil.

EricW
See my 5 and raise you.
See my 5 and raise you.
Posts: 95
Joined: Wed May 24, 2006 7:07 pm
Location: Whangaparaoa

aircon removal

Post by EricW » Thu Nov 20, 2003 8:42 am

I'm fascinated by this talk of power loss, I have never noticed even the
slightest change on my 1.8, and I know the aircon works, I have the icicles to
prove it.

Try sitting on the Northern Motorway, top down, in a queue, on a hot sunny
day, Even with the top down, the aircon comes into its own to keep a draught
blowing. I could not imagine life without it!

Eric

nmr

aircon removal

Post by nmr » Thu Nov 20, 2003 9:16 am

I'mfascinated by this talk of power loss, I have never noticed even
the slightest change on my 1.8, and I know the aircon works, I have
the icicles to prove it.
Well I have a good ole 1.6 whose engine I believe to be in good
nick and there is an appreciable power loss. Maybe 10 - 20% but
of course difficult to assess. I am in the habit of pushing the
envelope on my 5 (translation: thrashing it) and you notice it big
time. No problem when just pottering round town.

biff
I have stars and not afraid to use them
I have stars and not afraid to use them
Posts: 248
Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 3:17 pm
Location: Christchurch

aircon removal

Post by biff » Thu Nov 20, 2003 3:32 pm

No traffic light is right, but you have to have the biggest judder bars in
the world!
Just about need 4x4 :)
That's why your roof is never up, if you hit one of those things at 50k you
would eject through the roof :)

Biff
Red MX NA
ZOOM1N

lou Girardin

aircon removal

Post by lou Girardin » Thu Nov 20, 2003 4:43 pm

Blenheim, land of blue skies, bright sun, empty roads and the most feral cops
in NZ.
Lou

Grant
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Posts: 175
Joined: Thu May 18, 2006 9:41 pm
Location: Sunny Blenheim

aircon removal

Post by Grant » Thu Nov 20, 2003 5:53 pm

Why do you think I am waiting for a set of adjustable Koni's?
The MX5 handles the 'judder bars' more comfortably than my 4x4. The 4x4 is a
short wheelbase one though.
Red 2006 NC Tiptronic
FIX A PC

SLYDIT
Keep calm, Forum Moderator here.
Keep calm, Forum Moderator here.
Posts: 1610
Joined: Sun May 21, 2006 6:18 pm
Location: In the Garage.

aircon removal

Post by SLYDIT » Thu Nov 20, 2003 6:31 pm

First up guys, I never intended to remove the air con
purely for power increase, infact i never mentioned
it. :) We never use the air con so its just taking up
space and weight. When i finally get around to doing
the turbo thing, there will be one less thing in front
of the radiator blocking air flow, and pesky pipes
fouling the intercooling pipes.
Im going to make up a box to fit an 8" subwoofer in
the space that the air con condensor takes up under
the dash.
(if it gets too hot ...drive faster!!!)
Glenn "SLYDIT"
RED '90 TURBO.
SCARING PRIUS DRIVERS SINCE 2002

EricW
See my 5 and raise you.
See my 5 and raise you.
Posts: 95
Joined: Wed May 24, 2006 7:07 pm
Location: Whangaparaoa

aircon removal

Post by EricW » Thu Nov 20, 2003 7:19 pm

Hey, who are you calling "feral".

I used to be one of those cops in Blenheim for nine months, mind you it was a
couple of decades ago, I still have wonderful memories of chasing "Gobby"
O'Brien and the "Lost Legion" motorcycle gang round most of the Wairau Valley.
Blenheim is a great place to be, if you don't happen to be somewhere else.

Eric

Grant
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Posts: 175
Joined: Thu May 18, 2006 9:41 pm
Location: Sunny Blenheim

aircon removal

Post by Grant » Thu Nov 20, 2003 8:02 pm

Did you happen to visit the Post Office Radio Depot for r/t repairs at all,
Eric? I did a lot of work on the MOT r/t's in those days. Used to calibrate
the old original radars as well, although that would have been even earlier.
The ones in a big green box that you had to sit on the boot of the patrol car!
Just did a quick highly technical measurement of the power loss on a '92 1.6
when the aircon is on. Just been called to a fault in Picton so took the MX5
(of course). Cruising at a steady 100km/h then turned on the aircon. Speed
dropped to about 98. Switched the aircon off and the speed slowly returned
to 100km/h. Did this a couple of times with repeatable results.
Done just over 2000km since last Sunday morning and seen very few cops on
the road. Wonder what they are up to.

Grant in very pleasantly warm Blenheim. Still 22 degrees out there.
Red 2006 NC Tiptronic
FIX A PC

Bryce Pearce

aircon removal

Post by Bryce Pearce » Thu Nov 20, 2003 10:04 pm

Most modern vehicles with aircon usually have a full throttle cutout for the
a/c (ie. disengage the a/c compressor) - not too sure if the MX5 has this
feature. Anyone??

Dez Cross

aircon removal

Post by Dez Cross » Thu Nov 20, 2003 11:16 pm

Just hold that thought on the traffic lights, Grant, The Awatere bridge is
getting some installed in the next few days according to the news on the
wireless.


From: "The Simpsons" <grant@simtronics.co.nz>
Reply-To: MX5List<mx5list@mx5club.org.nz>
To: "MX5List" <mx5list@mx5club.org.nz>
Subject: Re: aircon removal
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2003 22:30:50 +1300

I should have added that once out of the town boundaries, the aircon is
usually turned off. Plenty of breeze to keep you cool then. If you need the
'massive' increase in power for the traffic light drag, there's always the
a/c button on the dash. Just paint it red and label it TURBO.
No traffic lights in Blenheim (or any of Marlborough, for that matter)
Grant.

lou Girardin

aircon removal

Post by lou Girardin » Fri Nov 21, 2003 8:04 am

Times have changed Eric, so have the cops.
Lou

Kjellberg, Adrian

aircon removal

Post by Kjellberg, Adrian » Fri Nov 21, 2003 8:57 am

The circuit diagram shows a switch to cut the AC on full acceleration.

Adrian

zorruno
Black is the new black.
Black is the new black.
Posts: 601
Joined: Thu Apr 13, 2006 11:20 pm
Location: An Eastern Beach

aircon removal

Post by zorruno » Sat Nov 22, 2003 10:40 am

Yes it has. You can usually hear the relay click, or sometimes a little
squeak from the belt slip.
(z)

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